thoughts by Suzanne Benner Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Daily Devotionals by Thoughts about God

Published April 10, 2021

Faith Walk

“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:24

The cliche “slow and steady wins the race” contains a grain of truth.

How we live today affects our lifelong journey.

The Bible tells us very little about the life of Enoch, the son of Jared. Other than his place in history, we know only three things: Enoch walked with God. Enoch did not die. Enoch pleased God.

In Hebrews we read, “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). One of only two people who did not experience death, Enoch went directly from earth to be with God. Surely, Enoch’s faith walk was tied to his remarkable exit from this world.

The writer of Hebrews emphasizes faith as the essential ingredient to pleasing God. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Clearly, Enoch believed God exists and would reward his efforts to seek him. Enoch sought God, actively, regularly, continually.

We too are called to walk with God, to daily exercise faith in tangible ways.

Reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture demonstrates faith in God’s Word as true and vital for life. Setting aside a quiet time to pray shows faith that God hears and cares. Noticing God’s provision and responding to the Holy Spirit’s conviction displays faith in God’s power, knowledge, and direction.

You too can please God by walking with him.

Holy God, I want to please you. I want my life to be characterized by my faith walk with you. May seeking you be my purpose and my aim every day.

Remind yourself often that God lives in you by his Spirit and is ever-present. Throughout the day, speak to him about anything you want; be attentive to his voice and will.

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

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Strengthening Souls

Published November 10, 2020

Strengthening Souls

“They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.” Acts 14:21-22

The Book of Acts chronicles the work of the Holy Spirit in the early Church. When the disciples received the Holy Spirit, they immediately began to preach the good news of Jesus. The verses above highlight three things Paul and Barnabas did, which we can emulate.

Strengthen souls. Truth makes our souls stronger. Let us daily speak truth from God’s Word. Truths like: for my sake, the sinless Jesus became sin so that I might become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). My old self died when Christ died, so now I live for Jesus in his power, not for myself (Galatians 2:20).

Encourage them to continue in the faith. You are reading this devotion because you want to know the only true God. Continue to seek him. Read the Bible. Pray for guidance. Trust God for all you need.

Say that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Remember, God never promised an easy life. Because of the brokenness of this world, we face trouble, pain, and grief. But by following Jesus, we find real life in his kingdom.

So, press on. There are souls to be strengthened. Like the early Christians, share how Jesus changed your life. Tell people how Jesus died so that our sins could be forgiven, rose again so that we could live eternally with him, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

God, you rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into your kingdom. By the power of your Spirit may I strengthen the souls of those around me, encourage them to continue to believe in Jesus and to remind believers that these troubles are not unexpected, but part of the journey into your kingdom. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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If You Will, You Can

Published September 28, 2020

If You Will, You Can

“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said,

‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’” Matthew 8:2

The man with leprosy made two amazing claims in this verse. Jesus holds the power to heal — “you can”— and to decide to heal —“if you will.”

For me, believing Jesus can heal comes easily. Growing up in the church laid a solid foundation in my heart. God created all things. God took on human flesh to reveal himself to us. God raised Jesus from the dead. Since God can raise the dead, no problem in my life — physical, emotional, or relational — supersedes his power. My struggle comes in believing he will. So, the leper’s “if you will” arrests my attention.

Sometimes, for reasons beyond our comprehension, God chooses not to heal. For too many years, I resisted prayers that asked God for healing or specific things. Instead, I tried to figure out his plan and only ask for things that he would say yes to. I wanted control.

Clearly, arrogance stood in the way of belief. Refusing to ask God, unless I knew he would say yes, meant denying his complete authority over my life. I failed to acknowledge the truth that God gets to decide.

So, I ask, like a child who trusts her loving father, “If you will, you can.”

Trust requires humility. Asking admits need. Expressing our deepest desire leaves us vulnerable. By seeking a specific outcome, we risk disappointment.

Yet, we do not need to doubt God’s goodness. Righteous, loving, and merciful, God always does what brings about our good and his glory, though we may not see it immediately. So ask.

Father forgive my arrogance and my attempts to control you. I submit to your rule in my life. You can do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine. You are good. Teach me to ask with both humility and confidence. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Die Daily

Published September 12, 2020

Die Daily

“Then he said to them all:

”Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

Luke records Jesus’ words about what it means to be his disciple. Two thousand years later, the requirements for Christ followers remain the same. Each must do three things.

1. 1. Deny himself or herself.
  2. Daily take up his or her cross.
  3. Follow Jesus.

Following Christ is a costly venture. Disciples renounce personal comfort and selfish desires. They do not demand their rights. Instead of seeking their own good, they seek God’s will.

Every day, as disciples of Jesus, we acknowledge that when Christ died on the cross, we died with him. The cross ended the life that sought personal gain and personal glory. Now, we live to serve God by serving others. Paul put it this way,

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ, who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Jesus gave up his life to save ours. He expects us to give up our lives and live for him, instead of living for ourselves.

Autonomy may be our day’s greatest idol. Everyone craves the power and freedom to make their own decisions. A three-year-old says it best, “You’re not the boss of me.”

God’s kingdom, however, does not follow the principles of this world. Jesus turned the world upside-down with an amazing pronouncement.

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).

He calls us to die.

This daily death brings abundant life. The temporary pleasures of this world soon end. Conversely, knowing Jesus satisfies the deep longing of our souls, eternally.

Holy God, thank you for saving me through your Son. May I daily die to sin — pride, anger, lust, greed, envy, and discontent. May I live for you alone. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

Love Those We Don’t Like

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

The call to imitate God sounds impossible. Yet, just as a small child imperfectly mimics a parent’s actions, disciples of Jesus copy him. These verses in Ephesians contain a key way to imitate God: walk in love.

Love, by definition, gives time, attention, and compassion. Love spends energy, intellectual resources, and money. Love sacrifices personal interests, wants, and needs for the interests, wants, and needs of others.

Indeed, love requires sacrifice. Jesus’ sacrifice for us reveals what real love looks like. John explains what “love” is in his first letter. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

The call to “walk in love” goes far beyond loving nice, similar-to-us, or likeable people. God calls us to love dirty, unattractive, and needy people, too. He commands us to love greedy, ungrateful, and adversarial people. God directs us to love these people because that is who we once were. Paul tells the believers in Rome, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

To walk in love is to daily put others ahead of ourselves. We walk in love, not because others deserve our love, but because Jesus first loved us. “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”
(1 John 4:11).

Holy Spirit, fill me with your presence so that I might walk in love as Christ loves me. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

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The Least of These

Published June 5, 2020

The Least of These

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:35-36

Everyone wants to do something great for God, something noticeable and significant. Yet, Jesus tells us to care for the marginalized rather than the rich, beautiful, and influential.

In this passage, Jesus says he will return to judge all people. At the judgment, when the righteous don’t remember ever seeing Jesus and ministering to him, he says,

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

Numerous times a week, I drive to where my dad, who has advanced dementia, lives so I can feed him lunch. Some days, my dad does not speak. So, I just tell him about the day or hold his hand.

When I entered his “neighborhood”, I saw a man shuffling down the hallway. I greeted him, pointed toward the dining room, and told him that it’s lunchtime. A woman, wearing a foam helmet, barely stood five feet tall. I couldn’t understand a word she said and I don’t think she would understand much of what I’d say either. So, I smiled at her and said her name. I offered her my attention. It’s all I had to give, but for the moment, it was enough.

Simple, unremarkable, often unnoticed, actions. Yet, these precious elderly people are some of the “least of these” for whom God calls me to care.

Who is God calling you to care for today?

Heavenly Father, thank you that you know and care for people we often overlook. Remind me daily that whatever I do for the least of these, I do for you. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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The Veil is Removed

Published January 20, 2020

The Veil is Removed

“Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” 2 Corinthians 3:15-16

When my mom moved into her condo, some sort of film covered the windows. Light shone through, but everything looked distorted. She couldn’t see outside clearly. It took a grandson — armed with a razor blade, window washing gear, and YouTube video — four hours to scrape it all away.

Unlike my mother’s windows, no amount of scrubbing, self-help books, or willpower can take away the veil that keeps us from viewing things correctly. Our sinful nature and willful rebellion blind us, distorting our judgments and keeping us from seeing clearly. Paul says, “their minds were hardened” (2 Corinthians 3:14). We can’t see the truth because our sin keeps us from seeing it.

Though we can’t fix our problem, Paul tells us who can. “For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:14).

Only through Christ is the veil removed.

Only when we turn to Christ, can we understand our great need. Only when we turn to Christ can we see his great gift.

Just as God’s glory shone through Jesus, when we believe, God’s glory shines through us. The more we look at Jesus, turning our hearts to him and surrendering our wills to him, the more we become like him. The transformation is glorious! Everyone around us sees Jesus in us.

So we live for Jesus, through the power of Jesus, to show Jesus to the world.

Thank you, Jesus, for dying for my sins and rising again in power. Turn my heart and my mind toward you. Remove the veil, so that I can see clearly. Transform me into your likeness. May your name be glorified. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Proclaim How Much Jesus Has Done for You

Published October 30, 2019

Proclaim How Much Jesus Has Done for You

“And [Jesus] did not permit him but said to him, ‘Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marvelled.” Mark 5:19-20

The place held a lot of bad memories for him. Leaving town to start a new life somewhere else would be so much easier than staying. Everyone in the area knew about him, had seen him naked. The people had shackled him with chains and watched how, in a crazed frenzy, he’d wrenched himself free and broken his bonds in pieces. He had made his home among the tombs because only the dead could tolerate him. How many people had he hurt when the voices controlled him? No wonder people feared and avoided him.

So, after Jesus had healed him, the man previously possessed by a legion of evil spirits (Mark 5:1-20), begged Jesus to let him go with him. But Jesus said no.

You see, the miracle terrified the local people. They begged Jesus to leave. So, Jesus told the restored man to stay. Jesus instructed him to go and tell his story — how God had healed him — to everyone who knew him. He wanted the man to explain his transformed life and tell how God had mercy on him.

The man obeyed Jesus. He freely shared his shameful past, God’s great mercy, and Jesus’ incredible healing power. Everyone who heard his story marvelled.

God wants to use your story too, no matter how much pain it involves. Tell how the Almighty God freed you from your bad behavior, the anger that controlled you, or your feelings of inadequacy.

Go — by God’s power — and live differently among the people who know you.

Thank you, Lord God, for having mercy on me and saving me. May your Holy Spirit make me bold in telling everyone what you have done for me. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Just and True

Published August 21, 2019

Just and True

“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” Revelation 15:3-4

A lot of people talk about right and wrong these days, as if they were random or variable things. If no absolute truth exists, then the powerful determine what justice is.

Isaiah’s words — written thousands of years ago — sound eerily like our current society. “

So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey” (Isaiah 59:14-15).

Yet, it’s not merely today’s society at large that has a warped view of justice. Too often, Christians doubt God’s justice. Believers read the Old or New Testament passages about God’s wrath and think God acts unfairly.

So, John reminds us in today’s verses from Revelation that all God’s ways are just. God defines and exemplifies righteousness, justice, and truth. All God’s deeds are righteous. Indeed, all creation will worship God because of these attributes.

God can’t act in opposition to his nature. So, it’s impossible for God to do anything unjust. In fact, our internal sense of justice comes from being made in the image of the true and just God. We wouldn’t know what justice meant if God hadn’t revealed it to us.

Therefore, we must approach difficult passages with humility. Our limited knowledge and perspective make it absurd for us to judge God. Instead, by affirming the truth of God’s character and submitting to the Holy Spirit for guidance, we ask God to show us how to correctly view his justice.

Lord God Almighty, you are just and true. Show me how to think and speak and live in a way that reflects that reality. There are so many things that I don’t understand; give me faith to believe that you are who you say you are. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Serve As Jesus Did

Published July 31, 2019

Serve As Jesus Did

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
John 13:14-15

Jesus came to serve.

The night Judas betrayed Jesus, Jesus gave His disciples an object lesson they wouldn’t forget. Jesus took off His outer clothes, wrapped a towel around His waist and washed His disciples feet. Surely, the disciples felt awkward. Servants normally performed the lowly, grimy job, not their Teacher. In fact, at first Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet.

Although Jesus deserves all the worship, gratitude and obedience of every living being, He didn’t demand His rights when He walked on earth. Instead, the God of the universe humbled Himself, became a man and ministered to the people He created. His service culminated in Him sacrificing Himself on the cross to buy our redemption.

By His example, Jesus showed us that no job is too menial for His followers. We too must not insist on receiving our due. In fact, leaders in God’s kingdom lead by serving others.

Mark records Jesus words.

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45).

Serving as Jesus did means humbly and willingly doing whatever needs doing. Without thought of recognition or personal gain, a follower of Jesus serves in order to show God’s love.

The opportunities to demonstrate God’s love are endless. Cooking, cleaning, errands, baby-sitting, chauffeuring. From picking up dog droppings to helping someone write a resume, lowering yourself elevates God.

God, forgive my arrogance and my need for recognition. Teach me to serve as Jesus served. May the world see Your love through me.

Thought – Think of a practical way that you can serve someone you know and make a plan to do it today. Next, ask God to provide you with an opportunity to serve a stranger today. Keep your eyes open for the person God puts in your path for you to serve.

By Suzanne Benner
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TODAY

Published June 19, 2019

TODAY

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:12-13

The author of Hebrews reminds his readers how their ancestors rebelled against God in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. The people of Israel didn’t trust in God’s power to provide. They didn’t believe he cared about their need for water.

The writer then urges first-century believers — and us — to not fall into the same trap. It’s tough to follow God’s commands and live as disciples of Jesus. The daily struggle with sin can harden our hearts. We can begin to doubt God’s goodness.

Sin tempts us with promises that it can’t deliver. Even so, we sometimes think we can give in to temptation — just for a bit. We whisper to our conscience, “Tomorrow I’ll repent and follow God again.”

But, there’s no such thing as past-tense or future-tense discipleship. Hebrews repeatedly uses the keyword “today.” “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). Not tomorrow. Not yesterday. Today.

If we harden our hearts against God’s voice today, what makes us think we will listen tomorrow?

Every day, we can choose to listen to God’s voice or to harden our hearts against him. And every day, we have an opportunity to encourage one another to keep following Jesus, even when the road is difficult.

Dear heavenly Father, I choose to follow you today. Keep my heart soft and sensitive to your voice. Bring other believers into my life to encourage me and may I encourage those around me to keep seeking you. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner
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Promise of Redemption

Published March 2, 2019

Promise of Redemption

“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”
Isaiah 1:18

We find promises of redemption sprinkled throughout Isaiah’s book. To redeem means to buy back or pay off–to satisfy a debt.

With these words, Isaiah prophesies a day of atonement, a time of cleansing, a sure salvation.

When we examine ourselves honestly, we see our sin. We recognize that we can’t fix our mistakes or stop sinning on our own. That’s why the promise of redemption brings such hope and joy and peace.

We need cleansing. We need forgiveness. We need a Savior.

Listen to God’s words recorded by Isaiah:

“The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.” (Isaiah 4:4)

“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’” (Isaiah 43:1)

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)

These promises from the past point to our present reality. Jesus Christ—the Redeemer—came to save us.

God, thank you for giving me the promise of redemption. I acknowledge that You are my King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: You are the first and the last; apart from You there is no God. I proclaim, my Redeemer—the LORD Almighty is his name—is the Holy One. Amen.

Questions: How can I live out the forgiveness Jesus offers me? Do I always see Him as my Savior?

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission

Jesus loves you.

He died for you on the cross, and then He rose again, defeating death forever. The pain in this world is not the final word. The empty tomb on Easter morning is!

If a relationship with God is something you crave, it can start here and now. God cares far less about your words than the attitude of your heart. So tell Him what you’re thinking. Here is suggestion:

God, I believe that you created me to know you. Thank you for sending your son Jesus, as a sacrifice to pay the penalty that I deserve. I believe that his death and resurrection has restored me to you. Please forgive me for everything that has offended you. Take first place in my life and help me become the person that you created me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

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Further Understanding:

Four Spiritual Laws

How To Be Sure You Are a Christian

Now that I am a Christian,What’s Next? – 4 Starter Lessons in a printable pdf file

Reading the Bible – where to start?

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The Power of Life and Death

Published November 25, 2018

The Power of Life and Death

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

Words. We all know the damage careless talk brings. Most likely we all have spoken and heard things that were better left unsaid.

Yet, words can also encourage, strengthen, comfort, inspire and teach.

Proverbs 10 tells how the wise and upright person uses words:

the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life (10:11);
the lips of the righteous nourish many (10:21);
the mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom (10:31).

Life-giving words come from a righteous and wise person. What incredible power we have been given! Instead of cheap words or trite platitudes, we can offer rare treasures.

The Bible describes a righteous person as one who believes God (Genesis 15:6) and a wise person as one who fears God (Proverbs 9:10). So, when we trust Jesus to save us, and then submit ourselves to His will and His way, we become both righteous and wise.

In the New Testament, James instructs his readers that, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). Paul tells believers, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

In a world that bombards us with meaningless and hurtful words, we can speak wise, kind, nourishing truths that build up people.

Holy God, may I understand the incredible power of my words. I want my conversations to be life-giving. Spirit of the living God, make me righteous and wise. Speak through me. Amen.

— Read James, Chapter 3. Write down everything you learn about the tongue and wisdom.

By Suzanne Benner

Used by Permission from https://thelife.com/devotionals

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Who God Is

Published September 29, 2018

Who God Is

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7

What forms your idea of God? Childhood memories, personal experiences, and unmet expectations can create a skewed picture of God. To rightly understand who God is, we must look to the only completely reliable source: God Himself, as He reveals Himself in His Word.

In the verses above, God proclaimed His name to reveal Himself to Moses. English Bibles translate God’s personal name as “LORD.” In Hebrew, only the consonants “YHWH” appear. The name Jews considered so holy that they dared not speak it or even write it completely, is “I AM.” With His name, God corrected the Israelites’ misconceptions. Not a calf formed out of gold earrings (Exodus 32:2-4). Not the image of anything in heaven or on earth. The self-existent One. Not made by anyone.

Merciful and gracious. Although ready to destroy the Israelites because of their idolatry, God relented when Moses interceded on their behalf (Exodus 32:7-14). The people deserved death; God gave mercy.

Faithless, grumbling and quarreling, the people questioned God’s love. Yet God did not change with the Israelites’ feelings. His abounding, steadfast love remained the same.

Forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, but by no means clearing the guilty. This statement must have puzzled Moses. How could God forgive sin without clearing the guilty? How could God be both forgiving and just?

Not until Jesus’ death and resurrection could we truly understand this mystery. But the Bible has been clear all along. God is who He says He is.

Holy God, when you revealed yourself to Moses, he “quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Exodus 34:8). May I do the same. You are. You always have been. You always will be. You are merciful and gracious, far beyond what I can comprehend. Teach me to think rightly about who you are. Thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness. Amen.

By Suzanne Benner

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Let it Go

Published August 16, 2018

Let it Go

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”Proverbs 17:9

No one likes to be reminded of their mistakes. An insensitive word. A foolish act that costs both money and credibility. The time we let anger control us.

Let’s face it — we all sin.

So, we experience great joy when we understand that God forgives our evil thoughts and actions. The psalmist writes, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12).

Unfortunately, while we like to have our wrong deeds erased, as humans, we tend to hold on to the hurt that others cause us. Sometimes, we like the attention. So, we nurse a wound, repeat the story, and gain support from others about the poor treatment we received. Other times, we like the power we gain when we hold a past mistake over someone else’s head.

Each day provides plentiful opportunities to take offense. A friend ignores you, a stranger rudely takes advantage of you, a family member speaks unkindly to you. But, we can choose how we respond.

Covering an offense costs us. Seeking love, more than being right, requires humility and grace. Releasing the offender requires forgiveness. Yet, the reward outweighs the cost. We discover that freedom comes when we “let it go.”

God shows us the way. God loved us when we were, to others, unlovable, so that we could love others in turn. He forgave us, and gives us the power to forgive.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the sound advice this proverb gives me. Help me not to be touchy or super-sensitive. Help me to see beyond the offense to the person. I want to value relationships more than being right. Show me how to let it go. Amen.

Thought — If you have allowed some offense to fester in your heart, confess it to God. Ask Him to show you how to move forward.
Read: The Power of Forgiveness

By Suzanne Benner