Spiritual Life

Tough situations under the sovereign hand of God actually make us better leaders because we then lead in His power, not ours. Trust Him if today is a difficult day.

What we need is a relentless appetite for the divine. We need a holy ravenousness. Our craving souls can turn and become enthralled by a goodness that is found in the presence of an all-glorious God. There is only one infinite source of satisfaction that can satisfy our bottomless cravings.

He wants you to fail and will do anything to pull that off. Limited the way he is, there is nothing Satan can do against God directly, so he strikes out at those whom the Lord loves: People. Humanity. You. Me. Them. Us. All of that is leading up to this: The devil knows some things about you which he would just as soon you never find out.

Are you in a spiritual rut? Here are a few practical tips to breathe new life and vigor back into your devotional life.

God can, and does, use young men and women to do amazing things. For this we should be thankful. But far more often, the combination of youthful zeal, prideful passion, and immature idealism forms a toxic combination in the soul.

As I look at the way I have typically treated myself – when I review the way I think about myself – I realize that I haven’t seen myself as someone the Father of the Lord Jesus delights in. My preoccupation is not with God’s goodness, with His love for which no adjective is sufficient; my preoccupation is on the many ways I blow it – impatience, lack of trust, and impure motivations. The list is endless. You have your list too, don’t you?

We have all staked out our plot in the Temple grounds, so to speak. Carefully set up our ministry tables in a manner befitting someone of our experience and training. If Jesus made a surprise visit, would ours be one of those tables upended, its contents scattering about the floor? Or would He simply smile approvingly as He reviewed each of our offerings?

God does not typically speak in an audible voice, but God is speaking to us. Will God’s voice be a background noise which competes with the noise around us?

How serious of a sin is it to not wait on God? Sure, all sins are equally evil in the sight of God. No debate there. But in terms of the consequences, it’s not that bad. Right? It’s just a little impatience. No different than getting impatient in traffic or a slow line at the grocery store. It happens to everyone.

2014 was the hardest and darkest year in my life. Christmas 2013, I was diagnosed with burn-out. I had to stop work completely. This was incredibly difficult. I was so used to being busy, to having my head filled with stuff, to be carrying on. I have always done so much in my own strength, relying on my own insight. But this proved unsustainable.

“I personally love worshiping with believers from other cultures, especially in their home countries. I can’t help but look around the room and think, this is it! This is a little glimpse of what it’s going to be like in Heaven. Those are some of the most treasured worship memories of my life. Yet I can’t help but wonder why isn’t that my usual experience back here in North America?”

God offers rest, not just for our physical bodies but for our hearts as well. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” God is calling for our souls to rest.