God

Don’t Drink the Transmission Fluid

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Vincent Van Gogh, Tree Roots, July 1890. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

Our little tree never stood a chance. The other trees in our neighborhood flourished, grew, thrived. The crab apples flowered in spring, beautiful and vibrant. These trees were well rooted in good soil with plenty of water.

Our tree was planted in the same soil. It got the same water. I believe – the plot our neighborhood was built on having once been an auto salvage yard – our tree’s root system tapped into the transmission of a 1962 Ford F100 pickup truck buried deep beneath our front lawn.

I’m pretty sure 62-year-old transmission fluid would have an adverse (poisonous) effect on the nourishment and health of a tree. Trees weren’t created to get nourishment from refined petroleum products. They need to take root in good soil with the right amount of good water.

In the same way, we need to be rooted in Christ. It is through the indwelling Holy Spirit we receive strength through Jesus and His love to live our lives as God wants.

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. – Colossians 2:6-10 (ESV)

In Jesus – and Him alone – we find our strength. But we have to walk in Him to truly experience His peace, grace, mercy, love…

How do we walk in Jesus? Here are some thoughts:

  1. Fix your faith in God through Jesus Christ. Trust in the Lord fully. Completely. 100%. Even when it makes no sense. Trust in God. Rest in Him. Let Christ be your solid foundation.
  2. Fix your priorities on Him. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV). “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11, ESV). Pray. Constantly and consistently. Read – study – the Bible. Let God speak to you through His Word and prayer. Be open to the Lord. Listen and follow His leading.
  3. Fix your eyes on Christ. Remember Peter walking on the stormy waters to reach Jesus. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was fine. But when he turned his attention to the storm raging around him, he started to sink. He called out to the Lord Who saved him. Immediately. Even when the circumstances look dire, don’t look away from Jesus. God is Truth. Our perceptions are not always, for we are limited by our humanity. Better to leave it all with our Father God Who is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.
  4. Fix your mind on the Lord. Develop the mind of Christ. Paul instructs us what and how we should think: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9. ESV).
  5. Fix your heart on Jesus. Love the Lord above all. Realize – well, as much as we faulty humans can – the height, length, width and depth of His love for you. He died for you. You. He’s with you always. You. God’s gifts are wonderful. He’s our Creator, Sustainer, Savior, Provider, Healer, Guide… The best gift of all is that the Lord gave us is Himself.

Find your strength by walking with Christ. In doing so, you will find your soul rooted deep in God. And, frankly, there is no better place to put down roots than in the good soil of God and His Word.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

© 2024 by Chris Courtney. All rights reserved.

How Great is the Love of our Father!

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31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:31-39 (ESV)

God owes us nothing. He created us. We are His.

Thankfully, our God is a gracious, merciful Father. He doesn’t just love us. He is love. And perfect love – which can only come from God – casts out fear (read 1 John 4).

When we begin to grasp the immensity of the love of our Abba, Father, and His never-changing steadfast love, the fears and worries of life begin to shrink. When we choose to trust God, we realize He is far and above our circumstances. When we see the Lord for Who He is and worship Him wholeheartedly, seeking Him first and foremost, we begin to understand that our lives are indeed in His hands, and there is no situation where we should fear.

God owes us nothing. We owe Him everything. Yet He loves us. Trust in the Lord’s love. Trust in Jesus. And praise Him with thanksgiving and joy – ALWAYS!!

The Simon Peter Principle

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I’m learning today that I have a long way to go.

It’s one thing to know it. As a Christian, I realize sanctification – the lifelong process of God working in us to grow us closer to Him and in His holiness – is just that: a process.

It’s another thing altogether to feel God telling you: you have a long way to go.

I find myself trying to fix my problems. I’m fine, I can do this. Right?

yeah… no.

I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels like I do. I struggle with a lot of fears.

Failure.

Rejection.

Humiliation.

Loss.

Friends marathons on TV.

I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights lately. I’ve been so focused on my stressful situations that I forgot the true Peter Principle. Not the Laurence J. Peters management book, but the Simon Peter Principle.

You’re most likely familiar with the account of Peter walking to Jesus on the stormy sea (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter wants so bad to please Jesus. He loves Him. And everything is going fine, until..

30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:30-31 (ESV).

I’m embarrassed to admit it because, over the years, I’ve taught this Scripture more times than I can count. And I still face these fears.

I need to remember to keep my eyes on Jesus, not on the storm. I have to trust God in all things, at all times.

Even when the storm still rages, He has ahold of me.

Even when the stress grows, God is still in control.

Even when the fear compounds, I am safely in His hands.

Today – Easter Sunday – the Lord reminded me of what He did for us.

He reminded me of the Simon Peter Principle: keep my eyes on Jesus, knowing He has me in His grasp, and will never let me go. He’s in control of the storm, and the boat, and the entirety of our circumstances. I may feel like I’m going to drown, but I’m not.

He reminded me He is the only source of good.

He reminded me I don’t need to understand what’s going on in my life. I just need to trust Him.

He reminded me of His miracles – water to wine, providing the coin in the fish’s mouth to pay the tax, knowing the woman at the well having never met her, healing after healing, sight to the blind, strength to the lame, feeding tens of thousands with one child’s lunch, raising Lazarus from the dead, raising Himself from the dead, ascending into Heaven… He reminded me He can handle my little problems.

He reminded me to let go of my pride.

He reminded me that, even if I can’t feel His presence, He is still with me.

He reminded me my struggles are His way of growing me.

He reminded me to walk by faith, not by sight.

He reminded me His Word is Truth, not the world.

He reminded me He loves me.

And, by the way, the same goes for you. For those of us who love God, He is with us. He is greater than our troubles, our fears, our weaknesses, our pain, our sorrow, our cares…

Just trust God.

The Gift of Unimaginable Price

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The first Good Friday felt anything but good.

I try to imagine it, but I can’t. Any one of the events Jesus faced in the 24 hours before His death would have been too much for me. Betrayed. Abandoned. Humiliated. Arrested. Unfairly tried and convicted.

The torture Jesus endured at the hands of the Romans… I won’t recount it here. The fact that Jesus even made it to Golgotha alive is astounding. The brutality of it all is too much to even imagine. The pain Jesus – perfectly Holy Jesus Christ, untouched by sin – went through to take on my sin…

But the worst had to be the feeling of being abandoned by His Father.

Put it all together and you have the reward of sin. Unimaginable pain. Loneliness beyond belief. Humiliation. Sorrow. Death.

But when you look at Jesus taking all of that sin for us.

For me.

For you.

That is the reward of love. We don’t deserve it. But it is a gift. We can’t earn love. But Jesus gave us the gift of love on that cross. It is free, yet far more precious than anything on earth. It is a gift beyond price.

I cannot imagine how Jesus felt on that first Good Friday. But I have to try, so I can understand the great price of His gift. Jesus Christ – God incarnate – gave us Himself. Willingly. Without a second thought. He took on the unimaginable, so we don’t have to. He made a way for us that would be otherwise utterly impossible.

The first Good Friday felt anything but good. But just wait until the third day.

Through the Fog

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Ian Furst, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” – Luke 24:34 (KJV)

Curae quae meum animum divorse trahunt

That is the Latin definition of the word “cares” in Luke 24:34. The phrase translates to “cares that distract my mind”. Cares is just another word for anxiety. And anxious thoughts definitely distract our minds from focusing on God.

The problem is simple: when we worry, we’re saying we don’t trust God. We’re saying, “God, I realize you are sovereign over all. You created everything. You sustain everything. You set the stars and intricately designed all life.

Including mine.

But – and, yes, the big “but” often leads us to the problem – you don’t understand what I’m going through. You know everything, but my limited knowledge tells me to be afraid. You’re all powerful, but my issues are beyond your abilities. You’re everywhere all the time, and your Holy Spirit lives inside me, but I’m facing life all alone.

If you stop and think about it, anxiety is very irrational. We choose to believe in what we see and perceive because we don’t trust in God’s love, grace, wisdom, strength… We see life our way, not His. We believe what we see as rational.

We become “overcharged” with worry. When you were a kid, did you ever rub your feet on the carpet to build up static electricity, then touch someone else for the sheer joy of shocking someone else with your finger? Anxiety and worry are like that: a buildup of fear that needs to be discharged from our minds.

The collection of anxious thoughts creates brain fog. We have a difficult time seeing through the thick haze of fear. We can’t see the Truth for the troubles we perceive.

Luke warns us to “take heed” – to not allow the cares of this life to overtake our thoughts. We have to choose who we’re going to trust. Are we going to believe our limited understanding of our circumstances when those beliefs run counter to what God says? Or are we going to trust the Lord wholeheartedly and take him at His Word.

I find I frequently have to fall back on my old standby passage of Scripture when I’m facing anxiety: Philippians 4:4-9 (ESV)

4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Always – ALWAYS – be filled with joy in The LORD. Not circumstances. Not the things of the world. But in God because He has us. He is sovereign over everything, including me and my life. If I can’t feel prescence, it dioesn’t meean He isn’t with me. If I perceive impending trouble, I need to embrace God and His Word and put my focus on our Father and His Word and His promises, not my limited understanding.

 5 “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; “Let the world see your gentleness – which is reasonable for Christians, for Our God is with us always. The Lord is near!

6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Always rejoice. Never fear. Don’t worry about anything. Instead take everything to God in prayer, choosing to trust in Him and thanking Him for His care and concern, knowing your problems are now in God’s more-than-capable hands. Cast your cares on God, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). 

7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We don’t have to understand what we fear. We shouldn’t be wasting time and energy twisting and turning in our doubts and fears. When we believe God and take Him at His Word, we can have His peace. We don’t need to react to our circumstances. We need to trust in God. Just trust in God.

8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” This is where our minds need to be. Not distracted and bothered and throttled by our fears, but focused on God in faith, knowing He will see us through any and every circumstance we face.

If that’s not good news, I don’t know what is.

Strength in Joy

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Joy is central to the Christian experience. A close cousin to peace, joy is that sense of calm happiness that bears witness to the world of the wonders of faith in Christ. Regardless of the circumstances we face in life, we can still exude joy. Through pain, through sorrow, through hardship, through disappointment, through illness, through troubles of any and all kinds, we have hope in God – The One Who is sovereign over all.

Our joy is not rooted in our difficulties, but in God our Father Who leads us through life’s situations. In the LORD, we have hope over all circumstances. We have His wonderful promises to grasp onto tightly. 

God is sovereign over everything.  He is sovereign over our enemies. He is sovereign over our infirmities, He is sovereign over our families. He is sovereign over our work. He is sovereign our needs. He is the Only One we can trust entirely and completely in all things.

And God our Father loves us. He cares for us. He is with us through every storm. He never abandons us. He is always with us.

“The joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:20b, ESV).  Whatever’s going on, we can embrace God’s joy and find our strength in Him. When we’re filled with fear or grief or a troubled mind, we’re weakened by our troubles. When we choose to embrace God’s joy in faith, we are strengthened, finding our lives are actually filled with hope because of our Father’s love, grace, mercy, peace, strength, sovereignty, holiness, faithfulness, joy… 

Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We rejoice in the LORD Our Father. Nothing is beyond His ability. And, when others see us waiting patiently and joyfully on God, we are an effective witness for Jesus. When we choose joy over anxiety, our faith grows. And we are able to inspire and help others to find strength in God as well – finding joy for their lives and helping others do the same.

Rest in Jesus. Trust in God. Walk in His joy. You are loved far more than you can imagine!

Resolutions (or, Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht)

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German half-hour sand glass, first quarter of the 16th century, bronze-gilt and silver-gilt, Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht.” Or, “Man Plans, and God Laughs.”

Old Yiddish saying

2023 is speeding toward its inevitable conclusion, and our thoughts now turn to hopes and prayers for the soon-dawning new year. 

Plans and resolutions.

So much we want to accomplish.

I have a list of goals – not “resolutions”, a term that makes me a bit squeamish because it doesn’t carry the same weight of intentionality as “goals” – for the new twelve months. 

I’m going to need to start right away on 1 January 2024. 

  • Create a Daily Bible Reading Plan that will deliver maximum impact for effective spiritual growth. (Or is that effective impact for maximum spiritual growth. Or effectively im;pactful to the max.)
  • Create and launch The Bouville Diary podcast to reach millions of listeners with the message of Christ’s love, grace and peace.
  • Write a best seller (ECPA, New York Times and Bono Indiana Picayune charts) that will also deliver maximum impact for effective spiritual growth for millions of people. (Look out, Max Lucado.)
  • Have above best seller published in 52 countries, translated into a minimum of 52 languages (including Budukh, spoken by only about 200 people in Azerbaijan, according to UNESCO).
  • Travel the world by boat (I don’t like flying), visiting all seven continents and personally seeing to it every nation has heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • Broker peace in the Middle East and Asia. (To be done concurrent with aforementioned evangelical world boat tour.)
  • End hatred, racism, drug addiction, homelessness, cancer and all other nefarious diseases, broken families, greed, corruption…
  • Take away all anxiety and worry, filling the void with God’s peace.

That’s just a partial list. I left out the more personal items (weight loss, reading a book a day, training myself to eat beets without gagging, etc.). I also didn’t mention bringing an end to reboots of old TV sitcoms, but that seems fairly insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

I’m being a bit facetious here. Ok, maybe more than a bit. My intention is neither to belittle these very important subjects, nor to offend anyone. My point is, simply, resolutions and goals are great. But if we make our plans without the Lord’s direction, we strategize in vain.

And while these lofty goals are noble and good (except perhaps the sitcom reboot thing), I believe my efforts would be far better focused on the below:

  • 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)
  • 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
  • 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:4-8 (ESV)
  • 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. – Proverbs 3:5-8 (ESV)

Instead of grand plans and resolutions, perhaps simply following and focusing on Jesus is a far better path. He will lead us to opportunities to bless. He will take us where we need to be if we follow His path in faith. Our call is to love God, love others and share the Gospel. If we are lead by God’s love with pure motives, we will succeed in playing our part in God’s plans.

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established (Proverbs 16:3, ESV).

Hang in There!

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It took years.  A lot of years.  I wish I could tell you we were patient and joyful throughout that long period.  The ride was an emotional rollercoaster with more than its fair share of hopes dashed, plans scuttled and doubts expressed.  We almost gave up.  The pain and the stress of it all were more than we could bear.

Then the day finally came.  We prepared her bedroom, slathering on layers of pink paint and hanging dresses in the closet.  Her name was Lily.

Then we got matched.  Surprise!  Our daughter was a boy.  (Pink is easier to paint over than it seems.)

Austin is the perfect match for us, and we for him.  It is as if we share DNA.  He is our son.  It all happened at just the right time, in God’s time.  Had it been any other way, things could have been a disaster.  We couldn’t see it at the time.  All we could see was our heart for a child, the desire to be parents and the anguish of disappointment.

I’m reminded of something David wrote, as he was facing warfare and an enemy he thought was overwhelming: “But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”  My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!  Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!” (Psalm 31:14-16, ESV).  David knew a thing or two about waiting in anguish.  The psalms bear this out in amazing clarity.  David was waiting for God.  He was anguished.  He was frightened. 

But he was faithful.  He never gave up on God.  Even more importantly, God never gave up on David.  The faithfulness of our Lord never ceases to amaze me. 

My point is simply this: hang in there.  Whatever you are waiting on God for, hang in there.  What he has for you may not look anything like what you are anticipating.  But His will is infinitely better than ours.  Whatever you are waiting for, look to God.  Keep your focus on Him.  He will not let you down. 

Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)

Hang in there!  Wait for the Lord.  All good things come from Him in His good time.

Just Call Me Coho

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Every fall, the Coho and Chinook salmon travel up the Grand River to spawn. And, every fall, my dad and his best friend Charlie would make the long trek to the Sixth Street Dam in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, to join the throng of anglers, each trying catch of few of these salmon.

Thinking back, I feel a little sorry for the fish. Some made it to the fish ladders and safely beyond the dam to their destination upriver. But, for those who didn’t… as the old saying goes, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Or, rather, hooking them.

All these poor salmon were doing were trying to fulfill their mission in life: the annual migration they were designed to make. Yet here, halfway into their momentous yearly trip, was a huge barrier. And a bunch of fishermen awaiting them, eager to take advantage of their plight. How frustrating it must have been to be one of the salmon that just couldn’t find its way to the ladders.

There are days when we feel like one of those salmon. We’re just trying to do what we feel God has called us to do, trying to get to our destination, trying to find the ladder.

Sometimes we hit a barrier.

Sometimes our attention is turned by the shiny jig and hook.

Sometimes we get reeled in and filleted.

If this is you today, take heart. You aren’t swimming upstream alone. You have a whole school of fish travelling with you. Most importantly, we have God with us. Remember, Jesus promised: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV).

Can’t find the ladder to safety ahd deliverance? You just might be looking in the wrong direction. Look to Jesus and swim easier.

You’re a Mess!

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At least that’s what the enemy wants us to think.  The pastor made a good point this past Sunday, and it is worth remembering: The devil hates you.  He is a “thief (who) comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10, NIV).  He is our “enemy (who) prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV).  He is a “murderer” and the “father of lies” (John 8:44).

He’s cunning and crafty.  This is why Peter warns us to “humble (ourselves) before God,” rid ourselves of anxiety and “be alert and sober minded” (1 Peter 5:5-8, NIV).  Sin has us in such a mess that we don’t even know what we should pray.  Have you ever felt like that?  That feeling that life is so hard, so rough, so messed up, and you are hurting so bad that you can’t even put your feelings in words. 

But, for believers in Christ, there is great news.  You don’t have to buy into the lie.  You really aren’t a mess anymore.  Life is not defined by circumstances or past mistakes or sins.  And don’t let the devil tell you otherwise.  You are a child of God.  The enemy may want to steal your life, but fear not, because Christ came “that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV). 

God’s got your back.  We may not know exactly what God wants us to pray, but that’s ok.  “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:26-28, NIV).

Today, if you’re feeling accused – not the gentle nudge of conviction but the pounding hammer of accusation – don’t buy it.  You are not a mess – you are a blessed child of God.  Cast off the anxiety and embrace God’s promises.  You cannot sin so big, mess up so bad or run so far away that you are out of God’s reach.  If you need to confess your sins to God, then confess.  He knows them anyway, you know.  Confess, repent and move on.  Don’t let Satan steal your joy.  You are loved – even if you feel like a mess.

“