Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 2, 2026

Miracle In The Mirror

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:8-11

If you have cried out to Jesus as your Lord and Savior amid deep desperation (or in a light-bulb recognition or from exhausted surrender), you are an amazing, jaw-dropping miracle. You have been redeemed—paid for in full. Justified by grace, through faith. Reconciled to God, who moments before, was your enemy. You have gone from death to life.

From that moment, you are not only a new creation in Christ, but the Holy Spirit now lives in you—He is your Helper and Teacher (John 14:26), Intercessor (Romans 8:26). Sometimes, the Lord will allow for immediate deliverance (from cussing, alcohol, drugs, selfishness)…other times, He works through the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters in Christ, and tribulations to whittle away our sin and fleshly desires. Each step in our sanctification is its own immense miracle.

So, when life’s circumstances have you asking (or begging) God to show Himself miraculous, but He is seemingly silent, do not despair! When you feel alone, abandoned, or discouraged, perhaps frustrated by the seeming absence of God in your storm, do not forget! Walk over to the nearest mirror, gaze at your image—dropping all that self-condemnation—and remind yourself of a great miracle: You are in Christ, a child of the King, a citizen of Heaven.

You are not perfect—neither are your circumstances or the people in your life. But you are no longer dead to your sin, awaiting the deserved wrath of God. No, sweet friend, you are alive, a new creation, in Christ. And “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Trust Him. And when you interact with others in your church (or out in the world) who have also been saved by grace through faith, see them as the miracles they are too! (Yes, even the sandpaper people.) Oh, and when our daily activities bring us into contact with the lost (the walking dead), with whom frustrations easily rise (perhaps even anger), look at them for who they are: potential miracles. Each person, in their bad attitudes, cussing, or outright hatred for God, could at any moment become a new creation in Christ. Why not step out in boldness to start a spiritual conversation or invite them to church? As followers of Christ, we are, after all, called to be part of His miracle-making team.

As you’ve been walking with the Lord, I am confident that you have seen the evidence of our miraculous Creator God—even unbelievers see a stunning sunrise or the countless stars and know (Romans 1:20). You’ve likely experienced specific blessings, healing, a job or provision at just the right time. Praise God! Let us, like the Israelites with their ebenezers (1 Samuel 7:12), make mental or written monuments to His work in our lives. But when those aforementioned times of forgetfulness come, when we can’t seem to recall His faithfulness when we’re in the middle of a storm, stop…walk over to the nearest mirror…inhale and exhale His breath within your lungs…and thank God for the greatest miracle of all: Your salvation.

“Lord, remind me. Remind me of Your great love for me, that while I was still Your enemy, You saved me, making me part of Your family. Remind me, in my dark nights of the soul, that I am a miracle.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 1, 2026

Victorious In The Battle

“But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  Genesis 4:7  “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live.”  Ezekiel 18:32 (ESV)

I glimpsed this tiny little creature moving ever so fast across my windowsill. I had seen them before when the dry, humid temperatures of summer began to soar. So I eagerly squished the ant and thought I had solved my creature dilemma. Unfortunately, I claimed victory too soon.

The reality is that ants live in colonies. There’s never just one, two or three. Somewhere close by, under the surface, many more were lurking – even 100 ants can exist in a small colony. My creature dilemma needed a quick fix, or I was going to battle these ants all summer. So a trip to Lowe’s gave me the best game plan –  sweetness drawing the ants in to partake of the liquid and take it back to the colony. Needless to say, this liquid was anything but real sweetness – no more ants in sight because the source had been destroyed.

Just keeping it real here but there is often a lot more lurking under our surface than a colony of pests. Left unattended, sin has a way of multiplying rapidly. One little compromise leads to another. One excused reaction births more. One surfaced misstep discretely covered up without tackling the real issue gives the false assurance that we are safe. Not exactly a place where we want to land.

Sin left to itself desensitizes our hearts to the truth of what is right and what is wrong. Obedience to God quickly fades when our desires are aligned with the enemy’s schemes. Sin’s devastation isn’t always instant. The separation it births between us and God leaves us vulnerable and unprotected. Like ants drawn into the temporary sweetness of pleasure, the bitterness of sin’s reality crushes our spirit.

Unfortunately a trip to Lowe’s won’t solve our sin issues. God knows our human frailty, our tendency to give into the flesh and resist His truth. Yet from the moment sin entered our world, His plan for redemption was birthed. Why? Because God desires to be reunited with His creation. He longs for us to avoid the pitfalls of sin and the heavy consequences it brings. God gave His Son to die on the cross so we could experience victory over sin and death. An eternity with God is guaranteed for those who place their faith and trust in Him.

Sweet friends, we will all experience temptation. Instead of grabbing grace on the go, we would be wise to live our lives in a way that seeks to avoid rather than entertain sin. How do we win this battle:

  1. Know God’s Word and follow His commands – it’s the best way to ensure victory and avoid the destructive consequences of sin. Mediate on His words and hide them deep in our hearts.
  2. Identify and come up with a game plan for handling temptations. Don’t assume a quick victory; Satan doesn’t give up easily. Seek God’s help in moments of weakness and cultivate a climate of accountability.
  3. Personal consistent communication with God fosters a deep commitment to avoiding sin and resisting temptation.
  4. Guarding our thoughts and aligning them with God’s truth builds a safety net when sin comes knocking on our door.
  5. Keep a short account of sin. When we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we should confess our sins quickly and seek God’s forgiveness.

If we lock arms with God, seek His help and intentionally choose to walk in His ways, we can be victorious over sin.

“Father, help us to view our sins through Your eyes and embrace pivotal truths in Your word that seek to protect us from the devastation of sin.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Freedom, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 29, 2026

Victorious Together

“For waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.” Proverbs 24:6 (NIV)

Thousands of dedicated men and women have sacrificed and served our country.  Not missing a beat, they’ve left family and careers behind to fight for our freedom. And not a single one of them headed off to the war zone alone.  None of them were self-reliant nor did any of them resist the wisdom and strategic plans of their military leaders.

So why do we try to wage spiritual warfare singlehandedly?

Dedicated yes.  Willing to sacrifice and serve our God – yes.  If you searched our faces, you wouldn’t find anyone more serious about defeating strongholds and raising the flag of victory.  But often, we miss the mark by falling prey to one of Satan’s greatest lies – we can do it alone.  We don’t need counseling, we don’t need accountability, we don’t need anyone else’s input – we can do it alone.  We’re strong enough and bold enough to take the enemy down singlehandedly.

Have you ever said those words?  Have you then found yourself scrambling for cover as the enemy’s attacks hedged you into a corner wondering what went wrong?  God never intended for us to do life alone. Instead, He created us to partner together.  Fighting for our freedom will never be sweeter than when we leave self-reliance behind and embrace God’s strategic plan.  He desires for us to dig deeper into the Word and allow His Spirit to empower us. When we join forces praying together, seeking Godly wisdom and applying the truths of God’s word, we can be victorious. And the enemy will be defeated because we seized the right plan to take him down – empowered by our mighty Warrior.

“Father, how incredible to know that You fly the banner of victory over us before the battle begins.  Help us to leave self behind and join together in one voice to defeat the enemy’s attacks.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Freedom, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 28, 2026

Searching For God

“I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed. But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.”   Job 23:8-10a  (NLT)

You know the story of Job. In a short time, he lost everything – his great wealth, all of his children, his health, and finally, it seemed to him that he lost the presence of God. Some of us can relate to Job’s anguish when we feel God’s presence has left us. I’ve never been through a trial of the magnitude of Job’s, but I have been in dark and lonely places.

One such experience happened after my husband died. For some reason unknown to me, I entered a period of testing. It felt like God had withdrawn from me. My prayers seemed to be going no higher than the top of my head. I searched my heart, trying to find some area of my life that wasn’t pleasing to God. I couldn’t find any, so I prayed that He would reveal any unknown sins so I could repent. There was still no response from the Almighty.

Job looked for God in the east, the west, the north, and the south, but couldn’t find Him. I looked for Him in my Bible reading and prayer. Praying seemed fruitless then, but I continued. I didn’t know why He had withdrawn His presence from me. Emotions swirled around me: frustration, grief, and guilt, thinking this must somehow be my fault. Job must have gone through similar feelings, only much worse. I asked my friends to pray for me. Fortunately, I had better friends than Job did.

I clung to the knowledge that God knew where I was, even though I didn’t know where He was. Then, just as mysteriously as it had started, the sweet presence of God surrounded me once more. I can’t explain it. I hope I never go through that again, but if it does happen, I will have the confidence that experience brings: He is still there, even though I can’t feel Him near.

If you are going through something similar right now, hang on! Search your heart to ensure there is nothing between you and your Lord, then stand firm. Like Paul said, “…having done all, to stand.” He is with you even when you can’t feel His presence.

“Father, I pray for my sisters who are going through their own dark places. Help them to know You are God and You haven’t left them, even if they don’t feel Your presence. I ask that You give them special protection until their time of trial is over.”

 

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 27, 2026

I Will Not Offer Anything That Costs Me Nothing

“Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock, but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord.”  Malachi 1:14a (NLT)

Books are written on the last words said by actors, writers, and other well known personalities. Those words may be interesting, but it can be life-changing to see what the last words of God were…before 400 years of silence.

After the book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, was written,  God knew He was not going to directly speak with His people for 400 years. The words written here were His last words before Jesus took on human form and came to earth. This was His last interaction with humanity before things went silent.

What would He say? What did He believe was of the greatest importance?

We are going to look at these last words over the next few weeks. There are several conversations packed into four little chapters, but the very first thing God addressed was the spiritual leadership of Israel. God spoke to the priests.

The priests were ordained, chosen, and set apart in Exodus 28. Everything about their lives, even their clothing, represented the Holiness of God. They wore an ephod (an outer vest) with an onyx stone on each shoulder. On each onyx were the names of six tribes of Israel – a reminder that they carried the weight of the people on their shoulders. In addition, they wore a gold band on their turban (mitre) with an inscription that read ‘holiness to the Lord.’ This was a reminder to the priests that they were representatives of the holiness of God to the people.

Read that again-The spiritual leaders of Israel were the representatives of the holiness of God to the people.

That has not changed. The clothing may look different, but God’s design for spiritual leadership  does not.

As God was preparing to be silent for 400 years, He called out those who were supposed to be representing Him and His holiness. God was disgusted with them. They had not been honoring Him, representing His Holiness well, or leading the people to do right. God is so upset with them that He tells the priests He would rather them close the doors to the temple than to “honor” Him with their lips but dishonor Him with their actions.

Not only were they offering sacrifices that were blind, lame, diseased, or stolen, but they were also lying about them. Malachi 1:14 shows us that the priests said they would offer a proper sacrifice, but then they would not. They cared more about what others thought of them than what God had instructed.

I have three thoughts I want to leave you with:

  1.  Those who represent God are not above sin. God does hold them accountable. If you have been hurt, misled, or treated wrongly by someone with the title of spiritual leader, know that God sees and they will be held accountable.
  2. God takes His holiness seriously. Do we?
  3. The priests had every reminder of who God is and who they represented. They still made a choice to dishonor, disobey, and disrespect God. We have reminders all around us of who God is and who we, as Believers, represent. Do we honor Him with our lives?

“Father, help us to be honest about our offerings to You. May we design our lives around You in every area.”

 

For His Glory

 

Terrie Tollerson (www.TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 26, 2026

Waves of Grace

“Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

On Sunday, May 17, in Jacksonville, FL, about 14,000 witnesses streamed onto the beach as 2,552 people (ages 6 to 86) plunged into the crashing surf with single-minded purpose. Was it some kind of competition or race? A sort-of Arctic Plunge—without the cold? If you happened to wander into the park that afternoon, you may have initially been annoyed by the massive crowds everywhere. But then, you’d notice all those bright red t-shirts with the same bold printed words. Something else would strike you, though…a palpable joy and expectation that made the whole place electric. And when you looked in the eyes of those around you, you’d likely see the glisten of tears. Tears of celebration, of relief, of revelation, of surrender. You’d wonder, “What on earth is going on around here?”

But a more relevant question would be, “What in heaven is going on around here?” See, on that hot and sunny day, 2,552 people were baptized in the Atlantic Ocean, making a public declaration of their inward reality of salvation. Each person was asked two questions. (1) “Do you renounce your flesh, this world, and any sort of connection to demonic and darkness you’ve ever had?“—to which they’d respond in the affirmative; and (2) “Who is Jesus to you?”—to which they’d say, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior!” Although the act of baptism does not save, it’s the glorious picture of our identification with the death and resurrection of our King Jesus. And it’s a palpable representation of how we are washed clean and made new through Christ’s victory. [Praise the Lord, this event even made national news. Check out the story here.]

Can you just picture the heavenlies? Our Triune God being glorified and magnified with each proclamation and subsequent plunge. His innumerable angels whooping it up and high-fiving each other in sheer elation at the declaration of spiritual freedom in Christ. Waves of people plunging into the saltwater waves experiencing unending waves of grace.

The numbers are pretty cool, I will admit. But, as part of the team that prepped those being baptized, I can tell you with absolute certainty that every SINGLE story is a mind-blowing, soul-stirring, tear-emitting reason to shout for joy. Every week since Easter (when we actually celebrated baptisms after every one of our eight services, totaling in the hundreds!), our church has been inviting people to register for beach baptism. As people flowed into class after services, some felt called by the Lord to take this next step after following Jesus for decades…others had literally just surrendered to Christ moments earlier. Either way, (and every way in between) my excitement could not be contained—each individual (old, young, black, white, clean cut, face-tatted, rich, poor…) was dead and in darkness, a slave to sin. BUT GOD, rich in mercy, called to them, pulled them into the Light, making them alive in Christ. A new creation—the old has gone.

And what’s even more ebullient to my soul, I had the privilege of serving in what we called the “spontaneous baptism tent” at the beach that Sunday. For friends and/or family members of those coming to be baptized, those literally surrendering to Jesus that very morning at church, or someone who “happened” to be at the beach and felt called to the act of baptism…we were there to prepare them to go into the water. Oh, to ask people when and how they gave their life to Christ—and sometimes to share the gospel and lead them to that place…to speak to them about what baptism is and why it’s their next step …it was so glorious. Then to hand them their own red t-shirt with the words, “WHO IS JESUS? MY LORD AND SAVIOR”—well, that was icing on the cake. The tears are hitting my keyboard as I type this, actually…and I have thousands of words I want to share with you from tens of stories I heard that day. But suffice it to say, it was like experiencing a slice of heaven. The two commandments Jesus declared as most vital—Love God and love others—was on full display in unworldly purity.

But there was also great conviction for me in all this glory. When I got home that evening, completely exhausted and simultaneously enlivened, I told my husband, “I wish every day could be like this! Full-on love of others, sharing the gospel, knowing everyone around you is either your brother and sister in Christ or they’re ripe to become one…” His response (and the Holy Spirit’s poke to my soul), “Well, every day can be like today—it’s just about you choosing to live that way.”

Ouch. Oh, sweet friend, will you join me in living each day like it’s “beach baptism day?” Loving God in a way that glorifies Him with every thought, word, and action? Loving those around us as current family members in Christ—or potential ones?

“Heavenly Father, it’s a privilege to be part of Your divine move in transforming lives for such a time as this. May I never lose the excitement of “one more” coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus—and may I be bold enough to live out the Great Commission every single day.”

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 25, 2026

Prayers Spoken

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” 2 Timothy 2:1 (ESV)

Who is on your prayer list?  If you’re like me that list is ever evolving.  In 2020, I had the privilege of praying for a sweet group of ladies. Their names etched on index cards with handwritten requests for a new year. When I uttered the words promising to pray for them once a week every week of this year, I had no idea all that God would be teaching me in the process.

To be totally honest, I feared I would forget…you know like get caught up in my never-ending list of requests for me.  Sidetracked or worse simply offering up routine phrases – empty and devoid of passionate cries to our Father on behalf of those who had entrusted me with their requests. And yet, here I am today praising God for His Spirit leading and guiding me with prayers spoken. Trusting Him for His divine work and intervention in each of their lives.

So sweet friends what were some of those pivotal lessons learned along the way – here’s just a few:

  • Praying for others deepens our compassion and love for that person
  • Interceding requires seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance rather than relying on self
  • When we don’t know what to pray – we can pray God’s word
  • As we pray over requests look beyond the present need – press in for the deeper need
  • Ask God for creativity in knowing how to pray
  • Claim God’s written promises over each request
  • Visualize the face of the one you are praying for
  • Pray freedom and victory over each person
  • Praise God for each person and for the growth that will be birthed out of the challenges
  • Praise God for answering even if you have no idea when or how He will do it

 

And the list is endless – God is still stretching, teaching and encouraging me in this journey of prayer for others. If we have doubts about who and what to pray, God’s word is clear.  We are reminded to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).    James 5:5 compels us to pray for those who are sick and need healing.  And I Timothy 2:1 invites us to pray and make intercession for all people.

The gift of intercessory prayer is one that costs us absolutely nothing except time.  It’s one of the best ways we can show God’s love to others and grow in our relationship with Him as well.

“Father,  teach us how to actively engage in prayer for others as we trust You to complete Your work in their lives.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Prayer, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 22, 2026

The Hardness of Us

“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” Acts 28:27 (NIV)

As the drizzling wet streaked across the glass, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My windshield wipers were moving. It was finally raining! Something I hadn’t seen in a long time. Felt strange to open my umbrella and feel the cool water splash around me. Surprised I even knew where the umbrella was since it hadn’t been opened for months.

Our deficit of rain consumed us this spring. Hot temps and no wet didn’t foster a good environment for gardens or plants. Our soft, plush green yard now yields dry, crunchy and ugly. The soil cracks, and farmers carry the weight of crops threatened too early in the planting season, definitely uncertain of their yield. So the sprinkling of wet is welcomed despite the strangeness of its feel.

Wonder if we ever find ourselves dry and parched? Lifeless from the heat of life. Void of a sense of God’s presence due to our own absence. Souls hard and calloused unwelcoming the Spirit’s work deep within us. Dismissing the conviction of what needs to be confessed, transformed and redeemed. Listening but not truly hearing. Comfortable with avoidance. Allowing truth to not be absorbed beneath the surface. Pointing the finger outward without even a glimpse inward.

Scripture clearly warns us of the consequences of a heart that is hard, calloused and unchangeable. Rejecting the working of God’s Spirit within us will result in a defiant, resistant and unyielding heart. While we would be quick to deny our cracks and need for His touch, we sit in the midst of truth and our souls are complacent. What we hear never gets a chance to penetrate through the hardness of us because we’ve become pros at dismissing His Spirit. And the end result there’s definitely no margin for growth when confession is stalled.

Sweet friends, silence is not golden if we are squelching God’s prompting to obey His words. The better choice is to heed rather than avoid. The best way is to humbly admit. The greatest pleasure is found at His feet washed, cleansed and completely His.

“Father, our complacency and okayness with self rob us of the sheer joy of transformation. Cultivate within us soft hearts and a willing spirit to obey Your voice.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 21, 2026

When Appearances Are Deceiving

“He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him.” 1 Samuel 17:42 (NIV)

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I cannot say how many times I have heard this saying, but I am sure it has been many. Yet, sometimes I have done exactly what it says not to do. Isn’t it how things are, though? We look at something – or someone – that is placed in front of us and we are quick to cast our judgment, in spite of not being a connoisseur of the subject in its fullness. We simply place ourselves on the throne of our own glory, point out our prideful scepter, and vomit our words as if we were the most important and the most knowledgeable member of the royalty from the kingdom of nowhere.

I have a good example of what being judgmental can do to a person – or a people. When the Philistines and the Israelites assembled for battle around the Valley of Elah, King Saul gathered the most valiant warriors in Israel to fight the Philistines. There was a small detail though. No, I need to rephrase that, because that “detail” was anything but “small.” That detail had a name: Goliath.

Goliath was a warrior for the Philistines, and he was a man of great height – almost a giant. His armor was made of bronze and was very heavy and secure. Besides dressing in strong armor, Goliath was also dressed in hate, pride, and arrogance. So, when shepherd boy David showed up wearing his shepherd clothes and holding just a sling and five river stones in his hand, that giant and his fellow men mocked him. Goliath assumed that the battle was already over, because, in his view, there was no way on earth that young David could defeat him without a “real” weapon.

Friends, the outcome in this story was not what people would’ve imagined, wouldn’t you agree? We all know what happened to that warrior. It only took one small pebble to hit him between the eyes, and he was a goner, a dead giant, and a carcass in a field. David was just a boy, but he was fighting for the One who can do all things, fight our battles for us, and who will never leave or forsake us. Definitely an exciting “book!”

“God, help us to see others as You see them. Strip us from our pride, Lord.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 20, 2026

Let Him Be Our Source

“…I will go to the altar of God, to God, the Source of all my joy, I will praise You with the harp, Oh God, My God.”  Psalm 43:4 (NLT)

Have you ever tried to get blood from a turnip? Water from a rock? Maybe tried to catch lightning in a bottle?

All of these are impossible tasks-we may think someone would be crazy to try any of the above. Why are they wasting their time? What do you think they are going to get out of it? We would shake our heads and move on because we know that is an impossible feat.

I have been trying to do something like the above without even realizing it. I have been trying to get  love, security, and compassion from people instead of from God.

I would not have said I was doing that, but as I have walked through situations where I have allowed my emotions to overtake my actions, this truth has come bubbling to the surface. Actually it has come screeching out of my heart like the ugly monster it is.

Maybe you have been there too.

When I feel insecurity coming on and I want to do anything to fix it, I read this verse:  “…I will go to the altar of God, to God (alone), the SOURCE of all my joy.”

As I train my brain to live above and outside of my feelings and emotions, this verse has been invaluable to me. It answers all the questions. I am taking action – going – to Him. When I go to Him, I am avoiding going to another person to fill my cup. I am avoiding hurting another person with my unedited feelings.

Notice I am going to His altar, a place that represents my humanity and His Divinity coming together. I cannot get out of my feelings with effort or human understanding. I need His Divine power to overcome me so I can live out the fruit of the spirit regardless of my emotions, pain, or sorrow.

I am going to God alone. I am not at a point to share with anyone else yet. Remember our hearts are so  deceitful, we cannot even know what is in them (Jeremiah 17:9). This allows me to hear from the heart of God before I hear from another person.

We focused on the beginning of this verse, “I will go to the altar.” Now we move on to the last part which states, “God is the SOURCE of ALL of my joy.”  He alone is the source – the beginning, the foundation, where my joy comes from. Not just part of it, all of it. This removes any expectation from another person to fulfill any needs that they are not meant to fill.

Our needs are valid. God created us as humans with emotions, needs, and desires. He also created us to become “like a deer panting for water” (Psalm 42:1). We will never be satisfied until He is the water that quenches our thirst. He is the Source, the One who can fill our desires, heal our emotions, and provide our needs.

The last part of the verse states we will praise God with our harp.

As situations arise, we want to attack them with feelings of insecurity or pain. As our emotions begin to drown us, let us make a commitment to handle it God’s way.

What is helping me is  to go to the altar, to remember and receive my source is in Christ, which in turn helps change my heart posture. Then I desire to linger with Him and that turns to praising Him!

We have the choice. We can stand as beggars holding out our cup and asking for others to fill it, or we can allow His love to be our Source, and we become like a fountain and are able to douse others with His love.

We can sit at the feet of Jesus with peace and allow His love to be enough.

“Father, help us to run to you through this life and allow You to be our Source PERIOD. Just You and nothing or no one else.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson (www.TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

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