We should not begrudge the winter, that time of the year when our strength is to be held in reserve. The onset of winter should remind us of the need for rest and replenishment, and for quiet reflection on the meaning of our many activities.
The words we speak, or don’t speak, are quite important. By speaking, we open the doors of our hearts to others; by not speaking, we leave those doors closed. By speaking, we bestow grace and give ourselves away. So let’s have the courage to do that.
We need to be careful not to avoid responsibility for our own attitudes. The fact that some people are motivated more consistently than others is not the result of their having been born that way — it’s the result of choices they make.
True tolerance (the kind that’s tough to learn) wisely balances courage and consideration. It doesn’t sweep significant issues under the rug, but neither does it break relationships over disagreements that don’t require such a break.
Who are we going to be? Having chosen our colors, we need to engage life with all the heart of a person who is alive. “God does not ask for the dull, weak, sleepy acquiescence of indolence. He asks for something vivid and strong” (Amy Carmichael).
There are vast stretches of territory in our hearts that we simply do not reveal to others, sometimes even those who are nearest and dearest to us. For every one of us who is too open, there are ninety-nine of us who aren’t open enough.
Our hearts are stirred by longings for a perfection beyond the fragmentary happiness that is our lot. We want more than what we’ve known in the past and the present; for most of us, the future is something we envision with desire, and even hope.
The expression “road of life” may be a bit worn-out, but it is true that our lives have many of the characteristics of a road. They have destinations, distances, and even detours. It pays to pick our roads carefully — and travel them appreciatively.
None of us live entirely to ourselves. Each one of us is a link in the chain of generations, and what we do is more than just our own business. We’re linked to our ancestors in the past, and we’re linked to our descendants in the future.
To live in this world is to be a traveler. We’re all on a journey, and the road grows long. How glad we are to meet those whose hearts are like a wayside inn, with the doors open and a gentle voice saying, “Come in and be refreshed.”
God’s way often goes against our opinions, and eventually the honest person will have to admit, “Well, I didn’t think such a plan would work, but I was wrong. Although ...
Our sinful past will try to pull us back — and sometimes the pull can be very strong. We wouldn’t have been what we used to be if there weren’t ...
The more we learn to love our Father, the more our hearts are going to hurt when we realize we’ve failed Him. The person who rarely sees any sin in ...
“Nominal” Christians are Christians in “name only.” They are the modern embodiment of the mentality God spoke of in Isaiah’s day: “[They] draw near with their mouth and honor me ...
God will help us and discipline us (Hebrews 12:5-11). But having been disciplined by God, we will have to discipline ourselves. We will have to exert ourselves to go uphill ...
When we start following our own will in the “secular” parts of life, we tell ourselves that we won’t let these “other things” get out of hand. But we are ...
Wonder of all wonders, God is willing to forgive us of our treason against His rightful rule over us. But His grace requires that we begin doing what we have ...
Very people few are willing to “seek first the kingdom of God,” even among professed believers. Especially in the modern culture of so-called “Christian nations,” very few do more than ...
Confession of sin comes from “a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17), and it hurts. But the joy of forgiveness is on the other side of this sorrow, and the ...
Are we willing to accept God in general matters like love and faith, but when it comes to His instructions in the Scriptures about how these principles are to be ...
As creatures living in a world broken by sin, we have never experienced what it is to be a human being — not fully and perfectly. But God does not ...
It is only in Christ that we can be refreshing in the ways that people most seriously need refreshment. We should see being a Christian not only in terms of ...