Category: trusting God

Whatever You Do

Proverbs 16-18

In the book of Proverbs, we find a treasure trove of wisdom that has the power to transform our lives. Chapter 16 is no exception, offering profound insights that speak directly to our hearts and the way we navigate this world. Today, let us take a closer look at verse 3, which encourages us to commit our work to the Lord, knowing that He is the one who establishes our plans.

In a society driven by achievement and self-reliance, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that success is solely dependent on our own abilities and strategies. We may spend countless hours meticulously crafting our plans and pursuing our goals, forgetting that we are called to acknowledge God’s sovereignty and seek His guidance in all that we do. However, Proverbs reminds us that true success comes from surrendering our efforts to the Lord.

Committing our work to the Lord involves recognizing that He is the ultimate authority and the source of all wisdom and understanding. It requires us to approach our tasks, aspirations, and dreams with an attitude of humility, acknowledging that apart from Him, we can do nothing of lasting significance. We are called to submit our plans to His will, seeking His guidance and trusting that He will align our desires with His purposes.

By entrusting our work to God, we are liberated from the burden of self-reliance and the anxiety that often accompanies it. We can rest in the assurance that the Lord, in His infinite wisdom and love, will establish our plans. This does not mean that we will be exempt from challenges or difficulties along the way, but it does mean that God will faithfully guide us, direct our steps, and use our efforts for His glory.

When we commit our work to the Lord, we invite Him to be an active participant in every aspect of our lives. We open ourselves up to His guidance and leading, allowing Him to shape our plans according to His perfect will. Our work becomes an opportunity to partner with God, to be instruments through which His purposes are fulfilled in this world.

As we reflect on Proverbs chapter 16, may we be encouraged to surrender our ambitions, our dreams, and our work to the Lord. Let us seek His wisdom, trust in His guidance, and find peace in knowing that He is the one who establishes our plans. By entrusting ourselves to Him, we embark on a journey of purpose and fulfillment, where our lives become a testament to His grace and faithfulness.

-Austin Kizer

(originally posted for Seek GrowLove on May 16, 2023)

Reflection Questions

  1. In what areas of your life would it be wise to surrender your plans to the Lord? What does that look like? What thoughts and feelings does it create? Pray for help in doing so.
  2. What does true success look like? Is it possible apart from God and His plans?
  3. What will God reveal to you about Himself in your Bible reading today?
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Loving Laws

Psalm 119:1-88

As I read through the first half of this Psalm, one thing that stuck out to me was the repetition of the thought of loving God’s law/commands/decrees or desiring to love them. 

When we think about laws, we don’t usually think about loving them.  We follow the laws so we don’t get punished.  Some laws, we understand and agree that they are good, so it makes sense to follow them, and some, we don’t and the only reason to follow them is to not get in trouble (like prohibiting nursing homes from playing Bingo more than two times per week or not crossing state lines with a duck on your head).

The concept of loving laws makes much more sense when you consider a loving God that created them.  Though we may not understand all of them, we can know that God put them into place for the good of people.

Though the requirements of the law were fulfilled in Christ and there wasn’t an expectation for the Gentiles to follow the law, we can still look at the law and see valuable guidance like washing your hands.  You can see how the instructions on dealing with dead bodies or blood would have made sense, especially before more medical advances were made.  And whatever doesn’t make sense to you at this time, if you believe that God is good and loving, you can trust that the laws were made with a reason.

When we look at the direction given by Jesus that went above and beyond the call of the law, we can also believe that he gave those directives because he loves people too and wants us to as well.

When we want to do good because it is good rather than because of a fear of punishment (or a promise of reward), we can live our lives differently than the world around us.

God, teach us to love your ways, to truly believe that your ways are good and trustworthy.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What are your favorite 3 verses in Psalm 119:1-88? Why did you choose each one?
  2. What is the benefit of having good laws? What laws help your home, school or work environment run more smoothly?
  3. Do you trust that God’s laws are good? Pick one of God’s good laws that God might want you to love more. What would that look like?
  4. What do we learn about God’s laws from Jesus?
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Praise the Lord!

Psalm 111-118

                  Psalm 111-113 – all start with “Praise the LORD.”

I have started a homeschool journey with my child, and one thing I am enjoying about the curriculum we are using is that it tries to draw things in the lessons back to God, and to remind us to be thankful and grateful in our lives.  I think when we start with “Praise the LORD” it can shift our focus and alter the way we live our lives.

                  115:1 – Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name be the glory,
    because of your love and faithfulness.

As humans, we often crave praise and glory, but when we seek after those things, we create idols (though maybe not the physical ones mentioned in the following verses). 

But our God is great and wonderful, and we need to trust in Him – He blesses people, He gives to us.  And simply because of who God is, we ought to offer Him praise, “both now and forevermore.” (verse 18b). 

I have enjoyed reading the Psalms, and I appreciate how so many of them are focused on praising God.  I think if we re-framed our life to have that much focus on that, we would be better off.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What stood out to you most in these Psalms?
  2. What have you praised God for this week?
  3. What happens when we don’t praise God?
  4. How can you be more intentional about praising God more regularly?
  5. What can you praise God for today?
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Fully Known

Psalm 138-139, 143-145

I picked just one Psalm today to write about (139), but I think you can grow and find comfort in all of them.

1 You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

This is both comforting and frightening.  God knows us fully, He knows all that we think and do.  That can be scary when we think about how unruly our minds sometimes are.  But it is also an amazing comfort and blessing to know that there is someone that knows you 100%. 

Though we often try and hide aspects of our lives, I believe that most people do have a desire inside to be fully known.  To have someone you can go to and have no façade and completely let your guard down.  We search for that in people, but it isn’t something that we can find in them, only God. I think that desire can even cause us hurt and frustrations in our relationships with people because we want that other person to fully know us, and when they don’t [can’t], we can feel let down if we aren’t viewing them in the proper light. 

I often wish my husband could read my mind when I say that I want a snack, but I don’t know what I want – I want him to know what I want.  But other people weren’t made to know us fully.  Only God gets to hold that position, and that is a good thing.  People are imperfect, they can let us down by their imperfections, but God never does.  And so thanks be to Him that He is the one that knows us completely.

The following verses continue a similar idea and expand into the fact that there is nowhere we can go that is away from God’s Spirit.  I want to just copy all the verses and paste them here, but you can go read them.

Even when we try and run from God, there is no where we can go that He is not there.  And not only is He there, but He loves you so fully and deeply. 

13 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Before you were even born, God knew you, and He loved you so fully and completely that our human minds cannot understand. But we can trust and know that that is true. 

I’ve had the privilege to carry two children within me, and that concept of loving someone in an inexplicable way before you have even met them connects with me.  And what is crazy to me is to think of how much deeper and wider the love God has for us – stronger than any earthly parent can have for their child, and I know, that love is already deep.  And it humbles me and brings me to tears to know that God loves my children more than I ever could.  And I am so thankful for that, and that He loves us all in that way.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you find most striking in Psalm 139?
  2. In what ways do you desire to be known by others? How have you been disappointed when they have not met your expectations and desire?
  3. How do you feel knowing God knows everything about you, and always has, and loves you still?
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Help!

Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55

In today’s reading, I couldn’t help but see some parallels between David and Jesus. In both of these passages, we see a crying out to God in a time of true despair or suffering.  

In Psalm 28, we read David’s heartfelt words:

1 ​​To you, Lord, I call;

    you are my Rock,

    do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you remain silent,

    I will be like those who go down to the pit.

2 Hear my cry for mercy

    as I call to you for help,

as I lift up my hands

    toward your Most Holy Place.
(NIV)

The words, “For if you remain silent” stood out to me. Up until that point, David clearly felt that God had been silent. He wanted to be reminded that God was on his side and actively fighting for him. 

In Matthew 27:46, Jesus also cried out to God in distress:

46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). NIV

To me, that sentence contains some of the most poignant words in scripture. Jesus is truly taking on the weight of the world at this moment by bearing all of humanity’s sins. The weight of it must have been crushing. It must have felt so terribly dark and cold. In this case, he alone had to pay the price and it was not the plan for God to rescue him from death; however, we know how the story ends. We know God did not forsake him in the grave. We read in Acts 2:31: 

31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. (NIV)

When we are in the depths of despair or metaphorically running from danger, it can seem like God is silent and turning a deaf ear to us. However, His word assures us in Romans 8:28 that He is not turning His back to us. 

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

In the latter portion of Psalm 28, we read David’s recognition that God came through for him.  

6 Praise be to the Lord,

    for he has heard my cry for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

    and with my song I praise him. (NIV)

Notice the words from verse 7: “my heart trusts in him.” How do we cultivate trust in God? One of the best ways is to learn about Him through His word. His character radiates beautifully all throughout scripture. One aspect of God’s character that really spoke to me in today’s reading is His tenderness. In Psalm 28:9 we read: “Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.” (NLT)

Isaiah 40:11 gives us more insight into how He shepherds His flock: 

He tends his flock like a shepherd:

    He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

    he gently leads those that have young. (NIV)

God carries us close to His heart. Now that’s an amazing image! Where we are might feel very cold and alone in the moment, but God is there holding us close to His heart. Unlike Jesus on the cross, we never have to bear the weight of our burdens alone. He is working things out for the good for those who love Him. It might not look like how we imagined, but it will be beautiful in the long run. Trust His timing. Trust His goodness. 

-Kristy Cisneros

Kristy is married to Pastor Andy Cisneros who pastors Guthrie Grove Church in Pelzer, SC. This May they will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary! They are the proud parents of two awesome children: Brooke and Logan. 

(originally posted January 29, 2023 when our Bible reading plan for the year included a New Testament reading from Matthew 27 and a Psalm, 28)

Reflection Questions:

  1. Do you feel that you trust in God’s timing and goodness? If not or maybe not as much as you should, make it an intentional prayer that God will help you grow in these areas.
  2. How can you use this year’s Bible reading plan to grow further in your appreciation of God’s timing and goodness?
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Remember & Trust Yahweh our God

Psalm 20

1 Chronicles 19

2 Samuel 10

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we remember the name of Yahweh our God.  – Psalm 20:7 (REV)

It is very easy to rely on our modern technologies for help. The United States spent around 1 trillion dollars on defense last year, and it is easy to look at that high spending and have some confidence that the US would have an upper hand in any conflicts that it is engaged in, and that soldiers might enjoy a higher level of safety. We can look at medical technologies and pharmaceuticals and have confidence that something out there can diagnose and treat our potential maladies.

Yet despite these great resources, soldiers still die, and people still get sick and do not receive the diagnosis or treatment that they want or need. Confidence can lead to letdowns when placed in earthly things.

In 1 Chronicles 19, we see King David extend kindness to his potential foes, only for it to be repaid with treachery and opposition. When the Ammonites realize that they have put themselves at odds with David, they amass a significant force of chariots to fend off any attacks. They put confidence in the technology of the day to help deliver them from the potential conflict with Israel.

As Psalm 20:7 says, some people put their trust in chariots and horses, but we remember – or put our trust in – Yahweh. David trusted his God to deliver him and his armies from whatever his enemies devised as a means of attack or defense strategy. David recognized God as sovereign and that God is capable of anything. Historically and personally, David knew that God used underdogs and laughably small forces to conquer the enemies of his chosen people.

We do not have promises from God that we will never suffer or experience pain, death, or illness. God does promise us redemption through the blood of his son Jesus. We have a promise of restoration for the earth, which is something that has never been accomplished by human effort, whether governmental or environmental.

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What will you put your trust in?
  2. Who will you put your trust in?
  3. Why is God’s provision so much more powerful than earthly promises?
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Help for the Struggle

Psalm 25, 29, 33, 36 & 39

With the rates rising steadily over the years, I can bet that about 20% of you reading this now are struggling with anxiety of some kind.  I understand this struggle personally, having navigated periods of severe anxiety that required medication and endured panic attacks with lingering effects, to feeling totally and completely normal.  I won’t pretend to have any fabulous cure-all to share with you, but I can tell you something that has helped me and others. 

Cultivating gratitude can shift your perspective and reduce stress. Experts confirm that gratitude releases dopamine, lowers cortisol levels, and improves sleep. While gratitude won’t eliminate life’s challenges, it can provide balance and stability.

If you’re searching for things to be thankful for, explore the Psalms- many of which sing praises about the great things God has done. Psalm 33 is one worth bookmarking to have handy when you’re searching for things to be grateful for.  

Psalm 33 reminds us that we can praise God because his word is upright, and he is faithful.  We can be thankful that by His words, God created the heavens and the earth and knows the depths of the sea.  We can be grateful that God shares his wisdom with us and that it is unchanging and reliable.  What’s more, we needn’t worry because everything is in God’s hands. Even kings can’t guarantee their safety, just like the strongest among us can’t guarantee our success.  The same God that created this world is the same God that created you.  Throughout our anxiety, we are encouraged to “wait for the Lord” and trust that our creator can handle it.

-Hope Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. When do you feel anxious?
  2. Practice gratitude. Remember back to a difficult time in your life. What can you be grateful for even during those troubles? What can you be thankful for today?
  3. Read through Psalm 33 again. Look for all the things God has done and all He is that you can give thanks for and that can give you peace. What will it look like to wait on Him today?
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Enduring Faithfulness

2 Samuel 7

1 Chronicles 17

When was the last time you made a truly eternal promise? If you’re married, hopefully, you’ve made an eternal promise of love and commitment. I’m sure if you have children, you’ve vowed to love and cherish them always. Even something as seemingly simple as getting a tattoo is a promise to yourself that you’ll carry that image on your body for the rest of your life.

Today’s scripture, 2 Samuel 7, reveals the profound truth of God’s eternal promises. This passage contains the Davidic Covenant, where God promises that David’s house will rule forever. We know this promise will be fully realized when Jesus returns to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Think about it: God has been keeping this promise for over 3,000 years! Despite Israel’s occasional disappointments and frustrations, God remains steadfast.

While our most sincere promises can falter due to betrayal, anger, misunderstanding, or irreconcilable differences, a promise from God is unwavering. That’s a reason for a true celebration! 

David’s response to this incredible promise is one of humility and awe: “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” Today, may we find ways to celebrate God’s faithfulness that has endured all this time and will continue long past us.

-Hope Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. When have you witnessed or experienced God’s enduring faithfulness?
  2. When have you responded to God with humility and awe saying (similar): ““How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you…”?
  3. How are you at keeping your promises? Can your word be trusted?
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Yearning for God

Psalms 84-85, 87

1 Chronicles 5

Have you ever yearned for something?  

I recently had a baby boy, who decided, after about 3.5 weeks of false labor contractions and me walking around 4cm dilated for a week, he would grace us with his appearance 2 days after his due date.  For comparison, my firstborn came a week early with only those pesky Braxton Hicks contractions leading up to his debut.  Anyone who has known me over the past 9 months knows that I was fully convinced this second baby was coming early.  It felt like my entire mind was consumed by thinking about going into labor every moment of every day!  I was grouchy, distracted, and mentally exhausted.  My yearning brought me no closer to my baby, and really only made me more distant from everything positive going on around me. 

The sons of Korah write in Psalm 84:2 “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” (NIV).  The NET translation phrases it as “with my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God”.  This verse paints a picture of absolute, consuming, desire for closeness with God.  The chapter continues on to describe a blessed happiness that can be found when focused on praising the Almighty, when trusting in the Lord of Hosts! (v. 4, 12).  

Psalm 85 continues this picture of desiring closeness with God, but takes a slightly different perspective.  In Psalm 84, I get this imagery of excitement, anticipation, energized passion for God, whereas Psalm 85 depicts an image of peace, protection, and righteousness in relationship.  There is still a deep longing for a connection, but it’s like comparing the honeymoon, “puppy-love” phase of a new marriage, to a secure, content, lifelong covenant marriage.  

Verse 9 describes this type of relationship through salvation by fearing God.  This “fear” is derived from the Hebrew word “yare”, which means to revere, or be afraid of because of profound respect .  It’s not meant to be a fear that causes us to avoid approaching the throne, but rather a fear that places us in rightful, humble, submission to an awesome God, worthy of being revered, and yearned for.  One that should make us say, “my whole source of joy is in you” (Ps. 87:7). 

Even though babies are one of the greatest gifts, my yearning to deliver my son began to impact my relationship with God (and others!) as I began to prioritize birth over my spiritual relationship with the One who made life.  I wanted to control the timing, and I wanted it to be now!  But, when I started to misplace my priorities, I felt less joy, less excitement, and less peace about the whole situation.  How often does this happen in our lives?  We begin to place closeness to someone or something above our desire for closeness with God… and unsurprisingly, we don’t get the same satisfaction we may have been hoping for.  We can become bitter, resentful, stressed, you name it… anything but joyful.  Yearning with such intenseness for the wrong things in life, even when they are good things, will never lead to a joy-filled life.  BUT, when we keep ourselves yearning intensely for a relationship with God, and when we humble ourselves to Him, we experience true joy, true peace, and true satisfaction, only He can deliver!

(And baby boy arrived healthy and happy, just when God intended him too 🙂)

Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson

Reflection Questions

  1. Evaluate your faith walk right now – would you describe yourself as yearning for a relationship with God?  What other aspects in your life might you be misplacing above your relationship with Him?  
  2. What steps can you take to practice fearing, or revering, God today?
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Rise Up!

1 Chronicles 3-4

Psalms 43-45, 49

Hello everyone!

This week we will be primarily focusing on the Psalms passages, although you can find some very interesting name ideas as you read through the lineage passages in 1 Chronicles 🙂

All of the Psalms we are reading today are said to be written of “the sons of Korah”.  If you’re like me, you may not be completely aware of who these people are.  Although there are multiple ‘Korah’s mentioned in Scripture, most scholars believe the Psalmists come from the line of Korah who led the rebellion against Moses, and as a result was swallowed up by the earth and his followers burned with heavenly fire (Numbers 16).  BUT, Korah’s sons did not die as we see in Numbers 26:11.  With this historical knowledge, it can be helpful to put some of these Psalms into perspective.

Starting off in verse 1 of Psalm 43, I am immediately resonating with the writers as I consider our own nation for the last decade (and then some).  No matter what someone’s political perspective is, I feel confident we can all agree that this world, our nation, is in desperate need of God’s light and truth to lead us (v. 3).  It can be easy to feel rejected or abandoned by God when we focus on the world around us.  The Korahites express this very sentiment in chapter 44, calling an immortal, omnipotent Creator to Wake Up (v. 23) and remember them in their affliction.  Interestingly, the writers here don’t ask for rescue because they are so holy, or because of their own personal status.  Rather, they ask God to redeem them for the sake of His steadfast love (v. 26).  Their motive in asking is based in an understanding of the love of a powerful Father.  Despite their affliction, their feelings, and their very real enemy oppression, they are recognizing the love of God and praising His name, calling Him their greatest joy (43:4).  They are acknowledging His power while also acknowledging that they are in a pretty sucky situation they didn’t actively pursue like generations past.  

Of all people, the Korahites understood the power God had and what He could do to those who did not follow Him.  They knew this because of what their own generational line experienced!  They would have been painfully aware of Korah’s poor choices, and of God’s miraculous provisions for the Israelites throughout the years, because of their ancestors (44:1).  Rather than lashing out at God for His decision with Korah, or living in crippling fear with the knowledge of His mighty hand, they instead tied themselves closely to a God they saw as loving, protective, and desiring to redeem them (49:15).   They placed their trust in an Almighty authority with the capacity to bring eternal salvation, rather than the things of this world that wouldn’t follow them beyond the grave (49:17). 

When we experience challenges in life, it’s easy to place blame outside of ourselves (sometimes rightfully so!), become angry, or focus on all of the sucky parts around us.  During these moments, we can instead consider our greatest joy, remember our Sovereign God, and His redeeming love.  This doesn’t mean we have to ignore or hide the situations we’re in – that isn’t what these Psalmists did at all!  Instead, they placed their situations in perspective of a God they knew to be loving and eternal, worthy of praise no matter the circumstance.  Do you?

-Sarah Johnson

Reflection Questions

  1. What is your first response when you experience or observe injustice in the world?  Does this reflect the knowledge you have of God?
  2. How can you place your current situations into perspective of God’s power? How does this change your attitude about your situation?
  3. Do you pull a different theme from the Psalms today? What was God speaking into your unique circumstance?
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