The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

—Colossians 4:6

A meal may be just as nourishing with or without salt, but it won’t be very palatable if it isn’t flavorful. Some people may not even eat it without salt, rendering it useless.

The same is true of our words. If we speak truth in a hurtful way, others may not receive it. But when we work to season our words with grace, people are far more likely to take that truth into their hearts and be nourished by it.

When something difficult needs to be said, we ought to be “slow to speak” (James 1:19) and consider whether we can respond with grace.

We take a pause, check in with the Holy Spirit, say a prayer (or several!) and evaluate our hearts and what we want to say to make sure it is both true and Christlike.

We take that pause even if it creates an awkward silence, even if it means we lose a fight, and even if it means we never get to make that really great point.

After this, if we find our words cannot be spoken with grace, we should step back from the interaction. We may be able to come back later and reply with grace, but sometimes, it’s not for us to respond at all, and we will benefit from the lesson in “taming the tongue” (James 3:1–12).

Difficult words are much more likely to be heard when they are spoken kindly in love.

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. Some people have strayed from these things and have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.”

—1 Timothy 1:5–7

Many Christian leaders seem more interested in proving themselves right than in discipling souls, but we should all be more interested in transforming hearts than we are in satisfying pride.

So before we speak instruction, let’s ask ourselves a few questions.

Are we speaking from love? Is it from a sincere desire to help the other person, or do we feel disdain for them even as we speak?

Do we have a pure heart and a good conscience? Is there some secret sin we haven’t confessed, some area we haven’t submitted to God, or some work of the Lord we’re resisting? If so, it’s better to stay silent until we’ve given the Lord full rein in our lives.

Do we have a sincere faith not only speaking but also living out the Lord’s instructions?

Could the conversation fall into the category of fruitless discussion? Will the outcome have an impact in the eternal kingdom of God, or are we just trying to prove a point without the wisdom of the Holy Spirit?

Asking these questions would prompt thoughtful, kind discussion rather than heated debates that spark division. It would nurture a chance at becoming the body of Christ working in unity and loving one another fervently as we’re charged in the Bible.

Before giving instruction, we should always look for purity and sincerity in our hearts, our conscience, and our faith.

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable.”

—Isaiah 40:28

The Lord is forever; he knows everything from the beginning of time to the end. He made everything and knows all the inner workings of the world. More importantly, he knows each person he created. He never tires, and all the books in the world could not contain his wisdom.

Do we know this? We have heard it, but do we live like we believe it? Have we taken the knowledge into our lives as if we’re confident in it?

What does it mean for our daily life?

It means we can trust his guidance. We don’t have to worry if he’s capable of taking care of us or not. We don’t have to worry whether he’s taken a break or has stopped paying attention. He sees us.

It means that whatever we think we know is like a newborn baby’s knowledge compared to his. We don’t have to stress about what the best decision is. We only have to trust his unsearchable understanding, seek his wisdom (James 1:5), and follow him. Our wisdom has limits, but his does not. We will grow tired, but he will not.

And as a good father leads and cares for his children, our heavenly Father will lead and care for us. We can trust that his heart is for us, not against us (Psalm 56:9; Romans 8:31).

In infinite trust, we can walk beside him without the fear of man or this world’s troubles.

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

—Hebrews 10:23

A promise is only as good as the character of the person who makes it. If someone is unreliable or has ill–will toward us, we’re not going to have much hope in their promises, no matter how wonderful they might sound.

But we believe a promise that comes from someone who not only has the power to keep it but who loves us and intends good for us.

Often, when we begin to doubt God’s promises and our hope begins to falter, what we really need to address is how well we know the Lord. Have we begun to believe the seeds of mistrust, pride, and selfishness Satan has been sewing in our minds since the beginning (Genesis 3:1–5)? Have we begun to doubt whether God really means good for us as he says in Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28? Have we begun to doubt whether God is really good in and of himself as it says in Psalm 34:8 and Psalm 106:1? Have we begun to doubt God’s omnipotence as spoken of in Mark 4:41 and Romans 1:20?

We could provide verse after verse discussing each of these attributes in our God. He is all–powerful, he is holy, he cannot lie, and he loves us with an everlasting love.

When our hope begins to wane, we need to spend some time basking in who God is, because confidence in the Promise–Giver brings confidence in the promise. He is faithful.

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.”

—James 5:17

We think Elijah was somehow supernaturally spiritual, but this verse says he had “a nature like ours.”

In 1 Kings 19:3–4, Elijah runs away from Jezebel’s threat, fearing for his life. Then he sits down and essentially says, “I’ve had enough, God. Just let me die!”

Elijah had just defeated the prophets of Baal by calling down fire from heaven through his prayers, and this is after his prayer to stop the rain had been answered. You would think his faith would’ve been bolstered by these events, yet he’s still frightened, discouraged, and ready to give up.

This is just a man like us.

We may, at times, become so discouraged, tired, and afraid that we ask God to just kill us, or perhaps, like Job, we simply wish we’d never been born (Job 10:19).

We may see God work in miraculous ways, and yet be fearful at each new trouble, but our prayers are still heard when we’re obedient to what the Lord has called us to do.

God wasn’t harsh with Elijah because of his response but sent an angel to minister to him, saying, “Arise, eat; because the journey is too long for you” (1 Kings 19:7).

The Lord gave Elijah a task knowing it was too long and that Elijah was incapable, then provided what was needed in order to accomplish it, even in the midst of Elijah’s pity party.

God will come alongside where he calls us; we’re to remember the victories he’s given us in the past and pray, because prayer changes things (James 5:16).

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

—1 Timothy 6:11–12

Following Christ is active. It requires fleeing the love of money, the cravings of this world (1 Timothy 6:9–10), the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). It requires resisting the devil and submitting to God (James 4:7). It requires pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness, and all other fruits of the Spirit.

It requires putting on the armor of God so when temptation comes, we’re ready to resist with the truth (Ephesians 6:10–18) and fight the fight of faith despite an enemy who wants to knock our confidence in God out of us at every turn.

None of this is mere accident. Just as none of us will become proficient at the piano by looking over a piano score each morning, we will not build a strong faith by reading a few verses. We must put our hands to the keys over and over—be in the Word, spend time in prayer, and intentionally implement that Word in our lives, thoughts, and actions—before it will become fruitful, consistent, and natural in our actions and everyday lives. 

Our spirit is often willing, but our flesh is weak, just as many wish they could play the piano but never put in the effort and discipline.

Following Christ requires we discipline our flesh in order to become strong in practicing our faith. Running the race with endurance requires training (1 Corinthians 9:24–27).

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when it went to find its rest.” 

—Jeremiah 31:2

We have survived the sword—the slavery of our own sin and unrighteousness—through Christ’s sacrifice. 

We have headed into his grace, but perhaps it hasn’t yet taken us where we hoped to be. 

We went out of Egypt thinking we would find rest, and so far, we only see emptiness in every direction. We’re wandering in the wilderness without any apparent means of survival.

We mistakenly believed that as soon as we left Egypt, we would have everything we ever wanted, but while we’re in this world, we live in the wilderness between slavery and rest.

It’s not comfortable. It’s not home. It’s not easy.

Our rest isn’t complete until we reach eternity, but we are headed there. The Lord has promised it, and only by relying on and following him will we reach our destination. 

In forty years of wandering, neither the clothing nor the sandals of the Israelites wore out (Deuteronomy 29:5). When there was no food and no water, he provided manna from heaven every day and water from the rock (Nehemiah 9:15). His provision was not the fanciest new clothes nor the finest foods and wine, but they had what they needed, and most importantly, they had HIM.

He led them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; he never left them (Exodus 13:21–22).

When the wilderness looks, to the human eye, devoid of all we need, may we remember that, for now, we’re still traveling in the wilderness on the way to our rest, but we have a heavenly Father who knows the way and has made full provision for our journey.

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

—Philippians 4:13

This is one of the most known, loved, and shared verses in the Bible, but it’s almost always taken to mean something that it doesn’t mean.

We say it when we have that job interview, that ball game, that cancer treatment.

“I can do all things!” 

“I can get the job.” 

“I can win the game.” 

“I can beat the cancer.”

And that may be the Lord’s will for us. But that’s not what this verse means.

The previous verses are, “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” (Philippians 4:11–12).

These are the things Paul is saying we can do. We can be content even when we don’t get the job, win the game, or beat the cancer, because our hope lies in something that will matter long after all that is over.

Christ has overcome this world not by saying we will always win or be successful or have it easy right now but by giving us a way to live with him forever beyond the here and now. This world is not our home, and nothing that can happen in this world is the end of hope for believers.

We can suffer failure, loss, and hunger yet still have hope, knowing Christ has already accomplished the ultimate overcoming.

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The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

—Philippians 4:8

This verse is sandwiched between two others about having the peace of God, and I’m pretty sure that’s not an accident.

Even secular studies have revealed that focusing on the things we’re grateful for is beneficial for long–term mental health, while focusing on the negative things in our lives only brings inner turmoil.

It’s human nature for the bad to outweigh the good in our minds. We let ten bad minutes ruin our whole day or one negative comment outweigh seven good ones. This is called “negativity bias,” and it’s not good for us. It gives the bad more power over us than the good and gives Satan a place to sow anger and bitterness in our hearts (Ephesians 4:27; Hebrews 12:15).

God knows that it’s better for us to spend our time considering the good things and to let them overshadow the bad in our hearts and minds, bringing his peace. This doesn’t mean we pretend the bad doesn’t happen or that it doesn’t affect us, but it does mean we don’t let it control us or our faith in the Lord.

When our negative thoughts are taking control in our minds, it’s good to ask ourselves, “What is true in my life today? What is honorable? What is right, pure, lovely, and commendable?”

If we’re going to have anything on repeat in our minds, it needs to be these things.

We focus on them and let the peace of God rule in our hearts.

The post JUNE 24-Think on These Things appeared first on C. E. White.

The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

—Ephesians 4:31–32

We can probably look at this list and determine which direction we trend.

It’s easy to be bitter, wrathful, angry, and slanderous. Those things arise from our desires, our ideas of what is right and fair, and what we believe we deserve.

But kindness, compassion, and forgiveness can only be achieved by abiding in Jesus Christ. They don’t come naturally and will not happen without us putting firm intention into living them out.

This requires thoughtful response rather than impulsive reaction. It requires dealing with hurts by loving our enemies rather than simply expecting not to be wronged.

Many situations in this world could make us bitter and angry, but we’re called to live in kindness and forgiveness regardless. If we’re living this way when nothing happens to be bothering us, there is no reward (Matthew 5:46). We’re to do it in the midst of chaos, injustice, and pain, just as Jesus did.

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Jesus said this while still in the throes of a torturous death.

To us, it looks very much like those people knew what they were doing, but Jesus knew they were deceived.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12); those who we feel deserve our bitterness and wrath are blinded by those powers.

We’re to be kind and forgiving and not let our hearts be hardened. Our compassionate forgiveness can show others the power and love of Christ.

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