As you think about your own life, what type of person are you right now, and what type of person do you want to be? I know correction is not always an easy pill to swallow, but it’s better to struggle with swallowing the pill than to be declared stupid. As I said earlier, rarely has that word ever been used in a positive light.

“Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity.” – Rick Rigsby

Since the Fall of Man in the Book of Genesis, our world has become replete with all kinds of foul and evil deeds. The limits of sin are only the limits of human imagination. And with our propensity to do wrong comes temptation, the temptation to commit new sins or to return to something familiar.

Jesus experienced temptation in the desert when Satan tested Him and even offered Him all the kingdoms of the Earth. Job was tempted by his wife to curse God. And Joseph was tempted by the pharaoh’s wife to commit infidelity. What does temptation offer you?

So many of us long to grow in our trust in the Lord. It does not always come easily to us. When difficulties and unknowns surround us, our minds can race, and our hearts can pound. However, there is peace waiting for us at all times found in the Holy Spirit. One of the fruits that He offers in our lives is peace. When we are afraid, we are invited to put our trust in God. Notice the action word put. We don’t simply trust; we have to actively choose to trust. We have to fight to make a decision to rely on Him and not ourselves.

The image of God given to us through Scripture illustrates an ever-pursuant and always-loving deity. If neither mortality, time nor sin can separate us from His love, then who or what possesses such an ability? The answer is nothing. Why do we find ourselves time and time questioning that love? We ask, “Where are you in this?” or “Why haven’t things changed?” because we genuinely feel abandoned. We feel separated from our father, much like the prodigal son was from his own.

Today, we face the constant temptation of mixing our yes and no, all in an effort not to offend, get along, and make peace. We strive to stay on everyone's good side and stray away from saying anything that would be considered "judging." Not only does Scripture make judgments and call us to do the same, but Scripture admonishes us to make honest judgments. We call a spade a spade, a woman a woman, and nothing in between. God's word says that "Lying lips are detestable to the Lord" and that "faithful people are his delight"

Sometimes the Lord's provision comes through wisdom, knowledge, abilities, and skill to do specific tasks. In Exodus 35:31-33 God chose a man named Bezalel and Oholiab to be an artisan to help build the tabernacle. Other times, the Lord provides day-by-day, as He did to the Israelites as they were in the desert. Deuteronomy 8:1-6 encapsulates God's provisions by reminding the Israelites that He provided manna for food and kept their shoes and clothing from wearing out. If we are honest, we don't always like the way God provides. We want to be comfortable and have extra, but if your needs are met today, God is providing! The pioneer missionary and founder of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor, said, "Depend on it. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterward, and He much prefers doing so."

I want my life to make sense and be ordered and arranged, with my day running according to my own plans. If there is to be a twist, hurdle, or anything unforeseen, I would like to see it coming a mile away to have adequate time to prepare myself. After all, complications are less frustrating or upsetting when we can manage them away. Am I alone in this? You may have noticed life doesn’t work this way. And more to the point, God rarely works this way. Throughout Scripture the people of God often find themselves engaging in the unexpected and the unplanned. God’s presence cannot be managed or controlled, and because of this, we sometimes find ourselves facing that which we would never have conceived.

Though you and I don’t know one another, we and many others living in America likely share a similar fear, especially today. One of the most relatable fears known to man is not having enough money. While Scripture admonishes us not to love money, the world reminds us how much we need it. The love of money is the root of many evils, but the lack thereof is the cause of much anxiety. Money keeps the lights on, food on the table, and a roof over our heads. We work to make money, hoping to provide ourselves with essentials and non-essentials. At the same time, we try to maintain our faith in God. We remind ourselves that money comes and goes, but He does not. Especially when the flow of our finances goes out more than coming in week to week, month to month, and sometimes year to year.

Intimacy is something that each of our souls deeply desires. Intimacy is defined as close familiarity or friendship; closeness. Intimacy in marriage includes physical acts of intimacy, but we yearn for intimacy in every close relationship we have in our lives. Our longing for closeness is a part of our design. In Psalm 63 it is articulated this way, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” We long to be close to our maker! We are created for relationships.

What defines your life? How do others see you? What sets you apart in the world? How would others describe your witness in the world? Do those around you know you’re a Christian? Sadly many Christians carry their Salvation in their heart, holding it silently within, not saying or doing anything to reveal God’s love to others. Content on loving God themselves, they find it difficult to love those around them.