Have you ever played Hide and Seek with a two-year-old?

You close your eyes and count to ten, turn around and you can see his feet sticking out from under the blanket. It’s like that when we try to hide from God. We think we’re being so clever, but God just sees right through us.

We know that we are forgiven. So why do we try to hide from God? There are so many reasons:

• • We hide because we’re ashamed.
  • We hide because of our pride.
  • We hide because we want to pretend that we are better than we are.
  • We hide because we doubt God’s love.
  • We hide because we want to punish ourselves.
  • We hide because we have not yet forgiven ourselves.
  • We worry that there is a limit to his forgiveness, and that this time his love might have run out.

Trust in God’s forgiveness — that is where true freedom lies.

In Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus how often he should forgive his brother. Jesus replies, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

If we humans — frail, limited, and full of envy — are expected to forgive 77 times, how much more limitless is God’s forgiveness for us?

Psalm 103:11-13 says, For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Shame is one of Satan’s greatest tools. He lies to us and says, “Look at your life, you’re no example. How could you ever share the Gospel?” He whispers that God doesn’t really love us. He tells us to stay quiet, stay small, and hope that God doesn’t notice our awful sin. But we don’t need to live under the weight of shame.

One of my favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

This verse and others tell me that I have a complete new identity now that I am in Christ: in God’s eyes, I am pure, holy, honorable — utterly forgiven and loved. God already sees me the way I will be in eternity — perfectly delivered from all sin, fully in God’s image (1 John 3:1-4).

The next time you want to play hide and seek with God, ask him to remind you of who you are in his sight.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• The Way to Know God
• The Everlasting God
• How to know God personally

The post Loose the Weight of Shame appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” 1 Peter 1:3-4

What strikes me about this verse is the phrase “a living hope.” It’s not a future hope; it’s a hope that is with us right now. We were utterly lost, condemned to die, and through Jesus we’re reborn to hope and life eternal.

I lose sight of that sometimes. In the midst of an ordinary day I forget that I have this incredible hope. When I feel weak, forgotten, worn out or left behind it’s often because I’ve taken my eyes off of the hope that Jesus bought for me on the cross.

I love the chorus in Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace.”

“My chains are gone,
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace.”

What a picture of hope! This is a big part of the “life to the full” that Jesus talks about in John 10:10. It’s not a life we just hope might somehow count for something. It’s life as a forgiven child of God, fashioned for a purpose. It’s the assurance that God will not waste your life. How will you live in this hope today?

Thank you God for giving me a living hope. Whatever has happened in the past, whatever might lie ahead in the future, Your hope will be there to redeem and renew. You are the reason for the joy that I have. You are my peace and my portion and my shield forever. Help me to cling to Your hope and not to my own understanding. In Your name I pray, amen.

Response: Take a close look at the thoughts that are running through your head today. Are they thoughts of hope or worry? comfort or sadness? Take these thoughts to God. Thank Him for ransoming you and ask Him to focus your mind on the living hope that is yours today.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

My Hope is in Him | by John Grant 

A Hope that Doesn’t Disappoint 

What is Your Hope Built On?

Waiting with Hope – A study on Psalm 27

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“…the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.” Romans 4:17b

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, “This is hopeless”? Maybe the doctor said there was nothing else they could do or the papers from the lawyer said that the divorce was final. Perhaps the bills were overwhelming and the job went to someone else, again. If you’ve ever had that moment of, “OK, now what?” today’s verse is for you.

Earlier in this passage Paul reminds us of the story of Abraham. God promised Abraham that he would be a father of nations even though to Abraham (and to people he told!) it must have seemed ridiculous. Abraham and his wife were well past childbearing age. It just didn’t make sense. How was this going to work?

But as it says in Romans 4:17, God brings impossible things into being. The ERV translation even describes God as one who “speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.” We know how the story goes: Abraham became a father of nations, just as God promised. I wonder what his friends said when they heard the news?

Things that are unthinkable for us are not unimaginable to God. That can be hard to get your head around, especially if you’re a planner who likes to know how it’s going to happen. God doesn’t always tell us the how, but He does tell us over and over that we can trust Him. When you feel doubt and worry creep in, lean in to God. As you get to know God better it becomes easier and easier to trust Him, even when you’re starting over from scratch.

Father, You see today and tomorrow and the day after that. You know the things that tear at my heart today. Forgive me for the times I have foolishly tried to carry my own burdens. I give them to You now. Remind me that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light (Matthew 11:30). When I feel weighed down with “what-if and what-now”, call me back to You. I know that You rejoice over me with singing. Teach me to lean in close so I can hear Your song. Amen

Thought to Consider: Not every thought that runs through your head is from God. How do you know when a prompting is from God and when it’s Satan whispering lies?

By Claire Colvin
Use by Permission

FURTHER READING

God Is Always In Control 

Learning to Give Control to God – by Helen Lescheid

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The post Starting From Scratch appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:17-19

Recently friends of mine said goodbye to their baby girl. She had been fighting a hard battle and God chose to heal her in Heaven rather than here on earth. Like David in Psalm 18, they faced the day of their disaster. Also like David, they have found that even though the foe was too strong, God was their support.

I don’t know what your life looks like today. You may be facing a situation that is too strong for you. Perhaps you feel like you’re standing on one leg and just one more thing will tip you over. Maybe you feel like your feet have been kicked out from under you. If that sounds familiar, take another look at

Psalm 18:27, “the Lord was my support.”

Be assured that God will rescue you. He sees you where you are today. He hears your prayers. Deliverance and redemption are coming. He will rescue you because He delights in you.

Psalm 18:6 says, “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”

If you are crying out to God today, know that He hears you. He will respond and he will not abandon you.

God, Thank you for this promise that You hear me. You will respond and You will deliver me. I may feel overwhelmed, but I will not be overwhelmed. You are the God who calms the storm, the One while brings me back to a safe harbor. Thank you for loving me far more than I can understand. Calm my beating heart today. Thank you that You are ‘the strength of my heart and my portion forever’. In Your name I pray, Amen

Thought: Is there someone in your life who is facing a strong foe today? Take some time to pray for him or her. Ask God to show you additional ways that you can encourage their family.

By Claire Colvin
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• Flowers in the Snow
• Where Your Choices Can Lead You
• God is My Delight 

Homepage for  Devotionals

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The post Standing on One Leg appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 1 Peter 1:3-4A

What strikes me about this verse is the phrase “a living hope.” It’s not a future hope; it’s a hope that it is with us right now. We were utterly lost, condemned to die, and through Jesus we’re reborn to hope and life eternal.

I lose sight of that sometimes. In the midst of an ordinary day I forget that I have this incredible hope. When I feel weak, forgotten, worn out or left behind it’s often because I’ve taken my eyes off of the hope that Jesus bought for me on the cross.

I love the chorus in Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace.”

“My chains are gone, I’ve been set free My God, my Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood his mercy rains Unending love, Amazing grace.”

What a picture of hope! This is a big part of the “life to the full” that Jesus talks about in John 10:10. It’s not a life we just hope might somehow count for something. It’s life as a forgiven child of God, fashioned for a purpose. It’s the assurance that God will not waste your life. How will you live in this hope today?

Thank you God for giving me a living hope. Whatever has happened in the past, whatever might lie ahead in the future, Your hope will be there to redeem and renew. You are the reason for the joy that I have. You are my peace and my portion and my shield forever. Help me to cling to Your hope and not to my own understanding. In Your name I pray, amen.

Today: Take a close look at the thoughts that are running through your head today. Are they thoughts of hope or worry? comfort or sadness? Take these thoughts to God. Thank him for ransoming you and ask him to focus your mind on the living hope that is yours today

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Hope for a Hopeless World – Devotional by Terry Stead

• Hope for Those without Hope – by Mike Woodard

• The Perfect Anorexic – Karen Schenk’s Story of Anorexia

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It can be hard to hear God in the busyness of life. Take today’s lesson to hear how to listen better.

“And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12b

There’s a moment just before the performance begins where the lights go down and the symphony tunes. It’s a strange, cacophonous sound, nothing at all like the music that will start a few minutes later. I love that sound. It sounds like anticipation. It’s a sound that tells you that something wonderful is about to happen.

Tuning is not a warning bell; it’s an alignment. One musician plays a single note, always the same note, and each of the instruments joins in. They play, they listen, and they adjust and play again. They keep going until all the sounds blend together, until there are united and aligned, in tune.

I love the line in the old hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” that says, “tune my heart”. I want that. I want my heart to sound like God’s. Did you know that if you put two grand pianos in a room and play a note on one of them the corresponding string in the other piano will start to vibrate? I want the note God is playing to resonate in my heart.

In 1 Kings, God tells Elijah to go and stand on a mountain where He will pass by. There is wind and fire, even an earthquake, but God is not in the wind or the fire or the earthquake. God comes in a gentle whisper. I need to be still and hear that whisper; I need to tune my heart to it.

I cannot do the things God has planned for me if my heart is out of tune. No matter how carefully I try to serve God, if my heart is out of tune it’s all just garbage. I think it’s so interesting that even professional musicians have to tune and they tune every single time they play. I want my life to be like that, to begin every day by listening for the voice of God and moving my heart – dragging it along sometimes – until my heart, my attitude sounds like God’s. I want to go through my days in tune with Him.

Father, As the hymn says, “Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace”. Teach me to stop and listen for your whisper. Keep me still until the song of my heart sounds like You. Mold me so that when people hear my words and see my actions they think of You. Thank you for being patient with me. Tune my heart. I’m listening. Amen.

When is it hard to hear God? Where do you find it easiest to hear His gentle whisper?

By Claire Colvin
Used by permission

FURTHER READING

•  How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit
•  How to Pray

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“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

If you’ve been in the church for a while, a song probably started playing in your head as you read that verse. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Can you hear the chorus? “Freedom reigns in this place/ showers of mercy and grace/ falling on every face/ there is freedom.”

One of the most incredible things God gives us is the gift of freedom. He lifts the burden of sin and the wages of death and He sets us free.

Free from our past.
Free from our failures.
Free from the pressure to measure up.
Free.

We don’t have to do more to make God love us. He already loves us, even more than we know. It takes a lot of faith (and practice!) to step into that freedom and truly believe that we’re enough – right now, just like this.

I think sometimes we’re uncomfortable with the idea that we can’t earn God’s love because it makes us feel powerless. But the truth is that we are loved and we are in the family. God has sent the Holy Spirit – Comforter, Counselor, Advocate – to live in us. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

God, Thank you for the gift of freedom. When I get all tied up in my thinking you quietly whisper that I am loved and I am enough. You are more than enough. Thank you for the promise that You are renewing my mind. You are rewriting the story. Help me to rest in Your promise and breathe easy in Your freedom today. Amen.

Take Action: If freedom is an uncomfortable idea for you – shame might be getting in the way. Read Isaiah 41:9-10. Personalize it and pray it back to God.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  A Yoke of Freedom or Bondage – by Karen Woodard

•  Use Freedom to Flourish or to Fall – by Fab Batsakis

•   A Prayer of Freedom – by Roy Lessin

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“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.’” Matthew 28:18

Matthew 28:18-19 is a very familiar passage – it’s the one about going and making disciples. Recently I heard a sermon on the twelve words Jesus says before he gives the Great Commission and it is still resonating with me.

If we read that passage in the New Living Translation it says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” (In some translations it says “power” instead of “authority”.) When my pastor was preaching he pointed out that if ALL authority has been given to God then Satan has zero authority.

I’ve always thought that Satan has less power than God, but still some power. But as this verse explains, Satan doesn’t have any power. He has none. ZERO. He can’t have any authority because it was all given to God.

Satan doesn’t have any authority, the only thing he has is lies. But we need to be careful because those lies can be very powerful. They come in a variety of ways.

•    He attacks our identity: My work doesn’t matter. I’m a screw up
•    He attacks our abilities: I could never do that
•    He attacks our attitude: I don’t have to forgive her, do you know what she   did to   me?
•    He even lies about the way we see God: God has forgotten me. God could never forgive that.

It doesn’t matter that the lies aren’t true because when we listen to them we live as if they are true. We give them power. We make choices based on false information.

My pastor went on to say something that has really stuck we me. He said, “You can’t fight thoughts with thoughts. You have to fight thoughts with words.” When Satan is whispering lies into our heads we need to fight back with words, and words of scripture are particularly effective. Instead of listening to the lie and agreeing with it in your heart, speak the truth of scripture. Focus your heart and mind on what God says and you’ll see the lie for the garbage that it is.

For each of us there is one lie in particular that Satan always hits us with when we’re down. It’s important to identify that lie so you can guard against it. What is the lie that Satan tells you? You’ll probably find that it’s related to your deepest insecurity or your darkest secret. Satan doesn’t mess around; he goes for the jugular.

Think about it over the next few days. What is the worst lie Satan tells you and which Scripture can you speak against it? Write that verse out and keep it close by so you’ll have it when you need it. That way you’ll be ready to fight back the next time Satan comes whispering.

Satan doesn’t have ANY power, not even a little bit. Isn’t that wonderful news? Lies are all he has. But when we speak the truth in the face of those false whispers, not even his lies can hurt us.

Father, Teach me to guard my heart. Help me to learn the difference between your quiet voice of conviction and Satan’s lies that tell me I am unlovable, or a failure, or not enough. Give me the courage to speak Your truth in the face of these baseless lies. Remind me that my worth, my value, my redemption and my eternity are in Your hands and Satan cannot touch that, not with all the lies in the world. I am so glad that all authority, all power was given to You. Help me to remember that he doesn’t have any. Not even a little bit. Amen

Questions: What is the lie that Satan tells you? What are the lies that you have believed in the past? Which verses combat those lies?

by Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Pressing Your Reset Button

•  He is Out to Destroy You!

•  Salvation Explained

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I am still learning this balance between relying on God and doing my part.

“They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.” 2 Kings 4:5b

You’re probably very familiar with the story of the widow and her oil. (Take a minute to read the whole story in 2 Kings 4:1-7) Here was a woman who desperately needed God to show up. Her husband was dead, her debts were piling up and men were on their way to sell her sons as slaves. Things were bad.

She goes to the prophet Elisha for help and he asks her a simple question, “What do you have in your house?” (v2) All she had was a little jar of oil. It wasn’t much, but God used it to perform a miracle and meet her needs.

What strikes me about this story is that little phrase in verse five, “and she kept pouring.” After the first few jars were filled she could have decided that she could get by on that and stopped. But she didn’t. Elisha had told her to ask the neighbors for a lot of jars.  In faith she kept pouring, and God filled every single one.

I am still learning this balance between relying on God and doing my part. We show up, tools in hand, but He does the heavy lifting. God will provide, but there’s always something for us to do as well. God invites us into the miracle.

I often think of faith as this great, huge thing but I’m learning that faith is more often the tiny steps that I take. It’s that moment when I stand up and say, “OK God, I’ll follow you there” –even when, especially when, it’s not where I wanted to go.

What are you facing today? Where do you need to keep pouring?

Father in Heaven, I know that You are able to do abundantly more than I can imagine or ask for. You have provided for me in the past and I believe that You will not forget me. Be with me in my fear. In the moments when I worry about how I am going to fix things remind me that Your hands are on it. Remind me that I don’t need to find all the answers, I just need to focus on listening to You and doing the things that You’ve asked me to do today. Thank you that we are in this together. Give me the faith to keep pouring today. In Your name I pray, amen.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• How Big is God?

• We Plan, God Directs

•  Salvation Explained

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The post God Does the Heavy Lifting appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

My pastor was talking about trust and the vital importance of trusting God. He asked us, “What is under your standing? What are you basing your choices on? Do you believe that God is for you? Do you believe that His plans for you are good? Do you believe that God is going to show up?”

These are great questions. God is fully trustworthy. He has given us His whole heart. He’s all in.

Are you?

Am I?

Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks about trusting God with our whole heart and acknowledging God in all our ways. Trust is not a one-time decision; it’s part of our relationship with God that requires constant maintenance. Every situation, every decision, every thought is a choice to trust God or not.

Trust is absolutely vital to having a close relationship with God. Trust in God opens the door to all sorts of healthy spiritual practices. When I trust God I don’t second-guess the way He blesses others. Trust keeps me from doubting His goodness when I don’t understand His timing.

Father in Heaven, so often I catch myself falling back into old habits and trying to solve things my way, in my timing. Help me to come to You first. I believe that You love me and I know that Your plans for me are for my benefit – even when they don’t feel very good. Help me to walk in the reality of Your love today and trust as one who’s heart is turned toward You. In Your name I pray, amen.

Put your trust into practice today –  Track your doubts for a day. Really pay attention to your thoughts and practice trusting God. When fear or doubt creeps in stop that thought and pray. Ask God for His peace. Once you’ve counted your doubts for a day, see if you can make the next day’s number smaller.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• Hearing God’s Voice

• Stepping Into a Personal Revival

•  Salvation Explained

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The post Trusting God Takes Practice appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

You probably know that the word “confession” means, “agreeing with God”. When we confess our sins we don’t do it to tell God what we’ve done. He already knows that. We confess to say, “Yes God, I agree that that was wrong” and then we can repent. But what God showed me recently was that there are two things God and I need to agree on, not just one.

So often in confession I’ve listed out my sins and sat there in quiet guilt. The list is always so long. This time God spoke to me. “We agree about what you’ve done, Claire.” He said. “Now can we agree about who you are?”

There in that private moment He brought to mind verses that spoke of God’s love for me. He reminded me how I am fearfully and wonderfully made, how I am chosen and precious and planned for. I sat there quietly until I could agree with God about that too. I sat there resting in God’s truth.

It is so easy to see our own flaws and shortcomings. But when God sees us He doesn’t only see what we’ve done, He sees who we are. There are two sides to confession. Agree with God about what you have done and repent, but don’t miss the other side. Agree with God about who you are: loved and wanted and precious and worth dying for.

In that moment of vulnerability that always comes with confession, let God love you. Walk out into the world forgiven.

Father, Thank you that because of Jesus I do not stand condemned. Help me to be quick to confess and quick to remember Your promises. Help me to understand what it means to be forgiven and keep my eyes fixed on You. Amen.

The next time you go to God in confession, take some time to think about how much He loves you. Pay attention to the story you tell yourself about who you are.

Sometimes accepting who we truly are in God is one of the hardest things to do.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•   God Programs Seashells
•  What a Friend we have in Jesus
•  Salvation Explained

The post The Other Side of Confession appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  Romans 15:13

Emily Dickenson wrote, “hope is the thing with feathers”.  In her poem, hope perches in the soul, ready to take flight. What a beautiful picture of the attentiveness and expectation of hope!

I love the candle of hope. It’s a reminder that something wonderful is coming.

Jesus is on his way. He’s coming — to us and for us.

Hope, as we know, is a powerful thing. Hope grows into belief and with practice belief matures into faith. We go from an idea to action. We make choices founded on trust that the thing hoped for is really coming.

The best part is that our hope is already here. We’re not waiting in the dark for the Savior to come. He’s here today in this moment.

God with us. Emmanuel. He is the light that banishes every kind of darkness. Whatever hardship you’re carrying, rest in the peace of that hope today.

Father, Thank you for sending your Son to walk among us, to stand in our place and take our punishment, purify us from all sin, and bring us the hope of Heaven. Thank you for making a way for us to have a relationship with You. When the days are dark and the load is heavy, turn our eyes to you so that we can renew our hope, our strength and our joy in your great love for us. Amen.

If there is something specific that is weighing on your mind, bring it to God. If possible, light a candle to remind yourself that God’s perfect love casts out all fear.

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•   A Poem of Hope
•  Hope for the Hopeless
•  Salvation Explained

The post Hope’s Fruit appeared first on Thoughts About God.