Day 35 - Don't Be A Stumbling Block

 Today's Scripture: Romans 14:1-23

Today's Devotional: If you're hurting all the time, you can't help hurting other people, but if you will do what it takes to Biblically manage toxic relationships, then you can be strong and share the love of God to people who need to know Him. Strive to manage the toxic relationships in your life, and more importantly, strive to make sure you aren't being the toxic one in your relationships.

Response by: Chad Schuchmann

Hurt people, hurt people.  Toxic people, create other toxic people.  But healthy relationships lead to even more healthy relationships.  We can learn to manage ourselves and avoid toxicity if we can learn healthy ways to respond to the toxic people in our lives.

The absolute best way we avoid toxic people is by refusing to become toxic ourselves.  In today's scripture passage, Paul writes, 

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (v13)

He continues in verses 15 and 19,

If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. (v15)

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  (v19)

Okay, confession time...I don't often think about how my actions will impact someone else, much less what I eat.  But I think I get what Paul is trying to say here.  If I am aware that someone does, or might, struggle with a particular sin or behavior, then it is probably best I stay away from that behavior, even if it isn't a "stumbling block for me."

What does this mean?  If I have a friend who has an addiction to alcohol, or who has people very close to him (or her) who have struggled with addictions to alcohol, then it is probably best for me to avoid cracking open a cold one or mixing up a cocktail in their presence.  If my action causes them to stumble, or causes hurt because of another persons association to that action, then it is best I not pursue it, especially in their presence or when it could influence them.

Make EVERY effort to do what leads to peace.  Act in Love.  Stop Judging.  Make up your mind not to cause others to stumble.  It's pretty hard to allow the influence of, or become toxic, if these things other things are present first and foremost.

Something to talk about: What are some things you can to do to build healthier relationships in your life?

Day 34 - Community

Today's Scriptures: Acts 15:22-41, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Deuteronomy 7:1-6

Today's Devotional: Even though it may not be easy, your toxic relationship may grow to such a dangerous point that you may have to end it. Today you will read more from God's Word about why it is sometimes necessary to end a toxic relationship, and examples of toxic relationships that ended.

Response by: Nick Baker

God has not created us to experience life alone, but to live in community with others. So what do you do when a member of your “community” is toxic? At what point do you make a decision to keep this person in your life, or remove them from it, altogether? Relationships are very important to our growth and development as people and it can be hard to decide that one of these connections is no longer one that you want to be a part of. It can be painful. It can resurrect old hurts. It can alter other relationships that you have.

It may be painful to “cut out” toxic people or relationships, but God is more interested in your character than your comfort. That’s not to suggest that God doesn’t care if you hurt. Rather, it means that He would rather see you living a life for Him than anything else…even if it hurts a little. Your Christian character is what He cares most about. You could be living in the biggest home, have the best looking clothes, drive the fastest cars, wear the shiniest jewelry, or own the most impressive résumé. In short, you could be living a life chock full of physical comfort. Even with all this, if you are living a toxic lifestyle, speaking toxic words, or not living a life for the Lord, what does that say about your character?

God doesn’t want us to live in the dark. He crated us to live in the light and find ourselves in community with other believers who are there to shoulder the load and help us through this thing called Life. When we surround ourselves with the kind of people that will help us grow…rather than lead us to destruction…we find that God is with us as well.

Something to talk about: Why do you think we tend to have more toxic relationships in our lives instead of healthy ones?

Day 33 - Who's Got Your Back

Today’s Scripture:  Genesis 39:1-23

Today’s Devotional:  Another way to handle toxic relationships is to end them. The Bible is full of examples of people who cut off their toxic relationships such as Joseph and Potiphar's wife in Genesis 39.

Response by: Jay Vance

So this May I’m going to attempt something that four years ago was nothing more than a big joke to me.  Run a marathon.  26.2 miles.  Yep, it’s crazy.  And yep, it’s a lot of work.  So how will I get it done?  Excuse the cliche but it’s true here, one step at a time.  

There’s just one way for me to actually complete this, make a plan and execute it.  But I’m not in this alone.  If left to do it on my own, no chance.  I’m not going out and running 20 miles just because I need to do it to train (I do have one of those planned, anyone wanting to join in for a nice jog?).  No, WE Run is there, running with me, making sure I don’t just take the easy way out and cut my miles short.  We're there for one another, talk during the week and find out when everyone else is running so we can do it together.  And it’s not just the members running there for us:  my wife is there encouraging me on every training run, my small group is there as we have some seasoned runners there giving advice on what to do and what not to do, and I asked another experienced marathoner for help and he provided a daily training plan to help me get there.  That's just a few of the people providing us help and support every single day.  

How would I do if these people weren’t there for me?  Or if one of the runners I’ve ran with so far looked at me over and over and said, “you’re crazy for thinking you can do this.  You've got no shot; you’re not going to make it!”  I’ll tell you how, they’d be right.  I couldn’t, and more realistically, I wouldn’t.  

It’s all about being around people who are there for you, helping you stay the course.  If those people would show up, I need to make sure to just avoid them at all costs, cutting contact with them entirely if necessary.  It’s just not worth the effort of putting up with people who are going to bring me down, I want to partner up with those who got my back!

The same was true for Joseph in Genesis. He was in Egypt, and because he followed God; God had his back!  He had everything set up for him: a great job, a great boss, and was succeeding at everything.  There was one problem:  His bosses wife.  She wanted more from Joseph than permitted, and so he resisted.  He avoided her, not wanting her to be able to bring him down.  But one day, she trapped him and it cost him everything, ending up in jail.  So, now he’s in jail, and God is still there for him (anyone surprised?).  “But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.”  (Verses 21-23)

So we need to remember that if there is someone who’s not there for us, do we really want that person there for us?  God’s got our back, ALL THE TIME!!!  How encouraging, exciting, and inspiring for us to remember!  

Something to talk about:  In what types of circumstances do you feel it would be necessary to end a toxic relationship?

Day 32 - Healthy Boundaries

Today's Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Today's Devotional: Matthew 16 shows us that one way to manage toxic relationships is to set healthy boundaries in the way Jesus did with Peter. You might need to tell that person that you won't let them talk to you or treat you in a toxic way, or you may simply need to tell them that you are just not going to go to a toxic place in your relationship with them.

Response by: Morgan Coil
Healthy boundaries. Boundaries are awesome. In relationships and just life in general. With people it's good to have boundaries between each other because then you can know what to expect of each other.

I have boundaries with not only my friends but my family as well. Boundaries lead to well communicated relationships. With friends or just people at school in general I like to think of boundaries as a way to protect and guard my heart. I have my values and my beliefs and if I can set a standard for myself and let others know, I can prevent myself from being placed in toxic situations.

I'm not saying toxic situations are completely removed from my life but the more people know about my values, the more respect I receive with keeping those values. It's also a way to be held accountable.

Simple boundaries can lead to great changes in your spiritual life.


Something to talk about:  What types of healthy boundaries do you need establish in your relationships? How will you go about setting those boundaries?

Day 31 - Chances Are

Today's Scripture: 1 John 3:1-24

Today's Devotional: There are three common types of toxic relationships: negative, controlling, and the tempters.  Chances are you have experienced all three of these toxic relationships in your life.  Chances are that you have been toxic to someone else in one of these three ways.  Do as God's Word says and don't let yourself be deceived and led astray by toxic relationships.  More importantly, don't be toxic to others because you will lead them astray.

Response by: Doug Giffin
Every relationship we have can be toxic, even our relationship to God.  Do I have your attention?  (Think Scribes and Pharisees)  In business I hear all the time, “This is a relationship industry.”  In social settings, “Well we had a relationship with them from work so we decided to have our son join the same baseball team.”  At church, “I never would have gone there but Kathy does, so I thought I would try it out.”  The way the word is bandied about you’d think it’s one of the single most important parts of our life.  And you’d be right.

We humans crave a connection.  That’s why relationships matter.  Sure, today the relationship might just be over Twitter but it’s still a relationship.  Ask Manti Te’o.  Talk about toxic!  Call the CDC.  Relationships get us in trouble.  We convolute them (or others do).  We make them what they aren’t and never were intended to be and we suffer for it.  Call them negative, controlling or the tempters (sounds like a 60’s group) but they go bad.  Like a loaf of bread that’s been in the pantry a while, we would be wise to examine them before we partake.  Some people always see decay and never do.  That’s too bad because relationships can be the most fulfilling, rewarding, life-giving things we experience while we’re here on earth.

I thank God for all my relationships, good and bad, because they’ve made me who I am today and they’ve made me a wiser and fuller person.  True, I have what I consider a healthy skepticism, especially when red flags go up but it’s often those people I have a healthy, close relationship with that help me see the flag.  I hope that someday I’ll be able to repay those whose relationship has meant so much to me.  I hope to pay forward on some of my own relationships, both current and future, so I can have that meaning to another that I was blessed with when I needed it most.

Something to talk about: What types of toxic relationships do you currently have more of in your life?  How can you change the way you relate to others and work towards being less toxic towards those with whom you connect?

Day 30 - Set Boundaries

Today's Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:14-26

Today's Devotional: The right people will build you up and lead you towards Christ, but if you are around the wrong people they can be very toxic.  They can hurt your soul.  They can hurt your relationships.  They can lead you into temptation.  They can drag you down.  They can very easily take you away from God's best.

Response by: Brad Krebs

Tha author Craig spends a good time discussing the importance of surrounding yourself with Godly influences. He identifies the three common toxic relationships: the negatives, the controllers, and the tempers. The question of the week is which is more prevalent in your life. This is difficult for me because as I look at the descriptions from the small group book, none of my close friends would match the descriptions fully. I enjoy the people I surround myself with.  They often challenge me to be a better person.

But if you look at each person in your life, including your own life, we can see that toxic relationship behaviors are prevalent in everyone.  I think that can make it harder. When someone is mostly positive, we instinctively dismiss some of the toxic behaviors that may drag us down. In Romans 12 (from last Monday) Paul argues that we must rid ourselves from things of this world. That being of the world is being out of God. Today's scripture reiterates this point. Those who live in sin, can't live in God.

Now I don't think that this means we need to rid ourselves of all friends. No one is perfect and no one can live without sin (also from Paul), but we can set up boundaries in our lives to help keep us from going down a negative path. Make the conscious decision not to participate in negative behaviors. Make the decision to separate yourself when people travel down the toxic path. Only you can make the decision to live in Christ and not in sin.

Something to talk about: In what ways have toxic relationships polluted your life and your relationship with God?

Day 29 - Toxic Relationships

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-24

Today's Devotional: The people in your life can be one of the most important spiritual assets or be one of your worst curses. Those relationships that are a curse to you are toxic. This week you learn from God's Word about the dangers of toxic relationships and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people.

Response by: Nick Baker
I went to a seminar once where the speaker gave an illustration on relationships between believers in Christ and unbelievers. He asked us to picture two people standing side-by-side holding hands. One is standing on a chair, while the other is standing on the floor. He then asked us which was easier: For the person on the chair to pull the person on the floor up, or for the person on the floor to pull the person on the chair down. Basic physics and gravity aside, the point was that it is generally easier for bad influences to impact good character than the other way around.

Paul shares this thought when speaking to the early Christians. He says that “Bad company corrupts good character.” (verse 33) He is telling the people of Corinth that there are a lot of folks out there saying that resurrection of the dead does not happen. If that were true, then Jesus would not have been resurrected either. And if Jesus had not been resurrected, what exactly are we doing? If resurrection wasn’t possible, even for Christ, then Paul says that the Apostles have been “false witnesses” and their faith is worthless. (verses 14-15)

It is important for us to surround ourselves with positive influences. When supported by those who share good character, we have strength in fighting off those things that might turn us away from doing what God created us to do. Also, when part of a positive peer group, it becomes easier to influence the “bad company” you come into contact with. So, if you find yourself standing on a chair next to someone standing on the floor, rather than hold their hand and see what happens, try offering them a chair instead.

What toxic influences do you encounter each day? How do these influences impact your walk with Christ and with others? Who, or what, are you surrounding yourself with?

Something to talk about: "Bad company corrupts good character." Describe a time when you experienced this warning in your life. What did you learn from your experience?

Day 28 - Four Things

Today's Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-21

Today's Devotional: When it comes to cultural toxins, the bottom line is that we must flee from sin and the things that can cause us to sin. Instead, we must strive for a life of purity. Strive for the things that matter to God and not for the things that matter to others.

Response by: Chad Schuchmann
We are NOT a body with a soul...we ARE a soul with a body.

This phrase is prevalent throughout this devotional series and through what Pastor Craig has preached on over the past four Sundays. Last week, Pastor Craig preached about Good, Great and Supreme.

So often, we focus on good and important things, but in doing so, we neglect the supreme. I've often found myself echoing this when it comes to our spiritual lives. As a father, I understand the desires parents have for their kids to gain a good education, a good job, get married, have kids, be successful...but these are all societal and cultural desires and influences. These are not necessarily bad choices but the question is, are they the supreme things we should focus on?

What about our souls? Why are we are so concerned with the next 60-80 years of the lives of our kids and yet often neglect what happens after that? What about their eternity?

When it comes to cultural toxins, it is very easy to get swept in and consumed. Instead, Paul suggests something different for Timothy in four steps (vs 11-12)

1. Flee Cultural Toxins
2. Pursue Righteousness
3. Fight The Good Fight of Faith
4. Take Hold of Eternal Life

Does this mean we stop reaching for the positive and good things we desire for our families, our children and those we love? Certainly not. But it does suggest we put our focus first on that which is most important, which is eternal, which is forever.

We are NOT a body with a soul...we ARE a soul with a body!

Something to talk about: What things do you need to start focusing on that will help you draw closer to Christ?

Day 27 - The Clear Lens

Today's Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Today's Devotional: When we interpret everything according to God's Word and the purity of His truth, we will realize there are a lot of things people are doing that really don't draw us closer to God. This is why it's important that we test everything according to God's Word because the Bible contains absolute truth. God's Word should be our guide. Why do you think it is so difficult to filter out cultural toxins in today's society?

Response by: Nick Baker

I recently went to the eye doctor for a checkup. I prepared myself for the anxiety-ridden exercise of “Which looks better…number 1 or number 2? Number 3 or number 4?” And so on…and so on. It’s not hard. All you have to do is validate which option is clearer. But sometimes it’s tough to differentiate. Sometimes “number 1” is sort of clearer than “number 2”. And sometimes “number 3” is a little sharper than “number 4”, but “number 4” seems a little brighter than “number 3”. I don’t want to get this wrong. This is my vision we’re talking about. One slip and I’ve got lenses that are an inch thick. That is a lot of pressure!

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul warns that Timothy will come upon people who are opposed to Christ’s teachings. But, if he focuses on the truth and understands the impact of Paul’s obedience, sufferings, and perseverance, Timothy will see that the Lord can deliver believers from a sinful environment. Further, Paul challenges Timothy to bring others along for the ride and to view the world around them with the love of Christ on their heart; focusing on the truth found in scripture.

We are also charged to view our daily surroundings through the different lenses of the world and of Christ. Sometimes the heavenly lens looks sharper than the worldly one…but other times, it seems like the difference is negligible. Paul reminds us that if we want to see the truth in clear, high definition, we need to view our surroundings through the perfect lens of Jesus. There is no other lens that is as sharp as that of the Lord’s. We don’t have to worry about trying to determine if the lens of man is better than the lens of God. The lens of God is always crystal clear.

Something to talk about: What lens are you viewing your landscape through? If things look a bit cloudy, is it time to get a new prescription? If you shed the toxic blinders over your eyes, how much clearer is the view?

Day 26 - Inspect Every Action

Today’s Scriptures:  1 Thessalonians 5:21-28 and Psalms 24:1-6

Today’s Devotional:  How do you deal with cultural toxins when you encounter them? You test them by asking these questions: 

1. Am I being entertained by sin? 
2. Is this pleasing to God?
3. Does this lure me away from Christ?
4. What are some things you can do to completely remove cultural toxins from your life?

Response by: Jay Vance

From Psalm 24:

(3)Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in his holy place?  (4)Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.  (5)They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.

After reading the devotional, I read what David said in Psalms.  I enjoyed the imagery that it gives, a visual in what it takes to reach the glory of God.  Only those who are pure will receive the blessing of the Lord and climb his mountain.  But how do we go about getting there?  The questions asked provide us some great insight.  What are the things that entertain us, and are those activities pleasing to God?  If they are, fantastic; but if not, then why do we continue to do them?  I think that the three questions posed above are a wonderful guide for us to follow when making ANY decision.  Especially the third question, does this lure me away from Christ?  If the activity we are considering is moving us away from God, why do it?  

Remember what we are told in Thessalonians 5:  

(21)but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. (22)Stay away from every kind of evil.

Something to talk about:  How would looking at the questions posed above change your life?  Would it affect a large number of decisions in your life? 

Day 25 - Filter

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-14 & 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Today's Devotional: It's very easy to get trapped by cultural toxins because it's easy to rationalize them in our head. Most of us have probably had the following thought: what may be dangerous for you may not be dangerous for me. God's Word says something different. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6 that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Response by: Morgan Coil

The standards I use to filter out my cultural toxins are my values. When faced with a cultural toxin such as a bad word, bad music, or bad behavior I try and reference back to my values... Do I value this "toxin" more than what matters to me the most? When I have my values in check, it's much easier to say no and fight these cultural toxins. What helps even more is to physically write out what you value so they're easy to reference to.

As far as my standards matching God's, I obviously am his imperfect child so my system of filtering is not always in it's prime condition. But the neat thing about the system of filtering I try to follow is that it's another reason to have a deep connection with The Lord. Taking the time to just pray and find your values within your inner self is powerful!

Something to talk about: What standards are you using to filter out cultural toxins in your life? How well do you think your standards match God's?

Day 24 - Can You See The Toxins

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, 2 Corinthians 7:1, John 15:1-17

Today's Devotional: When it comes to cultural toxins, a little bit of poison can go a long way. As a result, it's important that we strive to cleanse those toxins from our system before they do long-lasting damage to our lives.

Response by: Doug Giffin

As I sit here snacking on a Reese’s and drinking a Dr. Pepper I’m having a tough time coming up with any cultural toxins present in my life.  Maybe tonight while I watch t.v. it will come to me.  I may have to think long and hard but I should have plenty of time as I have a ton of shows DVR’ed and I can always find a movie or two to watch.  Unfortunately I probably won’t have any time to go to the gym again tonight but I’m sure tomorrow night will be better.  Heck I’ll probably be so busy tonight I’ll never be able to get to that writing project I’ve been thinking about or talk to Brandie or do our taxes.

What are ya gonna do though, huh?  I mean, a guy has to unwind.  I work hard and my job is really stressful.  I owe it to myself to take it easy once in a while and just hang out.  I’ve earned it and I gotta take care of me.  Besides, I give a lot of that hard-earned money to the church anyway and I help out in a whole bunch of ways.  Why, there’s a lot of people that don’t do a fraction of what I do.  I can’t be everything to everyone can I?

Still the fact that I can’t come up with even one cultural toxin that affects me really bugs me.  Any ideas?

Something to talk about: Name a cultural toxin that started out in your life as something small, but grew into something larger. How has that growing toxin polluted you?

Day 23 - Above the Influence

Today's Scripture: Romans 12:1-21

Today's Devotional: The toxic lie so many of us believe is because everyone else does it, it's okay for us and won't harm us. The truth is just because everyone else does it, doesn't mean that it's right for us spiritually.

Response by: Brad Krebs
I love those commercials.  The anti-drug awareness programs that outlined the dangers of drug use, especially on kids.  The message was simple, your life is better when you avoid the negative actions of drug and alcohol use.  By living above the influence your future is much brighter than succumbing to the influence.

The devotional reading from today hits on a similar topic.  It focuses on the lie that if we do what the world is doing, that we will live unharmed and prosperously.  The thought that it doesn’t seem to hurt others, that it won’t hurt us either.  Unfortunately it’s not true.  You may not be physically harmed or emotionally harmed, but it will lead to spiritual harm.  To find more details, we can examine the scripture from today’s reading.  It hits in the first two verses:

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ~Romans 12: 1-2 

Let your body be a living and holy sacrifice!  Wow, what a demand!  If I was more knowledgeable of biblical history, I would go into great detail about this, but I only know enough to give you a cliffs note version.  In Jewish culture, it was customary that animals offered for sacrifice must be flawless. It would be easy to sacrifice an animal you couldn’t use, but it meant something to you, if it was perfect, and would hurt to lose it, it was a perfect sacrifice.  So to live your life as a living sacrifice God is calling us to live a life free of flaws.  And in verse two, Paul argues that you cannot live this blameless life when you conform to the customs of the world.  When you do things of God, you become closer to God, when you do things of the world, than you grow apart from God.

I know I have used the excuse that it doesn’t affect me.  This movie, or this drink, or this song doesn’t affect my walk with Christ. But honestly, it does.  I am a different person when I neglect my calling of God and live in the customs of the world.  My inner demons get louder and more prevalent, but when I focus on my daily devotions and scripture, and surround myself with what is good, I find it amazing on how much easier life becomes!

Take a look at some of the worldly pressures in your life that are pulling you away.  It is an ongoing battle to be a living sacrifice, but by avoiding the worldly callings, that battle may become a little easier.

Something to talk about: How have you seen toxic influences in your life affect your relationship with God and others?
 

Day 22 - Cultural Toxins

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 25:26-27 & 3 John 1:11

Today's Devotional: Our lives are full of cultural toxins, which are those things that are culturally acceptable, but hurt our souls. Cultural toxins can be found in the books we read, the magazines we read, the music we listen to, the television shows we watch, and in the movies we watch. When we allow cultural toxins into our lives, it pollutes us. This week you will learn what God's Word says about the dangers of cultural toxins and the importance of focusing on things that draw us closer to God.

Response by: Nick Baker

When I was in college, I took a long weekend trip with some friends to Estes Park, Colorado.  We spent one of the days hiking and at one point we came upon this little waterfall and stream.  Two of us decided to take a drink straight from the stream.  We knew the dangers of drinking fresh water that had not been treated…namely, countless bacteria that lived naturally in the water that our bodies were not accustomed to…but we figured “What are the odds that something bad will occur…besides, what’s the worst that could happen?”  Later that day, I learned exactly what those odds were and how bad it could be.  Long story short, I spent the next few hours in an incredible amount of discomfort.

The water looked fine.  It was right in the middle of nature.  Untouched by human hand.  Clean.   Wrong!  Just because the water looked fresh and inviting doesn’t mean that it was made for me.  I learned the hard way that consuming something that looked fine, even though I knew about its toxic elements, had consequences.

Solomon writes in Proverbs 25 that “a muddied spring or polluted well is like a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.” (verse 26)  Once dug, a spring or well should provide clear, clean water.  If it becomes dirty, however, it is polluted, ruined, and no longer provides a benefit.  We are no different.  God created us as clean creatures in His own image.  Unfortunately, we live in an impure world filled with cultural toxins.  When the priorities and influences of earthly desires get into our system, the output is no longer pure.  It has changed to reflect what is within.  The Apostle John warns in his third letter that we need to make sure we don’t copy the toxic world around us.  Instead, we should imitate that which is good, right, and acceptable.  Good comes from God, while evil does not. (verse 11)


Something to talk about: If you were a well, what cultural toxins would be in your water?  How have you seen these toxins pollute your life?  Are you imitating the earth’s evils, or God’s goodness?

Day 21 - Seek God

Today's Scripture: Isaiah 26:1-11

Today's Devotional: Choose by faith to not put your faith in the "what ifs", but put your faith in God and God alone. This will help you break free from the bondage of toxic fears.

Response by: Chad Schuchmann
Put faith in God...often this seems easier said than done.  I've found that I can easily pay lip service to the greatness of God, to my faith in God, to my desire to trust God.  Unfortunately, my desire does not always result in actual trust, actual faith and real actions.  I've found myself, probably more often than I would like to admit, realizing that I've got more what ifs in my life than I do areas where I am putting my faith in God and God alone.

Luke 5:16 says that, "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray."  Today's scripture tells us the author desires God with his soul and that:

"With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early:" ~Isaiah 26:9 (KJV)

What I do find, is that when I prioritize prayer, when I set time aside, the what ifs begin to fade out of my life.  My questions turn into trust, my fears turn to faith.  There is something about resting in God's presence through prayer and time with God that truly brings us the "peace that passeth all understanding." ~Philippians 4:7 (KJV).

Jesus prioritized prayer above all else.  If even the Son of God, who was God himself, prioritized his connection to God and sought out time with God through prayer and times alone.  Maybe these are things we need to do as well.

But even there, if you seek God, your God, you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won’t bring you to ruin, he won’t forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them. ~ Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (MSG)

Something to talk about: In what ways are you seeking God on a regular basis?

Day 20 - Overcome

Today's Scripture: Psalm 34:1-22

Today's Devotional: In order to face the "what ifs" of fear, you must seek God until He takes away your fears. How different could your life be if you put your full trust in God and strived to seek Him daily?

Response by: Nick Baker
David wrote Psalm 34 after a pretty close call.  He was on the run from King Saul and headed into the country of Gath, whose king would recognize him as an enemy.  He didn’t know what to do at first, but after calling to the Lord, he was shown a way past the king and his guards.  David rejoiced by declaring that he would always praise the name of the Lord; encouraging others to do the same.

I can relate to David a little bit, here.  I remember being in a tight squeeze myself and searching for a way out.  I was working for a company that just was not a good fit.  I didn’t know what to do about it, and found myself sinking farther and farther into a hole that I didn’t think I could get out of.  I still remember the exact moment that I realized God was with me.  I had cried out to Him that I just couldn’t do it anymore and needed a way out.  He answered my prayer and showed me a path to freedom.  I reached out to God and He saw fit to deliver me from the pain I was in.  I have declared His glory ever since.

Just like David, I found myself in-between a rock and a hard place.  Neither of us knew what was going to happen next.  All we knew was that we were in deep and needed help…fast!  I bet you’ve been there too.  Walking through a fog of uncertainty, not knowing where to turn next.  God is there and ready to deliver you.  All you have to do is ask, just as David asked.  Close relationships work best when both parties play an active role.  When we take such a step toward Him, we will see His strength in the response.

When facing the “what-ifs” of life, do you turn to God…Or to your own abilities?  Do you seek Him out, or hope that He finds you along the way?  Jesus tells us that we will experience trouble on earth, but that we can “take heart” because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Something to talk about: In what ways has the Lord “overcome” the world for you?