FEELING HOPEFUL

There are a couple of issues I've been dealing with for so long I've pretty much given up on seeing change this side of Heaven, and have resigned myself to accepting. One of them is my aching, hunched over back.

The Lord, however, is using my jade plant to remind me that nothing is impossible with Him.

My jade plant had outgrown the pot it was in, and its woody stem that had grown as thick as a tree trunk, was bent over and rigid (like my back) all because I had not been consistent about turning the pot around to face the sun. 

The plant was leaning against the window for support, and was so heavy it could no longer be turned without having the pot tip over.

With a friend's help, we repotted it into a much larger pot, but we couldn't straighten it enough to keep it from tipping over. We secured it to several bamboo stakes to try and provide enough support to keep it from toppling over and turned the bent part towards the sun, hoping that would cause it to straighten. 

Because of how thick and inflexible looking that stem had become, I honestly didn't expect that to happen--any more than I expected my back to straighten. In my eyes, neglect had caused damage beyond repair to both it and me.

Much to my great surprise, however, only ten days later, I'm noticing that that thick trunk is slowly starting to bend the other way. 

That gives me hope that possibly, if I am consistent in my efforts, my back too could show signs of straightening? I know God is patient and longsuffering and that He never gives up on us, but is this too much to ask or expect?

The devotional I read during my quiet time this morning was full of hopeful and encouraging words that seemed very timely and relevant to my issue, as well as contain an answer to my question.

The gist of the message was that unbelief looks at the past and says it can't be done (my thoughts about the damage I've done to my back),  but faith looks at the future and says it can.

God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and if we take God at His word, that means we can wake up every morning to a brand new world and live unhindered by the past.

It ended with an exhortation to replace thoughts of yesterday's mistakes with Scriptural promises about the future, and instead of telling myself I can't, replace that with I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

A LESSON AND A WARNING

I think there's a lesson and a warning here. I know there is!

My favorite sweet treat, after I gave up chocolate, was a candy known as Maple Nut Goodies, made by the candy company Brach. 

And then, one day, the unthinkable happened. It was no longer anywhere to be found. A Google search revealed the company had been sold to a new manufacturer who kept the Brach brand name, but  discontinued this particular item.

Fast forward to Easter 2026--several years later--when my daughter surprised me with a giant bag of them she had found on a visit to Cracker Barrel. I was so excited I couldn't wait to get home and open up the bag. 

When I did, I noticed the candy didn't look quite the same as it used to, and when I tasted it, it was okayish, but nothing like it used to taste either. Even the picture on the front of the bag, on closer inspection, wasn't quite the same. 

That's when I noticed that it wasn't the real thing. It had not been manufactured by Brach, but by a different company.

Whereas it started out as a disappointment because of the noticeable difference in taste, I kept going back to the bag for more, and each time I did so, the difference started to fade, until gradually I wasn't noticing it at all, and was quite enjoying my treat.

Not that there's anything wrong about enjoying a sweet treat, but the realization of how quickly my taste buds had dulled, made me think of the many warnings in Scripture to stay vigilant in these last days lest we be distracted, deceived, and spiritually blinded as our eyes become more and more fixed on the pleasures and cares of this world instead of the things of God. Always busy, always entertained, but seldom watching and praying or aware of the evil rising around us, until it is too late. (Luke 21:34, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 1 Peter 5:8, Matthew 24:37). 

Reminds me of the story of the frog dropped into a pot of water that would have immediately hopped out if the water was hot. If the water was cool, however, and only slowly heated, the frog would not notice the gradual change in temperature until it is too late and it gets boiled to death.

----------------------------------------------------------

In those days before the flood, the people were

enjoying banquets and parties and weddings

right up to the time Noah entered his boat.

People didn't realize what was going to

happen until the flood came and swept them

all away. That is the way t will be when the

Son of Man comes.  (Matthew 24:37-39, NLT)

IT HAPPENED AGAIN!

Why do I keep making assumptions and judging people and situations, no matter how often and how dramatically the Lord reveals to me how wrong I am? 

Recently, it was in such a convicting way, I felt wrecked by remorse at the thoughts of condemnation I had been harboring about a friend and playing over and over in my mind. 

Not only did He open my eyes to how off base my thoughts had been, but He also reminded me that even if I had been right--which I had not-- it was none of my business anyway. It was between Him and her. 

I know that I know that I know that things are not always what they seem, and that only the Lord sees the whole picture and knows what is in a person's heart.  I also know that the enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy, and that he is a master of pushing our buttons to get us to believe his lies.  And yet, I did it again. I made three faulty assumptions in one day. Albeit, this time, without letting them disturb my peace of mind.

That, at least, is progress in the right direction.

ACCEPTANCE

God grant me the serenity to accept the things

I cannot change, courage to change the things

I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

(Reinhold Niebuhr)

A conversation with a friend last night led to a couple more timely reminders, such as Reinhold Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer, and the well-known passage on acceptance in AA's Big Book that I have added to the end of this post.

The wording is a little different than the reminders I wrote about in my previous post, but the message is the same. God is in control, and I need to trust Him instead of trying to do things my way. And I am trying, really I am, to let go and abandon myself to what He is doing in my life instead of trying to get Him to bless my attempts to make things happen the way I think they should.

My perspective is so limited. Only He sees the whole picture and knows the end from the beginning, which puts Him in a far better position than I am to know what really is best.

                Acceptance is the answer to ALL of my 

                problems today. When I am disturbed,

                it is because I find some person, place,

                thing, or situation--some fact of  my life--

                unacceptable to me, and I can find no

                serenity until I accept that person, place,

                thing, or situation as being exactly the

                way it is supposed to be at this moment.

                Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in

                God's world by mistake.

                (The Big Book, p. 417)

TIMELY REMINDERS

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though

I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in

darkness, the LORD will be my light.

(Micah 7:8, NIV)

Just the other day I was shedding tears while sharing the frustration I was feeling over an ongoing financial trial with a friend and asking her why God was not providing a way out of it as He had always been faithful to do in the past.

She had no answers, but the next day and the day after, some timely reminders (and answers to my question) popped out at me from the pages of a couple of devotionals I had been reading during my early morning quiet time with the Lord.

I'm jotting them down here to help etch them a little more firmly in my mind, but also in hopes they will encourage someone else as well who might be feeling as dejected as I had been the day of my friend's visit.

1.   Whatever you allow to captivate your mind will rule your life. Will it be the truths in God's Word, or the lies of Satan?

2.   Resist the devil and refuse to surrender to the circumstantial pressure he brings your way.

3.   God's ability is not limited by your inability.

4.   Though trials are not pleasant, and we may not be able to understand the why, we can trust that God is in control and thank Him for the good things we anticipate He will bring about, in His perfect time, through this unpleasant bit of life.

5.   Instead of trying to get God to do this or that, try to adjust to what He is already doing, and give yourself fully to the adventure of each day.

6.   Rather than try to maintain control over your life, abandon yourself to God's will, knowing that Jesus is walking right beside you.

7.   Jesus is your Shepherd, and He is taking care of you, so you don't have to be afraid of anything.

And last, but not least, some words of wisdom from Dennis J. DeHaan:

        Once we stop our own devising,

        Quit the schemes of our own choosing,

        Cease from all our fruitless striving,

        God steps in with grace and power!

LEARNING TO LET GO

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be

constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12, ESV)

That was a very timely verse in a very timely post I recently read on my blog friend Lucinalva's blog. She was writing about how this world is a very stressful place, and how essential it is to learn (from the example set by Jesus) how to maintain balance and respond correctly in the face of challenges.

 Patience is definitely not my forté--especially when things are not going my way--and in the days prior to reading Lucinalva's post, my little world had been very stressful indeed. Technical issues that took hours to resolve, a leak from a busted hot water heater in the utility room, being lied to by someone who thought they had put one over on me, being told I was wrong when I was right by an obstinate handyman who I am dependent on to get things fixed in my apartment, and trying to get past robots who answer the phone and make it just about impossible to get through to a live person. The way I screamed at the robot in my frustration was definitely not what Jesus would do.

I was feeling really traumatized by my lack of control over the many things not going my way, not being able to get people (or robots) do what I wanted them to, and making a lot of assumptions that more often than not turn out to be wrong. 

There is a two-word remedy, which I am trying to remember to apply--LET GO! 

When I focus on the present, remind myself that God is in control and working things out according to His perfect plan, and trust the outcome to Him, He fills my heart with His peace that surpasses understanding even if things don't look as though they are heading the way I think they should. 

Peace feels so much better than being right or having my own way, but I can't have it unless I let go.

CALM AFTER THE STORM

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests

and challenges come at you from all sides.

You know that under pressure, your faith-

life is forced into the open and shows its

true colors. So don't try to get out of any-

thing prematurely. Let it do its work so

you become mature and well-developed,

not deficient in any way.

(James 1:2-4, The Message)

A very timely verse in one of my devotionals this morning.

Despite reading/listening to Unoffendable by Brant Hansen multiple times and believing I had finally mastered the message, I had not.

The last couple of days I had been struggling with anger. No, it was more than that. It was rage triggered by two deceitful people who managed to push all my buttons I didn't think were left to push. And then as the intensity of feelings escalated beyond boiling point, I realized there was much more behind it than the incidents that had sparked it. It was like a dam had broken deep beneath the surface and my mind was being flooded by intense feelings that had been repressed for too long. Scary insight for someone who thought they no longer had any anger towards anyone, and had forgiven and let go of all wrongs from the past.

I prayed, but my prayers did not calm me, and I was unable to stay focused on the project I had been working on, so I turned to some mindless paperwork and something I could listen to while doing it. Maybe some praise and worship music.

The first thing that came up when I went to YouTube was this livestream of a service at First Baptist Atlanta. It started with praise and worship, but what finally managed to calm me was Dr. Anthony George's message--"Our Plans in God's Hands."

 

It came with words that felt were being spoken right to me--RELEASE THEM TO GOD!--near the end of the message, when Pastor George was talking about how we can't control people, circumstances, or Satan. 

He mentioned a book that had recently caught his eye, which he purchased and read, called "Let Them" by Mel Robbins (which I have just ordered from the library, and am number 257 in queue).  "Let them" referring to the fact that we can't control what other people do, or their attitudes or mindsets.  We need to release them to God, and let them sow their seeds and reap their crops.

I went to bed feeling great peace that night, but when I woke up the next morning, instead of my usual first thoughts of the day which tend to be, "Thank you, God, for the gift of this new day and for watching over me and protecting me while I slept," the very first thought was of one of the people who had enraged me the most, and the incident that provoked it. 

My remorse was profound, but God in His infinite mercy and grace, instead of rebuking me, reminded me of Matthew 5:44-45 and Romans 12:14, and laid it on my heart to pray for the person, which I did. 

At first it was really hard, because we were in a power struggle over an issue that I had the right to but he was defying, and there was no way I could force him to do what I wanted him to do. But as I kept praying and purposing to trust God and relinquish my need to be right and desire to be in control and have my own way, my heart softened towards him, I gradually began seeing things from a different perspective, and there was true calm when I finallly reached the place where I could no longer see why I had been so angry with him in the first place.

DON'T LOOK AT THE STORM

But when he saw the strong wind and

the waves, he was terrified and began

to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and

grabbed him. "You have so little faith,"

Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"

(Matthew 14:30-31)

Over the last several weeks I've been trying to live the life Brant Hansen writes about in his books Unoffendable, and Life is Hard. God is Good. Let's Dance. I've been trying to relax and stay focused on the present, trusting that God is sovereign and in control, and acknowledging that the future is His department--not mine.

It has been a much more relaxing way to live, but when things look particularly hopeless, it's been hard not to project and fall into old patterns of imposing limitations on myself and thinking I have to do this or I have to do that. Maybe I don't.

Thankfully, the Lord does not allow me to flounder for long. He has been so patient and longsufferng, sending me encouragement in unexpected ways when I need it the most. A verse in my Bible, a text from a friend, a blog post--even a license plate. Today it was through one of my devotionals that I opened up to a large, bold print heading--Don't Look At The Storm.

A BETTER WORD

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart

so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will

praise him again--my Savior and my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will

remember you...  each day the LORD

pours his unfailing love upon me... Why

am I discouraged? Why is my heart so

sad? I will praise him again--my Savior

and my God! (Psalm 42:5-11, NLT)

The word I picked out for the new year was "Balance." 

My church begins each year with 21 days of prayer and fasting, and after a very stressful and overwhelming 2025, I was looking forward to kicking off 2026 with a peaceful time of prayer and devotions that would set the tone for the days to come. This is not, however, the way it played out.

Right from the get-go, I was bombarded by unexpected frustrations and disappointments at things that didn't turn out as I had hoped they would. Instead of peace and balance, I felt rattled and thrown off course. 

I wrote a post about it on my other blog (Thanking God for Being so Patient and Longsuffering), so no need to go into it again here, except to say that the Lord, in His infinite mercy and grace, used those days of stress and turmoil to reveal some better words for me to focus on such as patience, trust, and unoffendability, all of which can lead to the peace and balance I so desire. 

I love what Mary, from Visits With Mary shared on her blog about how she had been humming the old Frank Sinatra song, "I did it my way," when she heard the  Lord put the words in her heart, "You should've been doing it MY way--blessings would have been more abundant." 

God used those words to remind me that His ways are not my ways, nor His thoughts my thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). All the frustrations and fears that had rattled me were just tests. They would not have been able to affect me the way they did had I been resting in Him and trusting in His sovereign plan instead of focusing on my own expectations. 

"Don't project," I felt Him speaking to my heart, "I know the end from the beginning, and am in total control."

A FORGOTTEN PRAYER

As I sat down in my little prayer corner to do my daily devotions, I spotted a folded paper that had mysteriously appeared on top of my journal. Curious to know what it was, I unfolded it and found a three-page prayer a friend had e-mailed me for my birthday back in 2014 (almost 12 years ago).

How it got there I do not know, but the timing was perfect. More perfect than on the day she sent it to me so long ago. 

Among other things, it contained a link to a song sung by Israel Houghton.  It was a song that led hope to arise even though things were looking pretty bleak and hopeless in the natural.

 

My daily devotional offered further encouragement and confirmation of my friend's long forgotten prayer.

It started out with a question that described my feelings to a T: "Perhaps today you feel less than holy, worthy, or useful...but God can transform what is lowly to be of great use to Him, if only you are willing."  Followed by a reminder that despite my age, I am still a valuable work of God in progress, designed to become stronger in faith and in wisdom so I can become the blessing to others He intended me to be. 

I am willing, and as I stand on the cusp of this new year, I do so with faith and hope. I choose to let the old year rest, and look forward with great expectancy to what the Lord is about to do in 2026.