Posts Tagged ‘bible’
Embrace New Beginnings: Daily Grace from God
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” — Lamentations 3:22–23
Sometimes we get off track. I miss a day, then another. Something I intended to do gets pushed aside because life gets busy, somebody needs us, circumstances change — or I simply get tired and admit, “I will do it later.”
My foster son asked me seven times yesterday to throw the baseball with him. I kept responding, “You got it, buddy. Let me finish this and we’ll do it.” By 9:00p.m., he had stopped asking and it was dark. I told him how sorry I was that we did not get to throw. He smiled and answered, “We can tomorrow!”
There are days when I don’t know if it will happen tomorrow. I start thinking about how far behind I am in my job, writing books, and the demands from others, which seem to pile higher and higher, and of course, I want to exercise and eat right, dress right, and fix my hair. Before long, the overwhelming resolve creeps in to ring loud and clear, “I just can’t do this.”
But this morning, I was reminded of something wonderfully simple:
God is not asking me to go backward and fix yesterday – He is giving me today.
There is so much grace in that. I have a tendency to believe that starting over requires some grand moment: a Monday, a new month, a new year, or a perfectly organized plan.
God tells us that His mercies are new every morning. Which makes it very clear, not every January or Birthday but every morning. There is such comfort in that.
Maybe there is something you’ve let slip. Maybe it’s prayer or time in God’s Word. Maybe it’s taking care of yourself, reaching out to someone you love, going back to church, or pursuing something God placed on your heart a long time ago.
Don’t spend another moment beating yourself up over yesterday – just begin again. Pick up your Bible. Say the prayer. Make the phone call. Take the walk. Write the first sentence. Do the next right thing.
God has always been in the business of new beginnings. He doesn’t need our lives to be perfectly organized before He can work in them. He simply asks us to come as we are.
Perhaps one of the greatest gifts of faith is knowing that as long as God gives us another morning, He has given us another opportunity to begin again.
Today is enough and it began with a baseball, two gloves, a little laughter, and happy young boy who just wants to be a professional player one day.
— Nora
Don’t Grow Weary in Doing Good
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9
Exhaustion can seep into our souls—not from working long hours or staying up too late, but from doing the right thing over and over and over again when it feels like no one notices. It’s the tiredness that comes from showing kindness to a difficult person, serving in your church when volunteers are scarce, praying for a prodigal child year after year, or faithfully giving when your own resources feel tight.
This weariness is real. The Apostle Paul must have known it when he wrote these words to the Galatians. “Do not become weary in doing good.” Why would he say it unless he knew we would be tempted to stop? Because doing good can sometimes feel like planting seeds in barren soil. We water, we wait, we hope—but the ground looks unchanged.
Maybe you’ve been there. Perhaps you are there right now. You’ve prayed faithfully, but the answer seems delayed. You’ve forgiven someone again, only for them to hurt you once more. You’ve extended generosity, but few have shown gratitude. In moments like these, the enemy whispers: “Why bother? No one sees. It doesn’t matter.”
But Paul gives us a promise: “At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” The truth is, the good we sow is never wasted. God sees every hidden act of faithfulness. He treasures every whispered prayer, every unseen sacrifice, every choice to love when bitterness would have been easier. The soil may appear hard and lifeless, but beneath the surface, something is happening. Roots are forming. Life is stirring.
The “proper time” is God’s time, not ours. That’s what makes perseverance so challenging—we don’t get to set the schedule. But we can trust the Gardener of our souls. He knows the right season for the harvest. Sometimes we glimpse it here: a relationship restored, a prayer answered, a life touched. Other times, the full reward won’t be seen until eternity, when Jesus Himself will say, “Well done.”
So what do we do while we wait? I used to sing a song to my children and now to my grandchildren about this very thing. “You’ve gotta wait, wait, wait patiently. You’ve gotta wait, wait, wait patiently. You’ve gotta wait, wait, wait patiently until it’s your turn.”
During the times of waiting, we have to learn to wait for our time. Our time when God works His plan – His miracle – His solution. And while we wait, we must keep sowing, keep showing up, keep loving, serving, praying, and forgiving. Not in our own strength, but through the Spirit who renews us day by day. When weariness presses heavily, we lean on His promise: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Do no let the enemy of your soul convince you that your efforts don’t matter. They do. God sees. He remembers. And He promises a harvest. Keep going. The story isn’t finished yet.
Prayer:
Lord, when I feel tired of doing good, remind me that You see my efforts even when others don’t. Help me not to give up, but to keep sowing in faith, trusting that in Your perfect timing, a harvest will come. Amen.
Held in His Hands
There are days when life feels steady, predictable, and peaceful, and then there are days when everything feels just a little too heavy. Our hearts get stretched. Our minds grow tired. Our spirits long for a reminder that we are not carrying life alone.
Holidays are often a culprit in bringing us to a point of desperation. Loss and loneliness contribute deeply to the inability to pull ourselves out of the heaviness.
Scripture gives us one of the most comforting truths: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” — Deuteronomy 33:27
The everlasting arms — not temporary, not conditional, not distant. Everlasting. Always present. Always strong. Always steady.
Sometimes we forget that we are held. We forget that God’s hands didn’t drop us when life got hard. We forget that He is still the One holding every detail, every moment, and every heartache together.
Yesterday, while enjoying family and friends, I found myself drifting into places that brought tremendous sadness. The thoughts seemed to cripple me, and the weight of pain tried to overcome me.
When things feel too heavy, it’s not because God stepped back — it’s because He’s inviting us to lean in. To rest. To trust. To let Him carry what we were never meant to hold alone.
Think about how a parent scoops up a weary child. The child doesn’t earn rest. They don’t explain themselves. They don’t have to be strong or put together. They simply let themselves be held.
That’s what God is asking of us. He knows the pressure you’re under. He knows the prayers you pray in the quiet. He knows the people you love and the burdens you carry. He knows the memories you hold and the pain you don’t often say out loud.
And He whispers, “Come to Me. Let Me hold you.”
Even when you feel overwhelmed, God is not.
Even when you feel unsteady, God is sure.
Even when the future feels uncertain, God has already gone before you.
Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is simply stop… breathe… and fall into those everlasting arms. Let Him be your refuge today. Let Him carry the weight. Let Him strengthen what feels weak. Let Him remind you that you are never, ever walking alone.
Because even when life feels too big, you are safe in the hands of a God who never lets go.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for holding me with everlasting arms. When I feel overwhelmed, remind me that I am not carrying life alone. Help me rest in Your strength, trust in Your timing, and find peace in Your presence. Hold my heart steady today. Amen.
notesbynora 