Focus on God’s Greatness Before Your Need

“Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the LORD for guidance.” 2 Chronicles 20:3 (GNT)

In a crisis, it's natural to start explaining to God what’s going on and asking for his help. He wants me to talk to him and pour out my heart. But instead of beginning my prayers focused on my needs, try starting by focusing on who God is.

When three enemy nations decided to team up against King Jehoshaphat and God’s people, the king knew there was no way he could overcome those odds. So what did he do? He prayed, and he began by focusing on God before asking for help. I can do the same when I pray.

First, remind yourself of God's greatness.
Jehoshaphat prayed, “O LORD God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you” (2 Chronicles 20:6 GNT).

When I'm praying for something I can’t control, don't focus on the problem. Focus on God's greatness. The bigger God gets in my mind, the smaller the problem becomes.

Next, remind myself of God’s unlimited power.
“When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here.” (2 Chronicles 20:7 GNT).

When I realize that God has all the power in the world, it’s easier to trust him. As I pray, think of all the ways God has helped me, those around me, and people in the Bible.

Then, remind God of his promises.
Jehoshaphat reminded God of his promise that the land would belong to them forever. “When your people Israel moved into this land, you . . . gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs forever” (2 Chronicles 20:7 GNT).

God has made promises to me as well. In fact, there are thousands of promises for me in the Bible. When a child reminds their parent of the promises they’ve made to them, it can be frustrating. But God loves to have his Word quoted back to him by his children. 

Finally, ask God for a breakthrough.
Jehoshaphat said of the attacking forces, “Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help” (2 Chronicles 20:12 GNT).

Don't just ask God to bless my life. Focus on him, and trust that he knows exactly what’s needed for my breakthrough. Then watch for how he provides for me as I pray like Jehoshaphat.

In summary:

Jehoshaphat shows that when facing overwhelming circumstances, prayer should begin not with our problems but with God’s greatness. Instead of focusing on the crisis, he reminded himself of who God is—powerful, sovereign, and faithful to his promises. By recalling God’s past works and quoting his promises back to him, Jehoshaphat shifted his perspective from fear to trust. Only then did he ask for a breakthrough, admitting his helplessness and looking to God for help. Likewise, I can pray this way: magnify God first, remember his power and promises, and then confidently ask for his intervention, trusting him to provide exactly what I need.

Bottom Line:

When facing a crisis, don’t start with the problem—start with God. Focus on his greatness, remember his power and promises, then trust him to bring the breakthrough

My Next Wisest Step:

I need to strengthen my prayer rhythm by starting each prayer with God’s greatness, power, and promises before bringing him my needs.

What You Learn While You Wait

“I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them.” Zechariah 13:9 (NLT)

Some prayers are answered immediately, but others take weeks, months, or even years. But there’s good news: While I'm praying for God’s answer, I'm going to learn some things that I can't learn any other way.

In the waiting, there is a blessing. One of the blessings is that I learn more about myself when I don't instantly get everything I want.

Why do some of them take so long? Because while I was working on the prayer, God was working on me.

When I'm going through fire, I wonder why I even have to go through it. It's for testing and purification. As I pray about something over and over again, I face tests that reveal more about myself. 

God says in Zechariah 13:9, "I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold" (NLT).

You test gold by putting it in a big vat and heating it until it gets so hot that all the impurities are burned off. How do metalsmiths know when gold and silver are pure? When they can see their reflection in them.

God can see his reflection in me when all the impurities have burned out of my life—after I've been through the fire. He says that, after he’s done the testing and purification, “They will call on my name, and I will answer them” (Zechariah 13:9 NLT).

Answered prayer often comes after the test. Before every blessing, there is testing. God may test me with stress before he trusts me with success. These are the principles of persistent prayer.

When God tests me, I'm going to learn a lot about myself. If I give up praying, I'm never going to learn the lessons that help me become more like Jesus.

Keep praying with persistence each day. And remember that after the testing, the blessing will come.

In summary:

Some prayers are answered quickly, but often God allows waiting so he can refine and shape me in the process. Just like silver and gold are purified by fire until the metalsmith sees his reflection, God uses seasons of testing to burn away impurities and develop my character so he can see his likeness in me. Delays in answered prayer are not denials; they are opportunities to learn persistence, grow in faith, and be prepared for the blessing that follows the testing. When I continue to pray faithfully, God promises to answer in his time and way.

Bottom Line: 

God often delays answers to prayer because He’s refining and preparing me through the process—testing my faith, purifying my heart, and shaping me to reflect Him more fully. The blessing comes after the testing.

This means that I need to lean into persistence by staying consistent in prayer, even when I don’t see immediate answers. At the same time, I should journal what God is revealing about my character, strengths, and areas of growth during the “waiting season.” This will give me both insight to use in my interactions with others and a deeper reservoir of experiences to encourage others who feel stuck in their own waiting.

Pain Is Often the Price of Growth

“When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:3-4 (NLT)

It's possible to grow during times of bright, fair weather—but you put down deeper roots during the dark days of life.

As a pastor, I’ve heard from countless people who said they had grown more through separation, illness, job loss, or tragedy than they would have otherwise. They recognized how God had used difficulty to draw them closer to him and mature them.

The Bible says it this way: "When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing" (James 1:3-4 NLT).

Let it grow! When you let God into your problems and don’t push him out, then you’ll develop endurance that will make you ready for anything—strong in character, full and complete.

Pain is the high cost of growth. The old cliché is true: There is no gain without pain. We want the quick solution and the easy fix. We want the pill or the seminar or the book that's going to change everything without involving pain. We want the product that brings maturity without the painful process. But that isn't going to happen!

Theologian J. I. Packer said, “God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with all the other inflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. It deepens our dependence upon Christ for strength each day. And the weaker we feel, the harder we lean, and the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually.”

The very thing that's discouraging you right now is the very thing God is using to develop you right now.       

How was David able to write such beautiful and powerful psalms? Because through all the loneliness, neglect, and injustice he went through as a young shepherd and even as a king, David knew God was with him the whole time. David wrote his most beautiful words in his deepest pain.

There will be growth in the painful parts of life that you will not gain any other way. The process will not make you perfect, but it will move you toward being more like Christ. And if you’ll trust God to keep you and walk with you in your pain, he will develop endurance in you and give you his peace and rest.

In summary:

Growth comes most deeply not in easy seasons but in life’s hardest moments, when pain, loss, and trials test faith and push roots down deeper into God’s strength. James 1:3-4 reminds us that endurance develops through testing, shaping character and moving us toward completeness in Christ. While we often long for quick fixes without pain, true maturity only comes through the refining process of difficulty, where God uses challenges as tools to sculpt us and draw us closer to him. Just as David wrote his most powerful psalms out of seasons of loneliness and hardship, our deepest growth often flows from our hardest experiences. If we choose to lean on God in the midst of struggle, he will grow endurance, deepen dependence, and bring peace, shaping us into who he’s called us to be.

Bottom line:

My deepest growth and strength come through trials—when U trust God in pain, he develops endurance, character, and Christlikeness in me.

My next wisest step:

I should integrate my personal testimony of growth through challenges into my interaction with others. Draft one story from my life where God used pain to grow my endurance, then shape it into something I can share with others.

No Fear, Just Faith in God’s Promises

“The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Psalm 118:6 (NLT)

God is calling me, as his child, to be a promise person.

What’s a promise person? It’s simply someone who chooses to focus on God and his promises.

If I try to do anything of value in life, naysayers will eventually come your way. They might ridicule me, spread rumors about me, or even threaten me. 

But don’t focus on the naysayers or even on my problems. Focus on God and his promises. Become a promise person.

The Bible tells us how Jesus responded to criticism: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23 NIV).

When a naysayer comes your way, don’t gossip about them to a co-worker or friend. Instead, entrust myself to God and his promises. Pray, “Lord, I know you love me. I know you have a plan for my life. I’m going to trust you.” 

King David said it like this: “The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Psalm 118:6 NLT).

People can dislike me—but it won’t harm me. I don’t need anyone else’s approval to be happy. I will be as happy as I choose to be! I don’t need approval from a parent, sibling, or friend. The Lord is for me. And his is the only opinion that matters.

In Psalm 119:11, David wrote, “I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart” (MSG).

David knew that when he faced criticism, his greatest encouragement would come from God’s promises. So he memorized those promises and reminded himself of them often. In moments of discouragement, he held onto what he knew was true—because God had said it.

That’s what I need to do. Stop storing up in my mind all the negativity that comes my way. Instead, become a promise person. Study God’s Word, memorize it, and then I will be able to recall it.

Bank on the promises of God. And trust he will do exactly what he says he will do.

In summary:

Being a “promise person” means choosing to focus on God and his promises instead of critics, problems, or the need for others’ approval. Just as Jesus entrusted himself to God when insulted, and David declared, “The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear,” I can anchor my confidence in God’s love and plan. People may dislike or criticize me, but their opinion doesn’t define my worth or joy—God’s promises do. By storing his Word in my heart and recalling it in times of discouragement, I can stand firm, trust him fully, and live free of fear, knowing he will do what he says.

Bottom Line:

Don’t let criticism, negativity, or the need for others’ approval define me—stand firm by trusting God’s promises, because His opinion and plan for mt life are what truly matter.

Next Wisest Step:

Pick one promise from Scripture that speaks directly to a current season (like Psalm 118:6) and commit it to memory this week. Each time doubt, criticism, or discouragement creeps in, repeat that verse out loud and use it as my anchor.

Lead by Seeking First: Giving God Your Full Attention

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

Giving someone your attention is arguably the greatest gift I can give them. Why? Because my time is my life.

When I turn my face to someone and focus my eyes on them, it shows that I genuinely care and are interested in what they have to say.

I can do this with God—I can turn my face to him in prayer. Just look up! Show him that I'm checking in and ready to talk. Even though it’s a good way to pray, there's nothing in the Bible that says I have to close my eyes or bow my head. I can pray out loud and look up, it will give me a physical reminder that I’m focusing my attention on God.

Daniel did this when he needed God’s help and wisdom: “So I gave my attention to the Lord God, to seek Him by prayer” (Daniel 9:3 NASB).

God wants me to seek him—and the Bible is filled with promises for those who do:

“Seek me and live” (Amos 5:4 NIV). As I persistently seek God, I'll start learning how to really live.

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17 NIV). If I'm having trouble finding God, make sure I'm seeking him with the right motives—wanting to know him and not just wanting to get something from him.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). I'm going to find God when I make spending time with him a priority—when I see it as critical to my daily life, not just something I might get around to in my spare time.

“God . . . rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). Would I like God to reward my business, finances, relationships, and my future? Then seek him.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need” (Luke 12:31 NLT). When I pursue God first, the stresses and worries of the world will lessen their hold on me.

So give God my attention. Turn my face to him, and show him that he has first place in my life.

In summary:

The greatest gift I can give anyone—including God—is my attention, because my time is my life. Just as turning my face and focusing on someone shows genuine care, I can turn my attention toward God in prayer, seeking him with sincerity and priority. The Bible promises that those who earnestly seek God will find him, experience true life, receive his rewards, and see their needs met. Seeking God with all my heart means making time with him essential, not optional. When I give God first place in my life, I discover his presence, wisdom, and provision in every area.

Bottom Line:

When I give God my full attention and seek Him with all my heart, He promises that I will find Him—and in doing so, He provides what I truly need.

Next wisest steps:

Build a short, intentional daily rhythm of seeking God first—each morning of prayer and Scripture before emails, business, or planning. This will keep my leadership and relationships grounded in God’s wisdom and presence.

Getting to the Root, Not the Symptom

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”   Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

In my yard I'm always battling weeds. When I want to get rid of weeds, I don’t just go out and cut them off with pruning shears or a weed wacker. I need to pull them out by the root. If I just cut off the weed itself—the symptom—it’s going to grow right back.  

It’s the same with the world’s problems. People have tried many approaches to solving them. But too often, only the symptoms get addressed and not the underlying cause—because if the root is still there, the problems will keep growing back.

No man-made approach addresses the root cause—the heart—of the problems in our world. Even when it’s a good or noble approach, they’re never enough. The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV).

I could try an educational approach, but it doesn’t get to the heart of the problem. I can be educated, but it doesn’t change my character.

The economic approach doesn’t get to the heart. Money doesn’t solve all my problems. If it did, the wealthiest people in the world would be problem-free, and that’s just not true.

The psychological approach doesn’t get to the heart. Yes, it’s helpful and can make people feel better, but I was created for more than a life free from stress and anxiety. I was created for a purpose.

The sociological approach doesn’t get to the heart. Throughout history, well-meaning people have worked to change the social structures of society. But we can see how little people have really changed, even in the 21st century.

The biological approach thinks every problem can be solved by a pill or a procedure, and the technological approach says innovation is our salvation. Each one has an important role in advancing society. But none of them get to the root cause of all the problems on the planet.

If there’s going to be any real, long-term change, it has to start in the heart. That’s how God works—through transforming lives from the inside out.

God specializes in changing prejudiced people into loving people and hateful people into kind people and self-centered people into unselfish people. No law will ever teach people how to love. Only God can do that. Transformation starts in the heart through the power of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV).

The heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. I'm not going to see any lasting change in society until there is lasting change in my heart and the hearts of others.

How’s my heart doing? Before I can help anyone else with their problems, I've got to let God work on me first. When my heart is in the right place with him, that’s when I'm able to point others to the only real solution that gets to the root of all problems—to Jesus, the One who can actually change hearts.

In summary:

The root of every lasting change begins in the heart. Just like weeds in a yard must be pulled out by the root to truly be gone, the world’s problems can’t be solved by surface-level fixes like education, money, psychology, or even social reform—because none of these address the deeper issue. The Bible teaches that the heart is deceitful and desperately in need of transformation, and only God can truly change it. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God works from the inside out—turning prejudice into love, hate into kindness, and selfishness into generosity. Proverbs 4:23 reminds me to guard my heart, because everything flows from it. Real and lasting change in the world starts with God changing my heart first, and then through me, pointing others to Jesus, the only one who can truly transform lives.

Bottom Line:

Real and lasting change begins with the heart, and only God—through Jesus—can transform it.

Next wisest step:

I need to tend to my own heart first by deepening my daily time with God in Scripture and prayer, so that I'm leading from a place of transformation rather than just information. I can then begin weaving this message—“lasting change starts in the heart”—into interaction with others as a core principle that aligns with both my faith and leadership mission.

Listening for God in His Word

“Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NLT)

Prayer is a conversation, not a monologue. When I pray, don’t do all the talking! I can't build a friendship with God if I don’t let him talk to me.

So, how do I let God talk to me? Through the Bible. So much of what he wants to say to me is already in his Word. People are always looking for some sign, thinking, I wish God would tell me what he wants me to do. I wish he would write it in the sky. But God’s not going to write his will in the sky because he's already written it in a Book—the Bible!

Stop looking for a sign, and start looking at Scripture. Stop looking for a vision, and start looking for a verse. God's will is in God's Word. The more I read his Book, the more I'm going to know what to do.

King Jehoshaphat was facing three enemy armies that teamed up and advanced against him and God’s people, Israel. Israel knew they didn’t have the strength to fight them. They knew that, in their own power, they would be defeated. So they prayed for help. This is what God said to them:

“‘Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s . . . You will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!’ Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17-18 NLT).

Imagine an entire nation on the ground, on their knees, bowing down and worshiping God because he told them, "I'm going to take care of it."

I need to let Jehoshaphat's prayer of surrender be a model for myself. And don't be afraid or discouraged! It's God’s battle, and he’ll handle it. Keep serving in my position. Wait, and watch what God does.

God has so many amazing promises for me. But I'll never know about them until I open the Bible and start reading.

In summary:

This passage reminds me that prayer is not just me talking to God—it’s also letting him speak to me through his Word. Instead of looking for signs or visions, I need to open the Bible, where God has already revealed his will. The story of King Jehoshaphat shows that when the odds are overwhelming, the battle isn’t mine—it’s God’s. My role is to pray, take my position, and trust him, not give in to fear or discouragement. Just as Israel bowed down and worshiped while God promised to fight for them, I too can surrender, stay faithful, and wait expectantly for God’s victory, knowing his promises are found and fulfilled in Scripture.

Bottom Line:

Stop carrying battles that belong to God—surrender to Him, listen through His Word, and trust that He will fight for you.

My next step is to strengthen my daily rhythm of listening to God through Scripture, then actively share one key insight each week with the people in my life.

“Stop looking for signs—open God’s Word, surrender the battle to him, and trust his promise of victory.”

Your Future Grows from What You Plant Today

“Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.” Ecclesiastes 11:6 (CEV)

Everything in my life starts as a seed. There are many kinds of seeds—beautiful seeds like kindness, love, faith, and integrity. And then there are uglier seeds, like gossip and greed. But there are two things all seeds have in common. First, all seeds need time to grow. And second, I harvest whatever I have sown.

Think about literal, physical seeds. When I plant a seed in the ground, there is always a waiting time between planting and harvesting. I sow in one season, and I reap in another season. I don’t plant tomato seeds and pick a tomato an hour later. I have to wait.

It’s the same way in life. Maybe I’ve planted seeds of kindness in a relationship. I don’t necessarily reap kindness immediately. I have to plant the seeds, trust God to grow them, and then wait.

Ecclesiastes says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. . . . A time to plant and a time to harvest . . . A time to scatter . . . and a time to gather” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 5 NLT).

Once the seeds have grown and I'm ready to harvest, I can trust that I will gather what I have sown.

If I plant seeds of gossip, the people in my life will likely gossip about me too. But if I plant seeds of kindness, people will be kind to me in return. If I plant seeds of faith, I will experience faithfulness.

So what do I do while I'm waiting on God—after I’ve planted seeds and are waiting on them to be ready to harvest? I keep sowing the kind of seeds I want to reap.

The Living Bible paraphrase says, “Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will” (Ecclesiastes 11:6).

Am I waiting a long time for the harvest in my life? If so, here is a verse for encouragement. In Habakkuk 2, God says, “At the time I have decided, my words will come true.  You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting— it will happen!” (Habakkuk 2:3 CEV).

The harvest may be slow in coming, but God says that, at the right time, it will. Keep waiting, trusting God, and sowing good seeds in my life. God will grow my seeds, and one day I will reap a harvest. 

In summary: 

Everything in life begins as a seed—whether good ones like kindness, faith, and integrity, or destructive ones like gossip and greed—and each seed takes time to grow before it can be harvested. Just as in farming, sowing and reaping happen in different seasons, so in life we must patiently wait for the results of what we’ve planted, trusting God to bring growth in His timing. What we sow, we will eventually reap: kindness produces kindness, gossip produces gossip, and faith produces faithfulness. While waiting for the harvest, the key is to keep sowing good seeds, knowing that God promises the harvest will come at the appointed time.

Bottom Line:

Keep planting good seeds through your actions and attitudes, trust God with the timing, and stay patient—because in the right season, you will reap a harvest.

So I need to start consistently “sowing” seeds of value into those that God brings around me.

Finding Purpose in Your Past

“Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else.” Galatians 6:4 (CSB)

I've been looking at the unique ways God has made me—how he planned every day of my life before I was born and how he gave me my own unique SHAPE—Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences.

But even when I know that God formed me intentionally and uniquely, I still find myself unsure of how to move forward—in ministry or in life. At times, when I think about the future, I can feel more confusion and less joy.

When this happens, it might be overlooking the advice the Bible from Galatians 6:4: “Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else” (CSB).

The Bible gives two-part guidance here. First, I should “examine my own work.” In other words, I should look at my past and learn from it.

Next, I should “not compare myself with someone else.” As I examine my own life, don’t let my eyes wander to how God is working in people around me. Concentrate on what he’s done in and through me instead.

There are plenty of reasons to not compare myself to others. One, I will always be able to find someone who seems to be doing a better job than me—and that can lead to discouragement. Two, I will always be able to find someone who doesn’t seem as effective as me—and that can lead to pride. Either attitude will rob me of my joy.

God has a better way to help me discover what’s next. He wants me to take a close look at my past so that I'll be able to step into the future he’s prepared for me.

God doesn’t want me to waste my past. God wants to use it.

But sometimes it can be hard to know how to look back effectively over my life. Here’s one easy exercise I found to get me started:

Take a half-hour this week. Sit down with a piece of paper. Separate it with a line for each period of my life. I could decide to divide my life into five-year periods, or into decades.

Now it’s time to “examine my own work” by creating a life inventory.

Answer these two questions for each time period: What was I good at doing? What did I enjoy doing?

Now go back and look for patterns. If I was good at something when I was younger, I still am. Maybe there’s something I enjoyed a few years ago that I've forgotten about.

After I’ve identified patterns in my life, ask God what he wants me to do with this information. He might show me things in my past that I can celebrate and be proud of. And seeing patterns of what I’ve enjoyed or been good at over the years can help me know how God might want to work through me in the future. 

I shouldn't get caught in a trap of comparison. Instead, take an honest look at my own past. And then step forward with confidence into my future.

In summary:

God designed me uniquely with my own SHAPE—Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences—and calls me to focus on how He has worked in my life instead of comparing myself to others. Galatians 6:4 teaches me to examine my own work, learning from the past so I can step into the future God has prepared. Comparison only leads to discouragement or pride, both of which steal joy, but reflecting on my past strengths and joys reveals patterns of how God has shaped me. By taking time to inventory my life, I can see His hand at work, celebrate His faithfulness, and move forward with confidence into His purpose for me.

Bottom line:

God calls me to examine my own life, learn from my past, and focus on how He uniquely shaped me—without comparing myself to others—so I can step confidently into the future He has prepared for me.

So “Stop comparing, start examining—your past reveals God’s design for your future.”

Living the Life Only You Can Live

“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you.” Jeremiah 1:5 (MSG)

To live a life of purpose and meaning I need to think of what I do well—and find ways to do more of those things. Then think of what I don’t do well—and find ways to do less of those things.

God created me to be unique. He shaped me in a specific way for a special purpose only I can fulfill. In the Message paraphrase, God says, “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you” (Jeremiah 1:5).

No matter what, I can rest in the truth that God is working in my life and that he shaped me to succeed. He shaped me in advance for those plans. God’s plans for my life didn’t start the moment I was born. Those plans started before my birth, when the Bible says God shaped me in my mother’s womb. 

But here’s the best part. The way God shaped me reveals how he wants to use me.

So how do we (I) discover the unique way God made us (me)?

Use the acrostic SHAPE—my Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. These are the five things that make me, me. And, by looking at each of these areas, I can begin to understand what God wants me to do with my life.

Spiritual gifts are God-empowered abilities for serving him that are given only to believers. For instance, some gifts motivate me for ministry—like serving, teaching, encouraging, leading, giving, showing mercy, or offering biblical insight.

Heart refers to the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections I have. It’s what I love to do and what I care about most.

Abilities are the natural talents I was born with. God wants me to do what I'm able to do.

Personality affects how and where I use my spiritual gifts and abilities. I'll use my gifts in ways that are different from anybody else.

Experiences teach me lessons that help me mature. They also help me minister to others going through similar experiences.

When God made me, he broke the mold—there is no one else like me. My prayer is that I will find freedom and renewed energy as I live and serve according to my SHAPE.

In summary:

God created me uniquely and with intention, shaping me before I was even born with holy plans for my life (Jeremiah 1:5 MSG). My purpose and calling are revealed through the way he designed me, which can be discovered by examining my SHAPE—my Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. Each of these factors shows how God wants to use me and helps me live a life of purpose, meaning, and impact. By leaning into what I do well and minimizing what I don’t, I can align more fully with God’s design for me, walking in freedom and renewed energy as I serve in the way only I can.

Bottom Line:

"God made me on purpose, for a purpose. Before I was born, He shaped me with unique gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and experiences (my SHAPE). When I live from who He designed me to be, I find freedom, energy, and impact. There’s no one else like me—and that’s by God’s design."

Next steps:

Clarify and write out your own SHAPE profile (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences).

The Power Of Acting Is In The Moment

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” Proverbs 3:27 (NLT)

Every day God gives me opportunities to show kindness to people around me. As he does, he’s watching to see how I'll respond.

Will I choose to be self-centered? Or will I notice the people who need a word of encouragement, a pat on the back, an errand done for them, or some other practical means of help?

The Bible says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them” (Proverbs 3:27 NLT).

I won’t always have an opportunity to help. So when I do, just do it!

I probably have people in my life that I've thought about helping. I have the best intentions. But I've done nothing. Why?

I've made excuses. I might have thought, “I’ll do it when things settle down.” Guess what? Things never will.

If I'm going to do good in my life, the time is now. The Living Bible paraphrase says, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecclesiastes 11:4). Today’s the day to make a difference in someone’s life.

Jesus said, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work” (John 9:4 NLT).

God has specific tasks he wants me to do, so I shouldn't wait for perfect conditions to do them. Instead, look for the opportunities he gives me each day to help and encourage others—and just do them.

In summary:

This passage reminds me that every day God places opportunities before me to do good and help others, and he’s watching to see how I respond. Too often, I delay or make excuses, waiting for the “perfect time” to act, but Scripture reminds me that perfect conditions never come. Proverbs 3:27 commands me not to withhold good when it’s in my power to give it, and Ecclesiastes 11:4 warns that waiting only leads to inaction. Jesus himself said we must carry out our God-given tasks while we can because time is limited. The truth is simple: the best time to encourage, serve, or help someone isn’t later—it’s now.

Bottom line: 

God gives me daily opportunities to help and encourage others, and the wisest thing I can do is act now rather than wait for the “perfect time.”

Based on this I need to choose one specific person in my circle today—whether a family member, colleague, or connection in your leadership network—and intentionally encourage or serve them with a simple act of kindness. This aligns with my calling as a coach and leader to grow people and help them fulfill their purpose, starting with small but timely actions.

What God Sees When He Looks at Me

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

The world is full of heart disease today—but not just the physical kind. There are many spiritual diseases of the heart, like guilt, addiction, loneliness, and worry.

When Jesus died on the cross, he solved all my biggest problems, including every kind of spiritual heart disease. One way he did that is by being my replacement.

“Replacement” simply means that Jesus took my place and received the punishment I deserved for my sin. There was no other way for an imperfect person (you) to be in a perfect place (heaven) with a perfect God who hates and judges sin. On the cross, Jesus was my replacement—my substitute.

Romans 3:25 says, “God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us” (TLB).

Nobody’s perfect. We all know that! None of us have measured up to our own standards, much less God’s. When I break a human law, I have to pay a human penalty. If I speed down the freeway and get stopped, I get a ticket for it. If I break into someone’s home, I'll likely have to serve time in prison.

When I break God’s laws, I pay God’s penalties. And God says, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 NLT).

The Good News is that Jesus has already paid the death penalty for my sins. Everything I've ever done wrong and everything I ever will do wrong has already been paid for.

The Bible says this in Isaiah: “It was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down . . . he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT). 

Jesus became my substitute; he was my replacement on the cross. “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NLT). 

When I trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord of my life, he heals me of my spiritual heart disease. And that means that God no longer looks on me with condemnation. He only sees me covered with Jesus’ righteousness.

In summary:

All of us have strayed from God’s path and carry the weight of sin, but Jesus became my substitute by taking the punishment I deserved on the cross. Just as breaking human laws requires paying human penalties, breaking God’s law demands a divine penalty—death. Yet in His love, God placed all my sins on Jesus, who was pierced, crushed, and beaten so I could be healed, forgiven, and made whole. Because of His sacrifice, every sin—past, present, and future—has been paid for, and when I trust Him as Savior, there is no condemnation. Instead, God sees me covered in Christ’s righteousness, free from guilt and spiritual heart disease.

Bottom line: 

Jesus took my place on the cross, paying the penalty for sin once and for all, so I can live forgiven, healed, and free from condemnation.

Given that my heart is to help people discover and live out their God-given purpose, I should share this truth in simple, relatable language with someone I mentor, coach, or encounter in my daily leadership journey—remind them they don’t have to carry guilt, because Jesus already carried it for them.

Living for What Lasts

“For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (GNT)

Most people rarely evaluate their values or question their perceptions until they have a crisis. 

It’s often in deep pain that I begin to examine what I'm building my life on. I might realize I'd been living my life to feel good, look good, or accumulate wealth or power. But in a crisis, I instinctively know that there has to be more to life.

So why wait for a crisis to evaluate values? Instead, I need to stop today to consider what I should value. I can start by asking myself this critical question: What’s going to last?

The world seems to value the here and now. Its message is that tomorrow doesn’t matter. Next year doesn’t matter. A thousand years from today doesn’t matter. Eternity and heaven don’t matter. Live for today. Live for self. Live it up, as we only live once!

But we know that’s not true, because the Bible says something different: “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17 NIV).

Consider what happens when I'm tempted. Temptation isn’t just a battle between good and bad or what’s best and what’s not best.

Temptation is always a battle between now and later: Will I do what God says and enjoy the benefits later, or will I do what I want and enjoy the benefits now

The Bible teaches us to “fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18 GNT).

Whether I'm in a crisis or not, take some time to evaluate what I'm basing my life on. Am I trying to live it up, or am I  giving my life away? Ask the hard questions that reveal where I have put my trust and how I have invested my time and resources.

Then choose to build a life on God’s truth. It will last forever and never let me down.

In summary:

Life’s crises often reveal the fragility of the things we usually value—appearance, pleasure, possessions, or power—and remind us that these are temporary. But God calls me to look beyond what is seen and build my life on what is eternal. Temptation always tests whether we will live for short-term satisfaction or long-term fulfillment in God’s will. Rather than waiting for hardship to reassess priorities, i should regularly evaluate what I'm basing my life on and ask whether it will last forever. The Bible reminds me to fix my attention on eternal truths, not temporary gains, because only God’s Word and purposes endure.

Bottom Line:

Life is short, and the things of this world won’t last—but God’s truth and purposes will. What matters most is building a life on eternal values, not temporary ones. 

My next wisest step is for me to take time this week to clarify my own “eternal values” in writing—list the truths, principles, and purposes I want to guide my life and leadership. Then, intentionally weave one of those values into my coaching, speaking, or daily leadership interactions, so that I'm not only living it but also modeling it for others.

Made for This Moment

“You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother’s body.” Psalm 139:13 (NCV)

God planned every single day of my life. Before I took my first breath, God knew everything that would ever happen to me.

In fact, before I was conceived by my biological parents, I was already conceived in the mind of God. It is not by fate, chance, luck, or coincidence that I am breathing at this very moment.

I'm alive right now because God wants me—with all of my strengths and weaknesses—to be alive.

Whether my parents were good, bad, or indifferent, God used them. They had the exact DNA needed to create me. God wanted me alive. From the beginning of time, God has had a plan for my life—and he has a purpose he wants me to complete.

And God made me to be me.

The Bible says, “You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother’s body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. . . . You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother’s body. When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old” (Psalm 139:13-16 NCV).

God created me so he could love me—for eternity. My parents may have contributed my DNA, but God made me. I'm not just another baby born. God personally planned for my birth.

I am God’s masterpiece. He made me so he could love me and so I could fulfill his purposes in this world. At different seasons of life, I may struggle to see what his purpose for me is. But I never have to doubt that it’s there. Before I was born, God gave me a purpose

In summary:

God personally created me with intentionality and purpose, forming me in my mother’s womb and planning every day of my life before I was even born. My existence is not an accident of fate or chance but the result of God’s design, using even my parents—regardless of their role—to provide the DNA needed for me to be alive. I am his masterpiece, uniquely shaped with strengths and weaknesses to fulfill a divine purpose. Though I may not always see that purpose clearly, I can be confident that God made me so he could love me and so I could live out the plan he prepared for me since the beginning of time.

Bottom Line:

I am not an accident—God intentionally created me as his masterpiece, with a unique identity, purpose, and eternal love. 

Since my calling is to help people discover and fulfill their purpose, I'm going to write a short “purpose statement” for myself rooted in Psalm 139. I can then use it not only as a personal reminder but also as a tool I can weave into my coaching workshops / calls to inspire others to see themselves as intentionally designed by God.

Here is a draft:

“I am God’s masterpiece, created with love and purpose. Today, I choose to grow, empower, and help others live out their calling.”

The Power of Priorities

“Someone may say, ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ but not everything is helpful.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 (GW)

Successful people know what matters, and they don’t waste time worrying about what doesn’t matter.

The apostle Paul said, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT). Paul didn’t dabble in 40 things or pack his calendar. He stayed laser focused on God’s calling to share the Good News of Jesus.

Learning to focus on what really matters in life is a skill—and like any skill, it takes practice.

I don’t have time to do everything I want to do or think I need to do. But the good news is that God doesn’t expect me to do everything. And there are only a few things in life worth doing in the first place.

God hasn’t called me to do everything in life. He’s called me to do what he made me and shaped me to do—and there is just enough time for that.

There will be a lot of things in life that are good but aren’t all that important. The Bible says, “Someone may say, ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ but not everything is helpful” (1 Corinthians 6:12 GW).

I'm free to do what I want with my life. God isn’t going to force me to do anything! I can waste my life, I can spend my life, or I can invest my life.

Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial. Some things in life are not necessarily wrong; they’re just not necessary.

I'll save myself a lot of time and energy if I learn and practice the skill of knowing what matters most and then devoting my life to it. I figure out what God has put me here on earth to do, and then I get right to it! 

The better I get at selecting and prioritizing what matters in my life, the more effective I'm going to be as a person, as a spouse, as a parent, and as a leader.

In summary:

The Bible teaches that while many things may be permissible, not everything is beneficial or worth pursuing. Paul modeled a focused life, keeping his eyes on God’s calling rather than being distracted by lesser things. In the same way, life isn’t about doing everything—it’s about discovering and devoting myself to what God uniquely designed me to do. Success and fulfillment come not from busyness but from prioritizing what truly matters. By practicing the skill of focus, I can invest my life wisely, becoming more effective in my faith, relationships, and leadership.

Bottom Line:

I don’t need to do everything—I just need to focus on the few things God has uniquely called and equipped me to do. Today I will take 10 minutes this week to list out all my current commitments, then prayerfully highlight the one or two that most align with my God-given purpose of helping people discover and fulfill their calling. I'll commit to focusing my energy there, and consider letting go of or delegating what doesn’t align.

Deciding What Will Guide Me

“The human mind is the most deceitful of all things. It is incurable. No one can understand how deceitful it is.” Jeremiah 17:9 (GW)

One fundamental question in life stands above all others:

What will have the final authority in my life?

Will it be Spouse? Or my peers? Maybe my friends or my career? Perhaps the books I read? The people I follow on social media? What about the movies or shows I watch or the songs I listen to?

All of these sources will shape my values if I let them—and my values ultimately determine what has final authority in my life.

So, what will it be? God allows me to decide. He’s given me free will.

Most of my authority options fall into these three categories:

My opinions: I can depend on my gut to tell me what to do. But there’s a problem with that: Studies show my perceptions are more likely to be wrong than right. In fact, sometimes I even lie to myself. The Bible says, “The human mind is the most deceitful of all things. It is incurable. No one can understand how deceitful it is” (Jeremiah 17:9 GW).

The world: I could base my values on what others think—but people often value the wrong things. For instance, the world emphasizes beauty over character, tells me to pursue whatever feels good, and declares that whoever has the most possessions wins. I'm bombarded with these worldly values through all sorts of media, so much so that it’s easy to start thinking God put me on this planet to look good, feel good, and get stuff. But that couldn’t be further from the truth!

God’s Word: God’s Word is objective and truthful—unlike my own perceptions or the world’s opinions. God’s Word says, “If you continue in My word . . . you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 NASB).

The choice is clear. There’s only one authority that’s always reliable and will never lead me astray. So I need to decide today to allow God’s Word to shape my values by giving it the final authority in my life.

In summary:

Every person must decide what will have the final authority in their life—personal opinions, the world’s values, or God’s Word. Opinions can be deceiving, as our own minds often mislead us (Jeremiah 17:9), while the world promotes shallow priorities like beauty, pleasure, and possessions that distract from God’s true purpose. Only God’s Word is completely reliable, objective, and freeing, offering truth that never fails (John 8:31-32). Since values shape decisions and destiny, the wisest choice is to give God’s Word the final authority, allowing it to guide and transform every part of life.

Bottom LIne:

Only God’s Word is a trustworthy authority for life—my opinions and the world’s values will mislead me, but Scripture will always guide me into truth and freedom. I will make a deliberate decision to continue to give the Bible final authority in my life by aligning one daily choice—big or small—with what God’s Word says rather than my feelings or outside influences.