Stronger Together: Overcoming Temptation Through Community

“Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (GNT)

To break free from the temptations in my life, I'll never do it on my own and without support. I won’t succeed in changing by myself.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope for change.

Once I understand that I can’t change on my own, I’ll be free to see how God is working to transform my life by using other people to help me change.

God wired me to need others in order to grow. I need other people to help me break free of hurts, habits, and hang-ups.

I need accountability in my life. The very thing that I want least is the very thing I need most. I need a friend who checks up on me, and I need a group who supports me.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him” (GNT). This is true for falling into temptation as well.

I need somebody in my life to help me with the habits I want to change. I'm not going to change them on my own.

Everybody is tempted. It’s a myth to believe that one day I’ll get to a point in my spiritual life where I'm not tempted anymore. But the truth is, the more mature I become, the more Satan is going to put me on his “most wanted” list.

The Bible says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2 NCV). 

What’s the law of Christ? Love your neighbor as yourself. How can I love my neighbors like myself? I do it by helping  others through temptation. I do it by working together to stay consistent in areas I want to change. And I do it by helping others break bad habits and start good ones.

God created me to need others. The moment I enlist someone else to help me, the pressure to give in starts dissipating and the temptation starts weakening. That’s the best way I can love my neighbor—and my neighbor can love me.

In summary:

Lasting change and freedom from temptation aren't meant to be tackled alone—I need the support of others. God designed me for community, where accountability and encouragement helps me overcome struggles, break bad habits, and grow spiritually. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 highlights the power of partnership: when one falls, the other can help them up. True transformation happens when I admit I can’t do it alone, invite others into my journey, and support each other with love, as taught in Galatians 6:1–2. Helping one another through temptation is how I fulfill Christ’s law of loving our neighbor.

Win the Battle in Your Mind

“We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NCV)

Here’s the secret to temptation: Don’t fight it. Refocus—because whatever I resist persists.

The Bible doesn’t tell me to resist temptation? It says to resist the devil, and that’s a whole different issue. But the key to overcoming temptation is not to push back. It’s to change my focus.

Whatever gets my attention gets me. The battle for sin always starts in the mind. That’s why the Bible says in Psalm 119:6, “Thinking about your commands will keep me from doing some foolish thing” (CEV). Why? Because if I'm thinking about God’s truth, I'm not thinking about other things—like temptations!

It’s true in every single area of life—good or bad. If I focus on godly things, my mind will begin to naturally gravitate towards them. If I focus on worldly or negative things, my mind will begin to naturally move in that direction. Whatever I focus on gets my attention. And whatever gets my attention, gets me.

The key is to change my mind.

Temptation always follows a predictable pattern: attention, activation, and action. My mind gets hooked, my mind kicks in and emotions come into play, and then I act on it.

So instead of trying to fight a temptation; turn my mind to something else. “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NCV).

After Jesus was baptized and went into the wilderness for 40 days, Satan tried to tempt him by saying, “Tell these stones to become bread” Matthew 4:3 (NIV). Jesus didn’t say, “Oh, no I’m not hungry.” He was hungry! He’d been fasting for forty days. But he turned his mind to something else. He quoted the Bible. He said, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4 NLT).

The more I fight a particular temptation, the more it controls me. I can’t fight a feeling, but I can choose to focus on other things. When I do, the feeling loses its attraction because my attention is on something else. 

Capturing every thought and turning it to Christ takes lots of practice. I can’t always control my circumstances, and I definitely can’t always control the way U feel. But I can control what I think about. That’s always my choice.

And if I change the way I think, it changes the way I feel, and that will change the way I act.

In summary:

Tey to overcoming temptation is not by resisting it directly, but by refocusing the mind on God’s truth. Temptation begins in my thoughts, so what I choose to dwell on ultimately shapes my actions. The Bible encourages me to “capture every thought and make it obey Christ,” reminding me that I have the power to redirect my thinking. Trying to fight a feeling only gives it more power, but shifting my focus—especially to Scripture—weakens its hold. Just as Jesus responded to temptation with God’s Word, I too can overcome by changing my focus, which transforms my thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Seeing God Clearly: The Source of Trust, Comfort, and Hope

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?. . .Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8:31-32, 35 (NIV)

How do I know that I can trust God to comfort me? Only by seeing him as he really is. If I think God is out to condemn me,then I’ll never trust him. Yet, the truth is, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32 NIV).

The question is this: will I trust my feelings or the truth of who God is? 

Romans 8:34 continues to remind me that God really is for us: “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (NLT). 

Jesus lived, died, and rose again to save me, not to condemn me. When my feelings tell me otherwise, they are lying.

Who is God really? Psalm 86:15 says, “You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (NIV). God doesn’t minimize my hurts, and he doesn’t shame me for my habits. He sees my struggles and it’s as if he’s saying, “I can help you through this.” He is a compassionate God. 

The Message Paraphrase says God is the “Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too” (2 Corinthians 1:3–5).

One way to experience God’s love in a tangible way is by surrounding myself with other believers who know, love, and have trusted God. It’s in godly community that I can listen to one another, share honestly, and point each other toward my compassionate, loving God.

To experience true hope, I must see who God really is. Hope begins when I begin seeing him clearly.

In summary:

I can fully trust God because of who He truly is—a compassionate, gracious, and loving Father who is for me, not against me. He proved His love by giving His Son, Jesus, to live, die, and rise again on my behalf, not to condemn me but to save me. My feelings may mislead me, but God’s Word assures me of His faithful love and constant presence, especially in my struggles. He comforts me so that I can comfort others, and I often experience His love most deeply in community with other believers. True hope begins when I see and trust God for who He really is.

Saved by Grace Through Faith

“God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.” Romans 3:22 (TLB)

The Bible says, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’” (Romans 1:17 NLT).

God’s Word also says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

The Good News is that the death and resurrection of Jesus give us access to God. In other words, we can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ.

To express faith in Christ, here’s a simple, biblical guide:

Admit I need a Savior.
I can’t get to God on my own. We’re all sinners. We’ve blown it. Heaven is perfect and we’re not. But the Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV).

And the apostle Paul tells us, “God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22 TLB).

Believe in Jesus.
The Bible says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NLT). That means I believe Jesus is who the Bible says he is, and I trust him for my future with everything I have.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

My belief must be specific in Christ: “If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved . . . As the scripture says, ‘Everyone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved’” (Romans 10:9-10, 13 GNT).

Confess my commitment to Jesus.
Tell Jesus I trust him with my life. Confess that I believe in him and his promises. Jesus said, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark” (John 12:44-46 NLT).

Depend on God’s promises.
I can rely upon God’s promise in John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (TLB). No matter what I've done or how long I’ve done it, God promises that everyone who believes in Jesus will live with him in heaven forever.

Pray a prayer of commitment to Christ.
Trust in Jesus and commit to following him, no need to wait. Pray this prayer:

“Dear God, I believe Jesus Christ is your Son. I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

In summary:

Salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—not through my own efforts or good deeds. God offers forgiveness and declares me "not guilty" when I trust Jesus to take away my sins, no matter what I've done. To receive this gift, I must admit my need for a Savior, believe in Jesus as the Son of God who died and rose again, confess my faith in Him, and depend on God’s promises. Accepting Christ is a personal decision, and through prayer and faith, I can begin a new life with Him and be assured of eternal life.

I Am Blessed to be a Blessing

“God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts which they receive from us. For this service you perform not only meets the needs of God’s people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 (GNT)

What God gives to me, he wants to give through me.

God is looking for people he can use to bless the world. It’s as if he looks around and asks, “Will you be a cup, or will you be a straw?” If you’re a cup, you just get filled up, and that’s it. But if you’ll say, “God, I’ll be a straw, and you can channel your blessing through me to other people,” then that’s the kind of person God wants to bless.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:10-11, “God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times” (GNT).

This promise is built on my willingness to share what he supplies to me. Am I willing to pass on God’s blessing to others?

No matter how much I have, I can be generous. There’s even a story in the Bible about a woman who only had two pennies, yet she gave them away.

It’s a myth to think that I “don’t have enough to give.” I can always give something. I can be generous with my time by giving some of it away volunteering. And I can be generous with my faith by sharing it with others.

When going through a tough time my attitude can be one of, “God, I don’t have much, but whatever I’ve got, I’m willing to share. I’ve only got a little be willing to share whatever I have,” When I do, God promises to do three things for me. First, I will grow spiritually. Second, he will use me to meet other people’s needs. And third, God is praised.

When I give whatever I have, God will open the door of blessing in my life like I could never imagine.

In summary:

God promises to provide not only for my needs but also to supply abundantly so that I can be generous and bless others, resulting in gratitude and praise to Him. He looks for people willing to be channels of His blessing—like straws rather than cups—ready to share what they have. This generosity isn’t about how much we possess but my willingness to give, even if it's just time, faith, or a small amount. When I share what God has given me, three things happen: I grow spiritually, others' needs are met, and God is glorified. Ultimately, God uses my generosity to bless the world and opens the door for even greater blessings in my life.

The Power of Following the Right Example

“You are blessed whenever you follow my example.”

John 13:17 (GW)

Everybody has an example they follow. The question is whose example am I following?

If I don’t decide who my model will be in life, then other people will decide it for me, like the media, culture, friends, or coworkers. People will often try to tell me how to live my life.

But God is the only one who should be telling me how to live my life. And the only perfect example is Jesus Christ.

There are many people who after turning 40, discovered that they had based their life on an inconsistent and ineffective model because they were looking at the wrong example. One could be in, “Climbing the ladder of success, but after reaching the top realize that the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall! An investment of time in the wrong thing.” 

Jesus was able to get fishermen to drop their nets and follow him? He had the power to feed more than 5,000 people with a basket of bread and fish. He had the influence to upset the status quo of the whole Roman Empire.

Jesus wasn’t a wimp. He wasn’t a lot of things we don't make him out to be in our minds. He was the most counter-cultural revolutionary you could imagine, who led perfectly with grace and compassion and justice. It takes humility to follow that kind of Savior.

Everywhere Jesus went, he told people to follow him. He never said to follow a principle or a program or even a religion—but a person. He said, “You are blessed whenever you follow my example” (John 13:17 GW). 

Following Jesus involves a relationship. God wants me to know him personally! He sent Jesus so I could know him and love him for exactly who he is—the perfect example for me to follow.

In summary:

Everyone follows an example in life, whether intentionally or by default through influences like culture, media, or peers. But the only perfect and reliable model is Jesus Christ. Many people later realize they’ve spent years chasing success or approval based on flawed examples, only to find themselves unfulfilled. Jesus calls us not to follow a religion or set of rules, but to follow him—a revolutionary leader who embodied grace, justice, and humility. True blessing comes from choosing to follow his example and building a personal relationship with him, the only one truly worthy of leading our lives.

Waiting Well: Choosing Contentment in Uncertainty

“Surrender yourself to the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:7 (GW)

We all struggle with contentment, and one of the reasons is because we’re always looking for explanations for why things happen in our lives. But God doesn’t tell us why most things happen—and that can be really frustrating!

So why doesn’t God tell me why everything happens in my life? 

Because he’s testing me. He’s testing me to see if I will let go of control and learn to be content, whether he explains something or not.

The truth is, God doesn’t owe me an explanation for anything, and I wouldn’t understand it even if he gave it.

But even if I did get an explanation, it still wouldn’t take away the pain. For most things in life, I'm not going to know why they happen until I get on the other side of death.

Even though God won’t give me explanations for most things, he often will use those difficult situations to test me.

When God is silent in my life and feels a million miles away, my faith is being tested. God may be looking to see: Will I let go of control, or will I grab on more tightly? Will I learn to be content?

When I'm going through pain this week or next month or this year, I don’t really need God’s explanation. What I need is God’s presence.

So I will, “Surrender yourself to the LORD, and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7 GW). 

In summary:

Contentment can be difficult when life doesn’t make sense, and often, God doesn’t explain why things happen. This lack of explanation isn’t meant to frustrate, but rather to test my faith—challenging me to let go of control and trust Him without needing all the answers. Even if God did explain everything, it wouldn’t remove the pain or make everything clear. Instead of explanations, what I truly need during difficult times is God’s presence. Psalm 37:7 reminds me to surrender to the Lord and wait patiently, trusting that He is working even in the silence and the uncertainty.

        

Trusting God One Day at a Time

“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done . . . Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:6, 8 (NLT)

God wants me to trust him one day at a time. He said to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread”—not for next week or next year but just one day at a time.

The Bible says there are four things I need to do to trust God on a daily basis: “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done . . . Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:6, 8 NLT).

Don’t worry.
Why is worry such a big deal? Because it’s not just a bad habit—it’s a sin! God keeps his promises, and I can trust that he will take care of me for the big and the small things. “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:34 NLT).

Pray about everything.
Prayer can change things. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (NIV). If God loved me enough to send Jesus to die for me and solve my biggest problem, I should know he loves me enough to take care of all my other problems?

Thank God in all things.
No matter what happens, give thanks. The Bible doesn’t say, “For all things give thanks.” It says, “In all things give thanks.” I don’t have to be thankful for the bad things. But I can give thanks in everything because he’s promised to “never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).

Think about the right things.
Where do I find things to think about that are pure and lovely and true and honorable and right and admirable? I find those things when I focus on God and his goodness. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (NLT).

So read His Word—study it, memorize it, and fill my mind with its truth—so I can grow in my trust of God’s love and care for me.

In summary:

Trusting God daily means letting go of worry and instead turning to Him in prayer, expressing my needs and thanking Him for all He’s done. The Bible teaches that I should not carry tomorrow’s concerns today, but live in the present, relying on God's provision one day at a time. When I replace worry with prayer, gratitude, and right thinking—focusing on what is true, pure, and admirable—I can experience God’s peace. His promises assure me that He loves me deeply, will never leave me, and is fully capable of caring for every part of my life. By filling my mind with His Word, I can build a mindset of trust and peace rooted in His faithfulness.

God Is Waiting for You to Ask

“If you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

God is the source of everything. Everything I see in the world and everything I can’t see in the world and in the universe, God made. He’s the source of every good thing that has ever existed or will ever exist.

When I depend on God as my source for everything, there are four truths I need to remember.

First, everything is a gift from God. I didn’t earn anything I have. It’s all a gift of God’s grace. If God didn’t want to give it, I wouldn’t have it.

The Bible tells me in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (NIV). The Lord’s Prayer starts with the word “give”: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Why? Because it is a gift. I can’t earn it.

Second, there’s nothing I need that God can’t provide. I don’t know what I'm going to need the rest of the year—or even for the rest of today! But whatever it is, God has the power to supply it.

The Bible says in Philippians 4:19, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (NIV). “Riches of his glory” means as lavish as only God can lavish. God has unlimited resources.

Third, God wants to give me everything I need. Matthew 7:11 says, “If you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11 NIV). God is a good Father, and he wants to meet my needs. Before I even know what I need, God knows. And he is ready to provide it and give abundantly more than I could ask.

And  the fourth thing: God is waiting on me.
If I have needs in my life that aren’t being met, the problem is not that God doesn’t want to meet those needs; the problem could be I haven’t asked him yet. He’s waiting on me! James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (NIV).

So I can go ahead and ask my heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe, for whatever I need, and see what he does.

In summary:

God is the ultimate source of everything good—everything I have and need comes from Him as a gift of grace, it's not something I’ve earned. The Bible teaches that God created all things, knows my every need, and has unlimited resources to meet those needs. He is a generous Father who desires to give good gifts to His children, often even before they know to ask. If my needs go unmet, it may simply be because I haven’t asked Him. God is ready and waiting to provide; I just need to trust Him and bring my requests to Him in faith.

What Does It Mean to Throw Away My Life?

“Give yourselves to God . . . and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.” Romans 6:13 (GNT)

Surrendering to Jesus means laying down every area of my life. God wants me to learn to be a giver in life, not a taker.

Jesus said, “If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live” (Mark 8:35 TLB).

What does it mean to “throw away” my life? It means I submit myself to God for his purposes. Romans 6:13 says, “Give yourselves to God . . . and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes” (GNT).

What happens when I do this? What happens when I say, “Okay, God, I’m not going to live for me. I’m going to live for you and for other people. I’m going to learn to lay down my life. I’m going to learn to lay down my plans”?

Here’s what the Bible promises: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).

How do I “seek the Kingdom of God above all else”? I care about the things God cares about. What does he care about most? People. God doesn’t care about money. God doesn’t care about fame. God doesn’t care about a lot of things I care about.

When I surrender my life to God and prioritize the things he prioritizes, he will take care of all my needs.

So live a life of purpose. Be driven by God’s priorities—his kingdom! I'll end up with the adventure of a lifetime!

In summary:

Surrendering to God means giving every part of my life over to Him and living for His purposes rather than my own. Jesus teaches that real life is found not in holding on tightly to my own plans, but in letting go—submitting myself to God’s will and becoming instruments for what is right. Romans 6:13 calls me to offer my whole self to be used for His purposes. When I shift focus from self-centered goals to God’s mission, I begin to understand true fulfillment.

Living for God means caring about what He cares about—people, not possessions or status. When I seek His kingdom first, as Matthew 6:33 promises, God will meet all my needs. This doesn’t mean a life of loss, but rather one of greater purpose and meaning. Prioritizing God's will leads to a richer, more adventurous life, aligned with eternal values and full of lasting impact.

 

Letting Go, and Knowing God Is in Control

“Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (GW)

Every day, I need to decide who’s going to be in control of my life—me or God.

That choice is a battle. There are things in life that I want to control; I want to make my own rules. But stress relief always starts with letting God be God. It always starts with saying, “God, I’m giving up control, because you can control the things that are out of control in my life.”

Psalm 46:10 says, “Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth” (GW). 

I won't know what I'm going to face next week. But the thing God wants me to do is to: Let go and know.

Let go of control, and know that God is in control. This is the first step to serenity.

Whenever people face out-of-control situations, we tend to go to one of two extremes. For some people, the more out-of-control your life gets, the harder you try to control it. Others do the exact opposite: You just give up! You have a pity party and invite yourself to it.

Both of those reactions to stress are foolish. They don’t work. Instead of being a victim or becoming hyper-controlling, I need to pray a prayer of surrender.

Why surrender? The number one reason I'm under stress is because I'm in conflict with God. You’re trying to control things that only God can control. You can’t control my job or my future or my past or any of that stuff. The more I try, the more I'm trying to play God, and that puts me in opposition to God. Not only am I going to lose that conflict, but I'm also going to be tired.

Millions of people pray the Serenity Prayer, which is based on the Lord’s Prayer, but most have never read the last eight lines to the prayer. It essentially says: “Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking as Jesus did this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that you will make all things right if I surrender to your will so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with you forever in the next. Amen.”

That’s where the power is! There is power when I surrender to God the very things I've been trying to control.

In summary:

Letting go of control and surrendering to God is the first step toward true peace. Every day brings the choice between self-reliance or trusting in God's sovereignty. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God." This act of surrender acknowledges that while life can be unpredictable and overwhelming, God remains in control of all things—nations, circumstances, and individual lives. Trying to manage what’s beyond our control only leads to stress, while releasing that control to God opens the door to serenity and trust.

When life feels out of control, people often react by either tightening their grip or giving up completely. Both responses are ineffective and miss the real solution: surrender. The core of stress lies in trying to do God's job, and that creates unnecessary conflict and exhaustion in my life. True relief comes when I stop striving and instead pray a prayer of surrender, like the extended Serenity Prayer, which embraces living one day at a time and trusting God with what I cannot change. Surrendering to God isn’t weakness—it’s the pathway to strength, peace, and lasting joy.

How to Hear from God

“O Lord, now I have heard your report, and I worship you in awe . . .” Habakkuk 3:2 (TLB)

God’s not just some distant figure—he wants to be my friend. And like any friendship, that means spending time together and talking regularly. But how do I hear from him? Start with worship.

I thank him for being a part of my life and for being interested in the details. I thank him for answering my prayers: “O Lord, now I have heard your report, and I worship you in awe . . .” (Habakkuk 3:2 TLB). When God gives me a vision, when God gives me a dream, when God responds to my prayers, thank him! That’s all part of worshiping God.

Stop seeing prayers as a monologue and start seeing them for what they truly are: a dialogue. Prayer is a conversation with God. He hears me when I pray, and he answers me when I ask questions. He wants to talk to me every day. And when I faithfully talk to God, it will revolutionize my life.

It’s hard to recognize God’s voice if I don’t really know him—and there are three levels of knowing God: recognition, acquaintance, and friendship. In the recognition level; I know God is there, but I don't really know him. The acquaintance level: I know God a little bit, but I don't know him very well. 

God wants me to live at the friendship level. He wants to be my friend, and he wants me to be his friend. If I'm struggling to talk with God regularly, as one would talk to a friend, It's been suggested that I pray this prayer:

“Dear God, I'm amazed that you would want me for a friend. I really want to learn to have conversations with you. Help me to spend time with you everyday. Thank you that you care about every detail of my life. Jesus, I want to know you more and more every day and I want to depend on you for guidance in my job, my family, my future, and in every other area of my life. I invite you to be the manager of my life, my Lord and Savior, as I follow you and trust in you. In your name I pray. Amen." 

In summary:

God desires a close, personal friendship with me—not just recognition or acquaintance. Like any meaningful relationship, friendship with God requires regular communication and time spent together. Worship is a powerful starting point; when I thank God for His presence, answered prayers, and guidance, I deepen my connection with Him. Habakkuk 3:2 reflects this attitude of gratitude and awe in response to hearing from God.

Prayer is not a one-sided monologue but a two-way conversation. As I grow in our relationship with God, I move from simply acknowledging His existence to truly knowing Him as a friend. The more I engage with God daily—talking with Him, listening, and inviting Him into every aspect of my life—the more my spiritual life transforms. So I will pray and invite God into a daily friendship, asking for help in building a deeper, ongoing dialogue and trust with every part of my life.

There Is Nothing Too Big for God

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”  Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

God is a competent Father. He can handle any problem I give him. Nothing is beyond his ability or his resources. No request is too big or too small.

Nothing is beyond God’s ability. He is a competent Father.

A I look at media today, I see a lot of incompetent fathers. Today’s TV dad is the butt of the joke, and everybody else is in on the joke except dad. That’s the kind of father that society is promoting.

But that incompetent TV dad is nothing like my heavenly Father. The Bible teaches, “Nothing is impossible for God” (Luke 1:37 GW). 

It’s amazing to think about what my daughter expected me to fix when she was little. She thought I could know all, fix anything, and afford everything. As she grew up, she learned that their father had limited knowledge, limited energy, limited resources, limited skills—limited everything.

But your heavenly Father really can do anything. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (NLT).

God says, “I don’t care how much I dream, He can still top it because I’m bigger. He can dream bigger than I can dream.”

Yesterday’s impossibilities are today’s miracles. God specializes in the impossible! He is a competent Father.

In summary:

Today's verse emphasizes the unmatched capability and reliability of God as my heavenly Father. Unlike the often-incompetent fathers portrayed in modern media, God is limitless in His power, wisdom, and resources. He is not restricted by human limitations, and nothing is too large or too small for Him to handle. Luke 1:37 affirms, “Nothing is impossible for God,” and Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God is working within us to accomplish far more than we can imagine.

There is a contrast between human fathers, who inevitably have limitations, and God, who surpasses all expectations. While children may initially see their earthly parents as all-knowing and all-powerful, they eventually realize those limitations. However, with God, those childhood hopes are not misplaced—He is truly competent in every way and specializes in turning impossibilities into miracles. Trusting in His capability brings peace, hope, and the assurance that no dream is too big for Him.

 

Just Right and Right on Time

“[God] does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NCV)

Fast is not always best.

In fact, impatience reveals a lack of trust. When I get impatient with God, I'm saying, “God, I don’t really trust you. I don’t think you have my best interests at heart. You don’t know how badly I need this, and I’m in a hurry!” I get worried and I get hurried because I don’t trust God to do it at the right time and in the right way.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that God “does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing” (NCV). God has a plan for my life. But he also has a timetable for it—and he never has to explain his timing.

One of the most painful things in life is when I'm in a hurry and God is not. Part of growing up as a child is learning the difference between “no” and “not yet.” Part of growing in maturity as a follower of Jesus Christ is learning the same lesson with God: A delay is not a denial. God always knows the right time and the right way.

One day, the disciples asked Jesus when he would return to restore his kingdom on earth. Jesus told them, “It is not for you to know the times or dates. . . . But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8 NIV).

The disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, and God said, “Let’s talk about evangelism!” God wanted them to focus on what mattered most and leave the timing to him.

In Summary:

God operates on a perfect timetable, even when it doesn’t align with my own sense of urgency. Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds me that while I may not fully understand God's ways, His timing is always right. Impatience, especially in my relationship with God, often stems from a lack of trust—believing He’s not moving fast enough or doesn't grasp my needs. But spiritual maturity means recognizing that “not yet” is not the same as “no.” Trusting God's timing requires faith that He knows what’s best, even when it feels delayed.

Jesus emphasized this when His disciples asked about the end times—He redirected them from speculation about timing to the importance of mission, encouraging them to focus on spreading the gospel (Acts 1:7–8). Similarly, God’s promises may take time to manifest, but as Habakkuk 2:3 assures, they will come at just the right moment. Rather than despairing over delays, I am called to trust, be patient, and stay focused on what matters most: living with purpose and sharing God’s love, knowing that His plan is unfolding exactly as it should.