We can easily feel down or discouraged when we try our best to plan something and it doesn’t go the way we wanted it to or not a lot of people have shown interest. Timothy had a similar feeling when he thought he was too young to work with the mature elders of the church. Paul encourages Timothy that through the Spirit we are empowered to minister with Christ. God is not looking for perfection but for our participation. In Christ, we already have every good and perfect thing we need.

Giving into desires fore can fuel an appetite for greed, that will never be satisfied. In Christ, we receive every blessing we need for a life of contentment.

From social issues to personal problems to natural calamities, there’s not a day that we don’t hear bad news. We ask, where is God when the worst could happen? In a broken world, remain in the truth that you are never alone. Jesus knows who you are and he fully knows what you are going through. He is always here with us, surrounding us with love and light even when everything else seems broken and dark.

If you like doing jigsaw puzzles, there is no greater satisfaction than putting in the one last piece that completes the puzzle. But what happens when that last piece is lost? A similar story in the book of Luke talks about a woman who lost her coin and looked insistently until she found it. Just like the woman, God will continue to seek us until we are found and back in his everlasting arms.

“Forgive and forget”, is a lot easier said than done. In Jesus, we have a reconciler who carries us through the process of restoring relationships.

“Don’t settle for less!” A phrase that we usually hear when we try to aim for the best. But the question is, are we settling for what we think is best for us? Or do we entirely trust the One who has created everything in existence? Jeremiah tells us that Christ is the fountain of living water. The water from which all blessings flow. The water that quenches every thirst. If you ever think that you’re not living the best of life, know that in Christ we have every spiritual blessing. 

We’ve all had the experience of forgetting something important at home. Everything can get chaotic when we’re preoccupied thinking about the pile of tasks and deadlines that we still have and want to do. King David reminds us that if we ever feel buried in problems we have an awesome God who will carry us out of that pit and restore us with his everlasting love and compassion.

Have you ever experienced where you were the only one headed in the opposite direction where everyone else was going to? Our journey could be like that sometimes when we are confused, lost, or afraid. Because we have Jesus, we don’t have to worry about tomorrow and completely trust him where he leads us next.

If you’ve never seen a tree, it would be very difficult to comprehend what it is even if it was described to you. Similar to this illustration, Jesus reveals to us who the Father, Son, and Spirit truly is. Even when we cannot fully grasp what is happening in our reality, let us continue to live with faith in Christ and experience his full glory.

What treasures or valuables do you work to keep safe? Jewelry from a grandparent? Your dream car or home? Or the latest smartphone with all the bells and whistles? Whatever it may be, these things can easily become our idols and distract us from what is important. In Colossians, Paul tells us that we never have to fear losing the true treasure—Christ. The treasure of having a relationship with Jesus is beyond any worldly desire.