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Breathe

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Monday Devotional – June 27 2022

Breathe

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! Psalms 150:6 NLT

Read: 

'God, the Lord , created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is he who says, “I, the Lord , have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons. ' Isaiah 42:5-7

Reflect: 

Happy Monday!? For many of us Monday carries a weight and a measure of anxiety not experienced any other day of the week. Monday for many of us is the end of the weekend, the beginning of the drudgery of a week of plodding through work. Work is the thing we have to do so we can do the things we need to do and then the things we want. Frankly I’m tired of it. Why cant Mondays feel like Friday? Why should one day feel so ominous? It shouldnt.

A perspective shift is required. If we worship, if we are using our breath to praise the Lord, then the day of the week doesnt matter. Secondly Isaiah 42:5 – 7 establishes purpose. God gave me breath and purposed me to use it to show His love and righteousness to the nations. We cannot do that if we embrace the cultural norm to dread Mondays. Instead Monday is another opportunity to walk out purpose and be a light in the spaces you occupy.

So lets slow down a moment. Inhale deeply, remind ourselves of what privilege it is to be able to fill our lungs with air. Exhale, release the anxiety and the fear. Again –  Inhale you are still here. Exhale, release your worship to the One who deserves it all.

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt:

What makes me so anxious about Mondays?

What can I do to remind myself to breathe intentionally?

How can God use me this week to demonstrate His love peace and grace this week? 

Pray: 

Lord, I pray today that I will heed your word and praise you in spite of how I feel.

Affirmation:

I will use my breath to worship. I will see my daily activities as an opportunity to be a light to others and to showcase the love and power of Jesus.

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

Replaced by Rocks

Christianity Devotional Life 2 Comments

Monday Devotional – June 6 2022

Replaced by Rocks

‘Jesus responded, “Listen to me. If my followers were silenced, the very stones would break forth with praises!”’ Luke 19:40

Read: 

'With my whole heart, with my whole life, and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God! Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you’ve done for me? You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease. You’ve rescued me from hell and saved my life. You’ve crowned me with love and mercy. You satisfy my every desire with good things. You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again like a flying eagle in the sky! You’re a God who makes things right, giving justice to the defenseless.' Psalms 103:1-6
https://www.bible.com/en-GB/verse-of-the-day/PSA.103.1/13901?version=1849

Reflect: 

In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem to a celebratory crowd. With disgust, the Pharisees asked Jesus to stop them from worship. Jesus responded with the popular bible quote “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” This week I want us to reflect on this thought “Are we being replaced by rocks?” Am I giving God my best worship? I am challenged and stirred by these thoughts.

In the post “God in your mundane” I reflected on how God longs to be removed from our cute little box on the shelf to being involved in all aspects of our lives. In the busyness of life, (as my friend would jokingly say,  “when life be life-ing”) is my perspective: “this is worship!”? Do I pause to reflect on God’s goodness and love and then allow that to spring forth a beautiful posture of gratitude? Am I walking through “Complain Commons” instead of Worship Woods? 

The response to these questions are quite personal. Allow the Holy Spirit to stir your heart to repent. Let’s face it, we all can do more. But what is the “more” God requires of you this week?

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt: 

Am I giving God my best worship?

Are rocks worshipping in my place?

Pray: 

Soul… Bless the Lord! May everything in me, bless God! He has done so much for me. Jesus, help me to never skimp on my praise. Let me see every moment as an opportunity to worship. I pray that my life becomes a consistent worship session with you. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen

Affirmation:

I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise will continually be in my mouth. Rocks will have no need to cry out in my place.

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

Stepping into the Four O

Christianity Life 1 Comment

On the first of May, I crossed the daunting threshold of 40.  If you know me, you know I love my birthdays. Growing up, my mother made sure we felt celebrated on our day. It didn’t matter whether she had money. A cupcake, a tub of icecream and plenty love always made the day special. Gifts were extra.

But in the weeks preceding this milestone year, there wasn’t the usual countdown or excitement. To be transparent, I got sucked into the ingratitude rabbit hole when I started to think about all the things I thought I would have by now. I actually contemplated not celebrating because I couldn’t do it as big and luxurious as I hoped at “this age”. The root of that depression or funk was comparison. The Word and a couple friends slapped me straight.

The truth is, God has been convicting me about my definition of winning. His expectation is that we run the race set before us, not the one set for the next person. I grew up with the expectation that life would be a straight line; go to school, get a job, get married, buy a house and live happily ever after. Adulthood shakes that perception on the surface really quickly. And for me the events of December 2015 threw my life in such a tailspin, I still sometimes feel unbalanced by it. Deep inside, I long to get back on track to check off a list.

The question reverberating in my spirit is what if God’s plan is totally different from my own. I have been trying to unlearn my traditional views about what a successful life looks like. I remember countless prophesies that declare how much purpose has been tucked inside of me, waiting for revelation. A recent sermon series has me reflecting on Joseph. God foretold his purpose in a dream as a child and gave no clues about how it would come to be. Reading his story in a few chapters, if we don’t look deep enough, hides the fact that Joseph was 17 when he first dreamt of leadership. He was presumably almost 40 when his dream comes to pass. Between then, most of us know the story; betrayal, slavery, false imprisonment and forgotten – so not a straight line.

Yet God in His Omniscience is able to weave every part of Joseph’s story, mine and yours into a purpose filled tail of redemption, healing and victory. My goal is to be able to declare like Paul “Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord! To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness.” Philippians 3:7‭-‬8 TP

In the meantime, I’m enjoying a perspective shift and embracing of a new freedom. My race is my own. I am my only competition and God truly is the Author and Finisher of my faith. What He started in me, He will finish. The path may be riddled with stuff I don’t like, painful, excruciating even but I don’t have to worry. God is fully in control.

Write Fully Yours

Lady Kavan

The Power of Belief

Christianity Devotional Life

Monday Devotional – May 8 2022

The Power of Belief

‘Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. ‘ Hebrews 11:1

Read: 

' One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”  The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” ' Mark 9:17-18,20,22-24

Reflect:

What stops us from believing that the God who created all things is able to give us abundantly above what our imaginations can fathom. It seems illogical that as believers we struggle to believe in the God who we have committed our lives to. Yet it happens quite often. This week I believe God is asking us to examine the reason behind our unbelief. If we deal with that root, the tree of unbelief will not bear fruit in our lives.

In the Mark 9 story, the father had been struggling with his son since he was a child. Years of waiting, disappointment, fear that this time the enemy might win, has likely poked holes in his belief cup. His faith cup leaked badly. He likely mustered enough belief to find Jesus and the disciples after hearing of the wonderful miracles but by the time the disciples were struggling to give him the miracle his belief cup leaked empty again.

I get it. It is hard (gross understatement), to believe after disappointment. It is a struggle to hold on to hope when what we see, the pattern, the hard evidence, the status quo says one thing but we hear the gentle whisper of the holy spirit telling us we should believe something different. I get it, I am there in some aspects of my life. Todays devotional is possibly more for me than it is for you.

God says go back, sit quietly and let me bring to your mind the disappointment that stole your hope. Let me shift your perspective so you can believe again.

I love it when the father says “I believe but” Jesus did not rebut with chiding. He simply gave him the miracle he needed. 

The truth is God will disappoint our best laid plans but He will always accomplish His purpose. What He says He will do in His time, not ours. 

Lets make that our prayer this week. “Help my unbelief”

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt: 

What disappointment has stolen my belief?

Pray:

Lord Help my unbelief. Align my thoughts and expectations with purpose. Help me pray with genuineness of heart: Lord I want this for my life but not my will let Yours be accomplished.

Affirmation:

I believe what God says. I am the recipient of abundant life; more than my imagination can fathom. All that God has for me I will receive, in Jesus name

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

Behind Locked Doors

Christianity Devotional Life
brown padlock on wall

Mid-week Devotional – April 27, 2022

Behind Locked Doors

“Peace be with you,” John 20:19

Read: 

'One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” ' John 20:24-29

Reflect:

Today’s reading is a snapshot of a bigger story. To add context, Jesus, the one for whom the disciples left their families and livelihoods to follow for three (3) years, was gone. Jesus was their hope to overthrow Roman rule but he died by crucifixion in a very public way. They were certain (because they had physically seen it) that he was dead. They were terrified that they were next so they locked themselves in a room in fear. 

Jesus finds them there. He presents Himself to His disciples so that they could see Him in His new resurrected form. They needed a fresh revelation of Him in order to fulfill their purpose. For whatever reason Thomas was not there and when the others told him of the miracle they witnessed he was unable to process this new information. So he declared that “ “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

We beat up on Thomas all the time. But I’m not sure many of us would think or feel differently if we were in Thomas’ position. So what’s the lesson here? Two things come to mind.

First, in Thomas’ doubt he did not forsake his friends or the path he had chosen. Thomas in the midst of his grief could have given up and walked away. Perhaps he could have gone back to the family he left behind. Instead he stayed even in his doubt and petitioned God to show him the evidence.

The next thing that stands out is that when Jesus appears to them the second time, he greets them “peace be unto you” then he addresses Thomas’ concern, not with chastisement but with gentleness. Doesn’t it give you great peace to know God is interested in answering our questions or at the very least speaking peace to the tumults in our hearts caused by unanswered questions? I know it does for me.

Peace be with you

Behind Locked Doors…

Today, behind locked doors, you may have doubts of your own. There are questions that invade your thoughts and disturb your rest. These questions may cause you to doubt whether you belong to Christ or not. I want to reassure you. You are not disqualified from His presence. God is not afraid of nor is He intimidated by your questions. He provides an open invitation to bring your doubt to Him.

Scripture actually says: ‘If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking ‘ James 1:5. Another translation of the same verse puts it beautifully; ‘And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace. ‘ James (Jacob) 1:5

So I encourage you to present your doubts to God, ask Him the tough questions and be open to receiving an answer. He will replace your doubt with wisdom. He promised He would and He cannot lie.

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt: 

What doubt have you locked behind the doors of your heart?

Pray:

Peace Maker, God who sees me. I present my box of doubts to you. You have seen the mess in my mind. You have seen my struggle to see beyond this cloud of doubt. Release me into wisdom. You said I should ask. So here I am Lord, asking you to show me the way through. In Jesus name. AMEN 

Affirmation:

I will not be afraid to cast my doubts before God. He promised to give wisdom and I will receive it.

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

In Light of the Resurrection

Christianity Devotional

Monday Devotional – April 18, 2022

In Light of the Resurrection

‘Yes, God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in you, he will also raise your dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into you!’ Romans 8:11

https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/rom.8.11/1890

Read: 

'For God achieved what the law was unable to accomplish, because the law was limited by the weakness of human nature. Yet God sent us his Son in human form to identify with human weakness. Clothed with humanity, God’s Son gave his body to be the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin. So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit! Now Christ lives his life in you! And even though your body may be dead because of the effects of sin, his life-giving Spirit imparts life to you because you are fully accepted by God. Yes, God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in you, he will also raise your dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into you! So then, beloved ones, the flesh has no claims on us at all, and we have no further obligation to live in obedience to it. For when you live controlled by the flesh, you are about to die. But if the life of the Spirit puts to death the corrupt ways of the flesh, we then taste his abundant life.' Romans 8:3-4,10-13

Reflect:

In John 11:25, Jesus declares to Martha that He is the Resurrection and Life Eternal. Today we reflect on living  in light of the resurrection (the event) and Resurrection ( the person).  On the first day of the week, the scripture says Jesus walked back from what we previously perceived as the uncrossable barrier and translated from death to life. The magnitude of that miracle should never become common or so familiar that we take it for granted. What power, what divinity, what measure of awesomeness must it have taken to accomplish this?  I dont think we can fathom it. 

Pause now to imagine: the same Spirit who accomplished that feat lives in you and me. Our temporal temples are hosts to Resurrection. With Him in our vessels what then is impossible? Nothing. What dream is too big? None. Which problem is unsolvable? None. How can sickness be unhealable? It is not. What sin can defeat us? None at all.

Yet many of us live defeated because we have not renewed our mind and re-trained our thoughts to live in light of the resurrection. Today, let’s repent from small minded thinking. Let us repent of boxing God in with our puny expectations. Why? Because Resurrection changes everything and we should live in that hope

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt: 

How will I live my life this week in light of the resurrection?

Pray:

Mighty God, Resurrection and Life, I honor Your Presence in my mortal body. I remain grateful that You would clothe Yourself in humanity to identify with us. I repent today of thinking so small, forgetting that the Author of the universe lives in me. Holy Spirit help my unbelief and help me retrain my thoughts and renew my mind. Nothing is impossible in Jesus name. 

Affirmation:

I am host to Resurrection. The same Spirit that rose Christ from the dead lives in me.

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

I am crucified with Christ

Christianity Devotional

Monday Devotional – April 11, 2022

I am crucified

‘Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ‘ Galatians 5:24

Read: 

'But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.' Galatians 2:17-21

Reflect:

It’s Holy Week! I know Christmas gets most of the pomp and pageantry but this is the week we get to reflect on what Christ did for us. A brief recap? He came to earth, taught us the Fathers heart and expectation for how we should live. Then He sacrificed Himself, dying in a most gruesome way on a cross (crucified). His innocent blood shed  willingly, paid for the sin of humanity once and for all. Hallelujah, thank You Jesus. 

So what then does Paul mean when he declares “I have been crucified with Christ” in Gal 2:20? Well He explains in chapter 5:24. ‘Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. There is an element of choice here.

Christ died, our sins are paid for but it is my choice to accept the gift. It is also my choice to kill the passions and desires I have that are sinful. The good news is we don’t and can’t do this alone.

What does that look like practically?

  1. We pray for God’s help. ‘If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ‘James 1:5 
  2.  We renew our mind daily. ‘Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.’ Romans 12:2
  3. We make choices that reflect our decision to follow Christ. “… then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” Joshua 24:15

There is a super (beyond) natural element to walking in faith. When we accept Jesus He immediately makes us new. We spend the rest of our lives learning how to walk in that newness. The awesome news is Jesus walks with us as Emmanuel, the Holy Spirit stays within us as Comforter, Teacher and Guide. Don’t be fooled into thinking we can crucify our sin nature alone or by following a formula or rules. We nurture our relationship with Christ and allow our actions to flow out of that love relationship. Anything else is burdensome, ritualistic and empty religion. I beg of you don’t take His grace written plainly in blood for granted.

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt: 

  • What desire, sin or issue do I need to crucify this week?
  • Which Scripture should I store in our hearts to do that?
  • How can I choose differently to prevent myself from going down the wrong path?

Pray:

Jesus, I pause to thank You for Your sacrifice. Your gift enables me to live free of my sinful nature. This week I commit my tendency to ________________. Forgive me Lord. Help me to do better. Show me what strategies I can use to help me overcome. In Jesus name

Affirmation:

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

Living Water

Christianity

Monday Devotional – April 4, 2022

Living Water

‘but if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never be thirsty again.  John 4:14

Read: 

6 - 8 ' Wearied by his long journey, he sat on the edge of Jacob’s well, and sent his disciples into the village to buy food, for it was already afternoon. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 9 She replied, “Why would a Jewish man ask a Samaritan woman for a drink of water?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew who I am and the gift that God wants to give you, you’d ask me for a drink, and I would give you living water.” 11 The woman replied, “But sir, you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is very deep. So where do you find this ‘living water’? 12 Do you really think that you are greater than our ancestor Jacob who dug this well and drank from it himself, along with his children and livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “If you drink from Jacob’s well, you’ll be thirsty again, 14 but if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never be thirsty again. For when you drink the water I give you, it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit , flooding you with endless life!” ' John 4:6-14

Reflect:

Our devotion today comes from the popular interaction between Jesus and the woman at the well. Depending on your interaction with this story we can associate it with God’s ability to cleanse us from sexual sin, or maybe the prophetic power of God in a moment to speak to our deepest issues. Perhaps this story reminds you of God’s ability to cross religious barriers and get to the heart of the matter and heal not just physical scars but emotional ones. Indeed it is all of the above. However, today we focus on Living Water.

The phrase appears more than 8 times throughout Scripture. In Jeremiah 2: 13 & 17:13 God refers to Himself as the “fountain of living waters”.  So when Jesus declares to this nameless woman and  to us that “If you only knew who I am and the gift that God wants to give you, you’d ask me for a drink, and I would give you living water”, He referred to Himself. 

Do we truly have a revelation of who Jesus is, not out of religion but relationship? The Samaritan woman knew religion; she did not recognize Him at the moment because she lacked a relationship with the God she served.  Do we know the God who wants to give us Himself? In Jn 7:39 we learn that Living Water is the Holy Spirit. What a gift!! Through the Holy Spirit God gives us Himself within our hearts, washing us clean, making us new, empowering us to function in all the gifts, purposes and plans He has ordained for our lives. 

Do you want this precious gift that transforms our lives from inside out? Then believe! You have heard the testimony of many who experienced Him. I bet if you examine your own life you will see the evidence of how He has helped you, rescued you and been there for you. So place your trust in the One who is able to do abundantly more than you can ask or imagine because of His power within us. Ephesians 3:20

Today God’s invitation to us is simple: 

“All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink! Believe in me so that rivers of living water will burst out from within you, flowing from your innermost being, just like the Scripture says!” ‘ John 7:37-38

Song of the Week:

Journal Prompt:

In what area of your life are you struggling to believe God can fix?

Ask God to help your unbelief

Pray: 

Holy Spirit I thank You for You. Your presence is the most precious gift to us. Jesus died so that You can live in us as living temples. I am grateful for You. Continue to fill me with more and more of Yourself. Teach me to live a life of surrender to You.

Affirmation: 

I will believe in Living Water. His transformation power in my life will cause an outflow of Living water from heart.

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

The Lord is close

Christianity 1 Comment

Monday Devotional – March 21, 2022

God is close

‘The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain…”

Psalms 34:18

Read: 

2. 'Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. 8.  “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?” 10.  Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord . 12 - 17 As she was praying to the Lord , Eli watched her. Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord . Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” ' 1 Samuel 1:2,8,10,12-17

Reflect:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted” – that scripture has brought me comfort in many difficult moments. But as I reflected this time, I asked the Lord why He chooses to be close to the brokenhearted. Why did You ensure that this specific scripture was written? His response was one word: LOVE. 

Romans 8:38 reminds us that ‘there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. ‘

Yet so often when we are broken, depressed or drowning in sorrow our ability to sense love and the joys thereof diminishes. It is difficult to see anything beyond the pain. That is why He gets close. He chooses nearness so that we can sense His Presence. 

 I recently had to hold one of my sons close as he expressed his brokenness about losing his father. My job, at that moment, was to remind him by my presence that he was not alone. My touch was meant to communicate how deeply loved he is because love communicates safety and provides a space to heal. As I held him, tears streaming down his face and mine, whispering words of comfort I thought about the many times I felt the Holy Spirit do that for me. He cocoons me in a peace beyond human comprehension.

In times of turmoil and immense heartache, when we are broken and unsure if the pieces of our hearts are recoverable, God is close. It is hard to fathom, but it is true.

Today, if that is you, sit still enough to sense His presence, He longs to hold you and remind you that ‘He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.’ Psalms 147:3. Allow Him to heal yours. In the story we read Hannah brought her sorrow straight to the Presence of God. He granted her peace.

Song of the Week:

I found You in the middle of my mess
You had been there all along
Open arms and open heart,
You called me in
You didn’t hesitate at all

Prophesy Your Promise – Bryan and Katie Torwalt

Journal Prompt:

Share with God how you truly feel and then sit still and listen. Write what you hear.

Pray: 

Comforter and Friend, we need You today. Bring comfort to those who mourn. Bring healing to every place in our hearts that is broken and blocked by pain. Help us to remain aware of Your Presence. In Jesus name. AMEN

Affirmation: 

I am loved by God who chooses to be near

—————

Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog 

You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books

“I am seen” is a devotional about El Roi the God who sees me. A personal name for God who promises hope and a future

I am not crushed

Christianity Devotional Life

Monday Devotional – March 14, 2022

I AM NOT CRUSHED

Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. 2 Corinthians 4:8 TPT

Read: 

'We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that this immeasurable power will be seen as God’s, not ours. Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out. We have the same Spirit of faith that is described in the Scriptures when it says, “First I believed, then I spoke in faith.” So we also first believe then speak in faith. We do this because we are convinced that he who raised Jesus will raise us up with him, and together we will all be brought into his presence. Yes, all things work for your enrichment so that more of God’s marvelous grace will spread to more and more people, resulting in an even greater increase of praise to God, bringing him even more glory!' 2 Corinthians 4:7-9,13-15

Reflect:

As sure as the seasons change in the natural realm, so is our assurance that seasons in our life change as well. For a long time, I somehow dissociated struggle or hardship seasons in life from Christianity. I didn’t recognize scriptures like the one we just read as relevant as is.  Paul noted we experience every kind of pressure. Every kind of pressure? Yes we experience mental, emotional, financial, sexual, relational, too personal to be verbalized kind of pressure. Yet  Paul declares I am not crushed.

Why? Why could he make such a bold pronouncement even as he suffered. Let’s re-read verse 7. There is a glorious treasure within our frail earthen vessels. It is an immeasurable power belonging to God. That is the reason we face immense pressure but remain intact. It is not about the pressure or about us, rather it is the power of God in us that makes it happen.

There is something freeing as well about knowing that Paul, experiences the pressure, just as we do. The Miriam Webster dictionary defines experience as  something personally encountered, undergone, or lived through. In other words, he felt the pressure, lived through it and I can guess felt all the human emotion associated with the experience. However I am excited that there is a “but”. Having the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead within us means that no pressure has the power to permanently defeat us. We are more than conquerors.

like diamonds…

I will remind you of a popular metaphor. Carbon becomes diamond under immense pressure over time. Our character under pressure becomes like diamonds over time, with the Holy Spirit guiding our responses, teaching us coping mechanisms and pointing us in the right direction. 

Today as we think about the “every kind of pressure” threatening our sanity and our joy, remember the more important truth that Christ in us means that we have the power to endure and to declare “I am not crushed”

Song of the Week:

Cross Worship | Same God ft. Jillian Ellis & D’Marcus Howard (Official Music Video)

Same God by Cross Worship

Journal Prompt:

  1. What will you approach differently in your life, knowing you are seen?
  2. How does knowing you have a part in God’s big picture help you to live fully  today?

Pray: 

My God, All Powerful One, Creator of all.  You never give more than I can withstand because Your power within me makes it so. Where I feel at my breaking point Lord give me wisdom, guide my response, teach me coping mechanisms and or point me in the direction of the help I need. I thank You Lord that You already know what I need and are making it happen in Jesus name!

Affirmation:

I may be under pressure but I am not crushed. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in me. Therefore nothing has the power to defeat me.

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Have a great week!

See you next week for another Mocha Monday – a weekly Monday Devotional by Lady Kavan.

To read more from Lady Kavan, check out her blog You can find Lady Kavan on Amazon. Follow this link for an overview of her available books