Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Luke 6:31
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

This simple “golden rule” is the basis of kindness and love. Ideally, we should all be able to love one another genuinely and naturally. But we’re all broken, imperfect people, and treating someone as you would wish to be treated isn’t always easy. That’s exactly why love isn’t a trade or a transaction, but instead, it’s a choice to prioritize someone else over yourself. If you would wish for mercy, show it to someone who doesn’t deserve it; if you would wish for grace, be willing to give it to anyone who asks. It’s this selfless love that Christ commands us to show others, and which He put on display when He paid for the sins of the world.

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

If you are only kind to those who are kind to you, what sets you apart? If you only give expecting to get something back in return, what reward will you have in Heaven? Jesus made a lot of enemies in His day, but He mistreated none of them. Even as He was being nailed to a cross, He prayed “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Christ first loved you, even before you knew Him… when you were an enemy of God. Forgive others, as you have been forgiven, and be kind to the ungrateful and evil, as He was kind to you.

Monday, February 12, 2024

Monday, February 12, 2024
Proverbs 11:17
A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

Culture would tell you that “living for yourself” is the key to a happy life, but the Bible would disagree. God has made you for far more than just self-gratification. He created you with a capacity for love, to love your neighbor as yourself and to love God with all your heart. No matter how many temporary pleasures and fleeting joys you fill yourself with, nothing will ever take the place of genuine love. Be selfless toward others, treating them the way you would wish to be treated, and pray that Christ would make His affection known to others through your kindness.

Friday, February 9, 2024

Friday, February 9, 2024
1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

For those in Christ, suffering is temporary, but heaven is eternal. Jesus never taught that life would be easy following Him, but He did promise that eternal life was worth suffering through anything for. And your suffering isn’t meaningless; God weeps with you when you’re hurting, but for every tear He has a plan. He will use your darkest moments to strengthen you, establish your faith, and show you firsthand the kind of Father He is. You have been called to eternal glory by Christ Himself, and He is on your side. What kind of suffering could outweigh that blessing?

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Thursday, February 8, 2024
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

God doesn’t want you to pray in vain, He wants you to pray with faith. When you talk to Him and tell Him about your problems, don’t pray like you’re talking to a wall. Pray like you’re talking to the Creator of heaven and earth, and not just that, but your Father and Savior too. Pray like the God of the universe actually hears you, because He does; like He can answer your prayers in ways beyond your imagination, because He can. The Lord knows your every need and desire, and it’s His desire to give them to you. Just trust that however He chooses to answer, His plan is better than yours.

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The world is full of mistakes, tragedies, and grief, but it is not without hope. All throughout the Bible you can see God taking terrible situations and bringing abundant good out of them, so that nothing goes to waste. A lineage marred by betrayals, scandals, murders and sin was the very line that Jesus came from. The crucifixion of the perfect Son of God was the most terrible event in human history, and yet three days later, it became the best thing that ever happened to us. The Lord can work all things together for good, even the things that you wish never happened. Put your faith and your life into His hands, and watch Him grow gardens from your battlefields.