Jesus is not only our example on this Christian pilgrimage, but He is also the One who endows us with the power and grace to keep running our race and to finish well. We are able to keep pressing forward, casting off distractions, discouragements, and disappointment because He is the One who is faithful to complete the work that He began in us.

Being children of God is our inheritance! We have the ability to be Spirit-led. “There is so much more I want to tell you,” Jesus said, “but you can’t bear it now.” (John 16:12 NLT) We often crave answers we don’t receive direct answers to.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how patient are you? Do you greet long line-ups with ease? Do you sit in traffic jams in a state of quiet contentment? If you are like me, probably not.

Today, my prayer for you is that you find your joy in the Lord. No matter what the situation looks like around you, you make the choice to run to Him.

The mindset of Christ helps us lay aside our worst-case scenarios and view other people through the lens of humility so we can discover the power of God at work in them and us.

In Romans 8:1, the Bible tells us that we do not have to carry condemnation in our lives when we’re truly in Christ. If you are a born-again believer, condemnation does not exist because the punishment for our failures and sins does not exist. 

The truth is the more we engage with others, the more inevitable conflict becomes. But we have two options when approaching difficult interactions: we can harbor bitterness or show the love of God.

The power of winter in the physical world allows the ground to rest so that in the growing season, it can do what God designed it to do—produce life. We also produce life. We can speak life with our words and bring life with our actions. But there’s a season for rest too.

With eyes full of unimaginable end-of-the-world apocalyptic and catastrophic images, many are up at night, unable to sleep or find rest, living in a perpetual state of terror.

Great leaders are formed by learning and observing the strategies of those who have blazed the trail before them. But there is a fine line between learning from others and comparing ourselves to each other. 

No matter what is going on around us, even if it seems like everything is falling apart, we must remember that God holds the entire universe in His hands. He is completely sovereign. Nothing passes through His hands by accident. 

The next time something catches you by surprise, and you find those anxious feelings bubbling inside you, your thoughts going every which way, try this. Allow anxiety to prompt you to pray. Talk to God about your problems and trials. 

While we can’t save others, God, in His graciousness, invites us to be co-laborers with him in the process!

To be able to imitate Christ and enjoy this kind of fellowship with Him, we must look to Jesus as our example. Even though Jesus was God in the flesh, He still leaned upon God the Father for everything He said and did while He walked this earth. Jesus would rise early to pray and seek God for His will for the day.

Our Savior, Jesus, is empathetic toward us. Empathy means a wise understanding of what another person is going through. Many people say, “I know how you feel.” Jesus actually knows.

Do you struggle with believing lies? Is there a particular deceit that entangles you, trapping you on more than one occasion? For me, that lie is that what I do with my time and how I use my talents are insignificant.

What motivates your drive toward Christ? For the Apostle Paul, it was the prize of the upward call of God.