“Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” (Matthew 4:11)

Most people avoid it. Some find it uncomfortable. Others consider it a form of rejection. But for the Christian, there should be no fear of being alone, as these are the moments God speaks to us the most.

Jesus made a habit of separating himself from the voices of others. He treasured the silence. As a matter of fact, he was immediately led to the desert following his baptism. He was alone for 40 days and nights, fasting and praying just as his ministry to others was in its infant stages.

Satan tried every trick in the book to derail Jesus, preying on his weakened state, but to no avail. But then an interesting thing happens. Satan finally gives up. Matthew says it like this. (Matthew 4:11 NIV) “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

No doubt Jesus was stronger because of the time spent alone with God. He was able to fight off the devil before the angels came to assist him. He expected the fight, and was ready for it.

This is what I crave in my own spiritual life. I want nothing more than to send Satan running and for angels to then attend to me and give me strength. In order for this to happen, I believe that sometimes, all the people in my life must be stripped away for a season.

Relocation. The loss of a job. A new school. A family situation no one else can relate to. The words of a doctor that change your life with a simple test result. All of these leave us alone, with no one else to call on but God himself.   He is okay with this, and we should be as well. If we learn to embrace the alone times, we might just find ourselves strong enough to fight the battle that looms on the horizon.

Dear God,
We are not used to the silence. We don’t know quite how to handle it. We find it unsettling, as if we have been forgotten by the world. Teach us to find you in these places. Teach us to listen for your voice above all others. Send angels to attend to us, and give us the strength to make Satan flee from our lives, once and for all.
In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Question: What about being alone makes us feel uneasy?

“Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” (Psalms 119:35)

I recently took an unplanned detour. Stopping to get gas in unfamiliar territory, I found myself on a one way street heading in the opposite direction from where I needed to go. It was rush hour. The intersections were busy with preoccupied drivers, and everyone knew where they were going, except for me. Lane changes were out of the question. A series of wrong turns deepened my plight, and I soon realized there was no getting back to the exact point where I first made the wrong move.

But then I remembered my GPS. Unused and unplugged, it hid beneath the passenger’s seat, just waiting to be asked the question, “How do I get back on the right path?”

Our spiritual lives are similar to this. A few ill advised steps to the right or the left quickly turn into massive detours; unplanned and full of obstacles. But we keep moving, never recognizing how lost we are until we finally stop to look back. We no longer recognize our surroundings. Unintentionally perhaps, but because of our own choices, we left the people who once traveled with us far behind.

But just like the GPS underneath the passenger’s seat, there lies the Bible, just waiting to be asked the question, “How do I get back on the right path?”

My GPS and my Bible only point me in the right direction when I choose to use them. Many might say my Bible is filled with nothing but rules. But I know better. If I follow what it recommends, I will make fewer mistakes. I will hurt less. My family and loved ones will hurt less. My Bible tells me to embrace life; to “go, and sin no more.”

My GPS tells me to make a U-turn. Stop following this path that leads in the opposite direction from where I want to end up. “Turn around when possible,” it cautions repeatedly.

They both recognize the dangers of being lost and alone. Thank goodness.

Dear God,

Sometime I make the wrong turn. I am slow to realize what happened and why. But I thank you for never giving up on me. I thank you for creating a path just for me that will lead to eternity. I pray that you give me the strength to follow. I thank you for the Bible, our GPS systems, and for each other. All are needed for this journey.

In Jesus name, Amen

Question: Where do you turn to get your life “back on track”? What passages of God’s Word bring you comfort?

About the Author: Janet Morris Grimes

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“Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight” (Psalms 119:35).

I recently took an unplanned detour. Stopping to get gas in unfamiliar territory, I found myself on a one way street heading in the opposite direction from where I needed to go. It was rush hour. The intersections were busy with preoccupied drivers, and everyone knew where they were going, except for me. Lane changes were out of the question. A series of wrong turns deepened my plight, and I soon realized there was no getting back to the exact point where I first made the wrong move.

But then I remembered my GPS. Unused and unplugged, it hid beneath the passenger’s seat, just waiting to be asked the question, “How do I get back on the right path?”

Our spiritual lives are similar to this. A few ill advised steps to the right or the left quickly turn into massive detours; unplanned and full of obstacles. But we keep moving, never recognizing how lost we are until we finally stop to look back. We no longer recognize our surroundings. Unintentionally perhaps, but because of our own choices, we left the people who once traveled with us far behind.

But just like the GPS underneath the passenger’s seat, there lies the Bible, just waiting to be asked the question, “How do I get back on the right path?”

My GPS and my Bible only point me in the right direction when I choose to use them. Many might say my Bible is filled with nothing but rules. But I know better. If I follow what it recommends, I will make fewer mistakes. I will hurt less. My family and loved ones will hurt less. My Bible tells me to embrace life; to “go, and sin no more.”

My GPS tells me to make a U-turn. Stop following this path that leads in the opposite direction from where I want to end up. “Turn around when possible,” it cautions repeatedly.

They both recognize the dangers of being lost and alone. Thank goodness.

Dear God, sometime I make the wrong turn. I am slow to realize what happened and why. But I thank you for never giving up on me. I thank you for creating a path just for me that will lead to eternity. I pray that you give me the strength to follow. I thank you for the Bible, our GPS systems, and for each other. All are needed for this journey. In Jesus name, Amen

Questions: When we find ourselves lost and going the wrong, how can we find our way back?

About the author Janet Morris Grimes

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Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

“Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matthew 4:11).

Most people avoid it. Some find it uncomfortable. Others consider it a form of rejection. But for the Christian, there should be no fear of being alone, as these are the moments God speaks to us the most.

Jesus made a habit of separating himself from the voices of others. He treasured the silence. As a matter of fact, he was immediately led to the desert following his baptism. He was alone for 40 days and nights, fasting and praying just as his ministry to others was in its infant stages.

Satan tried every trick in the book to derail Jesus, preying on his weakened state, but to no avail. But then an interesting thing happens. Satan finally gives up. Matthew says it like this. (Matthew 4:11 NIV) “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

No doubt Jesus was stronger because of the time spent alone with God. He was able to fight off the devil before the angels came to assist him. He expected the fight, and was ready for it.

This is what I crave in my own spiritual life. I want nothing more than to send Satan running and for angels to then attend to me and give me strength. In order for this to happen, I believe that sometimes, all the people in my life must be stripped away for a season.

Relocation. The loss of a job. A new school. A family situation no one else can relate to. The words of a doctor that change your life with a simple test result. All of these leave us alone, with no one else to call on but God himself.   He is okay with this, and we should be as well. If we learn to embrace the alone times, we might just find ourselves strong enough to fight the battle that looms on the horizon.

Dear God, we are not used to the silence. We don’t know quite how to handle it. We find it unsettling, as if we have been forgotten by the world. Teach us to find you in these places. Teach us to listen for your voice above all others. Send angels to attend to us, and give us the strength to make Satan flee from our lives, once and for all. In Jesus’ name, Amen

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: I was a quiet time quitter

Questions: Do you need to spend some time alone with God? Why do we avoid being alone? What does one fear?

About the author Janet Morris Grimes

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“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4, NIV)

Have you ever played the game of Sudoku? It’s a logic puzzle that asks you to place the numbers 1 – 9 in each column and box without repeating any number. It’s challenging, intriguing and rewarding all at the same time.  The funny thing is that in order to find out where the numbers belong, you must first determine where they don’t belong. Then and only then do you find the correct answers.

Sometimes I think God works with us like that as well. We ask him for guidance, but then it seems like we get a bunch of “no – that’s not it” answers.  God understands that we are just human enough that it takes something like closing a few doors to nudge us out of our comfort zone. He has to close them to force us to take a different step, to bring us out into the open where the only choice we have is to depend on Him, and Him alone.

I can’t help but think that God is playing this game of Sudoku with us as he is creating our future. I jokingly told my boss the other day that I had given him a “two year notice,” because we believed we were getting transferred to another state (for my husband’s job with Ford) for the past two years.

For the first year, we thought we were headed to Louisville. Then there were a few months of Chicago rumors, which even led us to take a trip up there to search for housing. Then there was Kansas City, and now Dearborn, Michigan.  All of these locations have one thing in common. They are far away from everyone and every thing we have known and loved for our entire lives.

So what does this mean for us?

It means that as God is gently showing us where we don’t belong, He is also preparing us for whatever comes next. And little by little, step by step, as one door after another is closing, God is slowly leading us out into the open, where we have no choice but to depend on Him, and Him alone.

And I’m okay with that.

I suspect that it will be challenging, intriguing and rewarding all at the same time.  I want to live in the truth of Psalm 25:4, “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths.”

Dear God, we want nothing apart from your plan for our lives. Please reveal that to us clearly, and put obstacles in our path if that path is not from you. Show us where we belong, even if it means you must first show us where we do not. We lay our future in your hands.

Questions: Why do you suppose it is that sometimes God shows us where He does not want us to go before showing us where He wants us to go?  How do you respond to that?

About the author Janet Morris Grimes

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4)

Have you ever played the game of Sudoku? It’s a logic puzzle that asks you to place the numbers 1 – 9 in each column and box without repeating any number. It’s challenging, intriguing and rewarding all at the same time.  The funny thing is that in order to find out where the numbers belong, you must first determine where they don’t belong. Then and only then do you find the correct answers.

Sometimes I think God works with us like that as well. We ask him for guidance, but then it seems like we get a bunch of “no – that’s not it” answers.  God understands that we are just human enough that it takes something like closing a few doors to nudge us out of our comfort zone. He has to close them to force us to take a different step, to bring us out into the open where the only choice we have is to depend on Him, and Him alone.

I can’t help but think that God is playing this game of Sudoku with us as he is creating our future. I jokingly told my boss the other day that I had given him a “two year notice,” because we believed we were getting transferred to another state (for my husband’s job with Ford) for the past two years.

For the first year, we thought we were headed to Louisville. Then there were a few months of Chicago rumors, which even led us to take a trip up there to search for housing. Then there was Kansas City, and now Dearborn, Michigan.  All of these locations have one thing in common. They are far away from everyone and every thing we have known and loved for our entire lives.

So what does this mean for us?

It means that as God is gently showing us where we don’t belong, He is also preparing us for whatever comes next. And little by little, step by step, as one door after another is closing, God is slowly leading us out into the open, where we have no choice but to depend on Him, and Him alone.

And I’m okay with that.

I suspect that it will be challenging, intriguing and rewarding all at the same time.  I want to live in the truth of Psalm 25:4,  “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths.”

Dear God,
We want nothing apart from your plan for our lives. Please reveal that to us clearly, and put obstacles in our path if that path is not from you. Show us where we belong, even if it means you must first show us where we do not. We lay our future in your hands, and please give us the strength to leave it there.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Question: How do we know what God’s will is for our lives?

About this Author: Janet Morris Grimes

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Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

“But the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied” (Proverbs 13:4, NIV).

Life sometimes has a way of clouding our vision and keeping us in a fog. Day to day survival requires hard work, sometimes with a job or an environment that steals our joy. We hear stories of others chasing their dreams and becoming wildly successful while our own dreams fall silent.

Our deepest desire may be to get out of debt, to lose weight, to control our temper, or reunite with estranged friends or family, but there are no quick fixes. We quickly learn that our dragons are not easily slain.

Sometimes we wonder why it matters. Are we making a difference after all? The finish line to this particular path is so far in the distance, we consider it unattainable.  It is important to recognize that it takes a long term commitment to make permanent changes in our lifestyle. Diligence brings perseverance, as well as a host of other rewards that are well worth the wait.

Changes are made one step at a time, one day at a time and one minute at a time. By showing up each day, we prove to God that we are diligent, that we trust that He is leading us. Even better, we prove that we are willing to follow.

Dear God, show us where you are in the midst of our current trials. We want you to be a part of every facet of our lives. We long to honor you with our choices, and live the abundant life you promised. But today, we see no signs of abundance. If you promise to lead us from here to there, we promise to follow.   In Jesus name, Amen

Questions: Are you feeling discouraged and wondering if what you are doing really matters? Tell us about it. What do you consider should be your first step to help improve your situation?

About the author Janet Morris Grimes

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Sometimes, you come across a moment so powerful, so potentially life-changing, you have no choice but to let it simmer; taking time to replay it in your mind, letting it sink in to absorb as much as the memory as possible.

It is as if you are aware of some sort of predestination to be at that place, at that precise time, with that particular group of people. Moments such as these are known as “Chairos” moments, defined as the “right time” for something to happen. These moments make it clear that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves.

We are following a path carved out before us, and our role is to simply follow it. I am grateful, further strengthened by the fact that none of it is under my control. All I can do is believe and reach higher; taking advantage of the opportunities sent my way.

This is the way God intended it to be. He wants us to let Him do the work while we rest in the “shadow of His wings.” He wants us to think bigger, take more chances, and be bold enough to go further than we ever dreamed possible.

He is never surprised by our predicaments, overwhelmed by our circumstances, nor worried about our future. He is the God of “what if?” and “why not?” With God, there are no impossibilities. No accidents. Nothing is out of reach.

Understanding that we are truly in control of nothing in our lives is the key to finding peace and rest. Follow His path, embracing each opportunity with trust and dependence on Him, and you might just learn how to fly.

Dear Father, thank you for caring more about our future than even we do. Thank you for doing what is best for us eternally, even when we can only focus on our present circumstances. Make our paths straight before us, and give us the strength to follow. Reveal your power in ways only we can understand, and teach us to rest in the fact that you always have us covered. In Jesus Name, Amen

Questions: Tell us about a moment in your life that was so powerful, so potentially life-changing that you knew God was in it. Is God asking you to do an “impossible” task? Are you embracing each opportunity with trust and dependence on Him?

About the author Janet Morris Grimes

“My chains are gone. I’ve been set free.
My God, my Savior, has ransomed me.
And like a flood, his mercy reigns.
Unending love. Amazing grace.”

I sing this to myself all throughout my daily routine, which is anything but routine. I realized that in order to feel free from my chains, I must first identify just what it was that was keeping me imprisoned. What is holding me back? What have I allowed to be a chain in my life for so long now that I barely even recognize it?

It’s odd, actually, because I think we get so used to the way we have always been, that we cling to the things that are holding us back from experiencing all that God truly wants to give us.

“You know how I am, I just have a bad temper,” or “I’m just depressed” or “I lack self confidence” or “I’m too shy.” All of these things can be true about us, but using them as an excuse to keep from trying something new means that we are embracing the very chains that keep us entrapped.

The beauty of it is that once I identify my chains, I am free to leave them at the altar. Perhaps it is me who needs to let go of them, instead of being the other way around.

It is not easy to admit my weaknesses. But I have learned through the years that if I honestly lay these things out on the table for everyone to see, then Satan has one less weapon to use on me. He cannot handle the truth, nor can he make me feel guilty for something I left at the altar long ago.

Prisoners who have been freed do not have to be reminded to walk away. They embrace their freedom, leaving the past behind them, and run to the new life that waits for them.

Because of the blood of Jesus, we are free. So, we would be wise to do the same. It is the least we can do for Him as well as ourselves.

“He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains” (Psalm 107:14).

Dear God, free us from ourselves. We do not know how to be different than the way we have always been. Show us how to let go on a daily basis, becoming less like ourselves and more like you with each step we take. It must break your heart to see us living in the prisons of our past, long after you have set us free. Show us how to let go of the chains that have become so much a part of us that we no longer recognize them for what they are. In Jesus Name, Amen

Questions: Do you feel you are in chains? Have you identified what they are?

About the author Janet Morris Grimes

Have you ever tried to watch a football from ground level? It is difficult to tell what is going on, how many yards there are to go, where the ball is, etc. The view is distorted, which is why coaches are sent to watch from the top and then communicate what is going on with those on the ground, so the sideline coaches can make better decisions.

The same is true for day to day life. Unless you take the time to go a little higher, to sit and watch from a distance, it is difficult to determine which way you are going.

Some days leave us feeling like a mouse in a maze, wondering if we are making one bad decision after another because we cannot see far enough to know where we are heading. After slamming our heads into the wall a few times, we deduct that there must be a better way.

I often wonder if God isn’t looking down on us in this way – watching what we are doing and trying to warn of obstacles that lay ahead, hoping to keep us focused, and trying to communicate with us so that we can make better decisions. During periods of uncertainty and transitions in our lives, it is difficult to know what to pray for, or even how to pray.  Sometimes, life doesn’t make much sense from down here.

At the very least, we can pray for a better view – a higher place – and enough distance to see our options more clearly. One of my favorite scriptures for times such as this is Psalm 61:2 which says, “From the ends of the earth I call to you. . . Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:2) Even Jesus had to find ways to reach higher for understanding.

Dear God,  Sometimes we wish we could sit beside you, to see what you see and know what you know. But at other times, we recognize that you are the only one who can be trusted with our future. Lead us to a place where we can see your will more clearly.  Take us to a place where we are no longer distracted by what we see in front of us and we can focus on the bigger picture. Forgive us when we struggle. Deep down, our only desire is to please you, from wherever you are watching. In Jesus Name, Amen

Question: Have you been listening for God’s warnings lately?

About this Author: Janet Morris Grimes