Faith Archives - Page 4 of 14 - Tabetha’s Devotions

May 14, 2018

I Am Free!

Colossians 3:13-14
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

On the way in to work this morning, I was having a chat with God. I am struggling with how to resolve a relationship issue I have with a couple of people in my life. I got my usual answer of “Be still, Tabetha and let me do my thing!” Then I got a startling reminder of my adventure through a twelve step program.

Yes, I once went through a twelve step program. It doesn’t matter if you are an overeater, alcoholic, gambler or porn addict, addiction is addiction and the twelve steps do help. I can even say that if you are just struggling with life the twelve steps help.

Anyway, back to my conversation with God!

He reminded me of a very important piece to the program or at least to a couple of the steps. Steps 8 and 9 are what most people refer to as the make amends steps. They state:

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Now, let me state right now, YES these steps are difficult! However, as God reminded me today they are even harder when you are seeking recognition from the other person. Someone once put it to me like this… “We are only responsible for our side of the street.”

This means, that I am responsible for MY forgiving and MY being sorry for my part in my relationship. I cannot expect forgiveness from them, nor can I expect an apology. More importantly, once I have given my forgiveness and apology I am FREE! I don’t have to carry around the guilt or anger any more. If the relationship does not mend, it is OK. I did what I needed to do. I can walk away a free woman.

LORD, I know it is my responsibility to forgive other people when they sin against me, so YOU will also forgive me (Matthew 6:14). Help me to move on LORD, knowing that I have done what you asked and I am free.

May 9, 2018

I Will Be Strong Tomorrow, but Not Right Now

1 Corinthians 12:9
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

I remember my brother’s funeral like it was yesterday, instead of 23 years ago. I remember standing tall and stiff. I remember saying over and over again, “I am an army wife. I must be strong. I cannot cry. I have to support my mom and dad.”

It was a very difficult day for all of us. My brother had been taken away in a very brutal way and much too young. He left a wife and two beautiful daughters behind.

No one ever wants to get a phone call saying your loved one is dead. I can’t explain how hard it is to hear the person on the other end of the phone tell you they were murdered.

For me, it was like the wind was knocked out of me and at the same time the world just stopped spinning and fell away. I couldn’t feel my body at all. I remember having my newborn in my arms and my friend quickly grabbing her then turning to me and setting me down on the couch.

It was in that very moment, I knew without God, I wasn’t even going to be able to take my next breath. I had no strength for anything.

At the time, I lived 12 hours away, but I don’t even remember the drive home.

When I reached my parents house and saw my parents faces, I could only mutter a quick prayer of “God, get us through this!”

The voice I heard came back with, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I knew from that moment on, it was not going to be easy. I was going to be very hard. The days to come would even seem impossible to get through at times. However, I knew I was going to get through them. I knew God was going to go through them for me.

Yes, you read that last statement correctly. He was going to get through them for me and not just with me. He had already been down that road watching a group of people murder His son. He knew the pain I was going through.

In one of my weakest hours, he was my strength. It wasn’t easy at all, but there was hope for the sun to shine again. That is what got me through. Everything was going to be OK, just not right now. And that was OK too.

May 7, 2018

I Need A Hero!

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

I don’t care if you are Team Marvel or Team DC. In this day and age, we are all looking for a superhero! There is so much destruction around us. You can’t turn on the TV, read a newspaper of even check your social media without being pounded with bad news from around the world.

I woke up this morning and in my devotion I stumbled up the Isiah 1:17. As I read this verse, Do Something from Matthew West popped into my head.

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now, thought
How’d we ever get so far down, and
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, yeah, I created you” (now listen)

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something, yeah
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
Oh, it’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

I laughed because I couldn’t help but look in the mirror and see my lightening bolt across my chest (Yes, I am Team DC, but I still love me some Marvel)! I quickly put my hands on my hips and recited “God created me!”

I don’t need to look for a hero. God created me. Not only that he armed me!

I recently heard a lady tell a room full of women, “Jesus is our shield and our rock! We can defend off those pesky little darts Satan is throwing at us. But don’t you ever forget you also have a ROCK to throw right back at him!”

So, go ahead! Take the Superhero Stance! Recite after me! “I am a Superhero! God created ME!”

May 2, 2018

Fight to Fly

1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

No one likes pain and struggles. But what is the alternative?

How many times have you read a book or saw a movie with that spoiled rotten person who was handed everything. He never worked a day in his life. He never faced any consequences for any of his actions. He just lives to enjoy himself no matter what the cost or who he hurts.

You are probably scowling right now just thinking about it. You may even no someone in real life like that.

News Flash! That is the alternative!

You are the product of all your actions and reactions. You learn and grow through your struggles.

We are very much like the caterpillar. What would happen if it just continued to lay around and eat or crawled into the cocoon and stayed asleep? It would never learn to fly!

April 30, 2018

I. Can’t. Do. It!

Jeremiah 17:7
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

I. Can’t. Do. It! I stomped my feet and told the Lord! I am not capable. I don’t have the will power. I am too old. I can’t try again. I can’t go through this again. I won’t do it because I. Can’t. Do. It!

What was God’s reply? I know you can’t! But I can!

I have no confidence in me and my abilities. I don’t have the strength to do many things in my life. That is OK. I don’t have to have confidence in me. I have to have confidence in God. I must learn to rely on his strength.

Need some more proof? Here are a few more verses in the bible to convince you.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Psalm 119:28

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10

Buy those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Psalm 22:19

So, no I can’t do it! But God can! i just have to have confidence in him and rely on his strength to get me through.

April 27, 2018

Filled With Hate, But I Must Wait

Lamentations 3:26
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

Ever find yourself in a conversation and you are ready! You are poised! You have a million things you want to spew out of your mouth like Mount St. Helen!

You feel every word of it is true and valid. Sure, they are laced with meanness, spite, hate and maybe a little vengeance. But it is justified right?! You have been hurt, wronged and you deserve to retaliate.

Then that small, still voice whispers in your ear.

“Don’t do it. I know you are hurt. I know they wronged you. By the world’s view, you have every right to retaliate. But this is my fight, not yours. I want you to be still before me and wait patiently; do not fret that they succeed in their ways, when they carried out their wicked schemes” (Psalms 37:7).

I find myself in that situation today. Believe me, it has taken some extra strength Holy Spirit duct tape to close this mouth. I can also tell you the only way I am getting through this is repeating over and over and over again Lamentations 3:26, “it is good to wait quietly. For the salvation of the Lord.”

When that burn inside starts to churn and I feel all those words wanting to blow, I close my eyes and through gritted teeth, I repeat the verse. I pray. I tell God, I am stepping back and trying to wait quietly for you to save me.

I would love to be able to end this post with a beautiful rainbow and unicorn scene. Tell you it became easier and easier and now I am not even thinking of the person or the hurt they brought to my life.

But, I can’t.

The truth is, I am still in the middle of this battle. I am fighting! I am not going to give up! But, I am still in the middle.

If you are in the middle of a battle right now, I would love to link arms and pray with you. We can wait together quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

April 25, 2018

Yes, I Can!

Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Today is going to be short and sweet! I am combining two verses in the bible that pretty much sum up my life right now.

Psalms 37:7
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

We all know being still is NOT an easy job. Some people even try to say it is being a “woosie!” Those people have no idea how much strength it takes to just sit back and wait.

So, when God puts me in those holding patterns I have devised a little plan. I simply repeat the second verse I want to bring up today.

Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Yep! I can even be a conqueror at waiting!

This is normally where I would pump my fist in the air and say, “Bring it on!” However, I would much rather just take it on as it happens.

I may be a conqueror over impatience through Christ, but I would still prefer to not have to test that theory anymore than I have to.

April 23, 2018

Four Little Words

1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

I love these two verses. Well, I love most of these two verses. There are four little words that trip me up all the time!

At. The. Proper. Time!

Some versions say in the due time. I don’t care how you say it. It still means I have to be patient and that is NOT easy!

But I am getting better at it because I have learned the value of verse 7. Casting all my cares on him. One of my cares is I can’t wait. Sometimes it is because I am so excited and other times it is because I am frightened. Either way, I am like a kid waiting for Santa to place those gifts under my tree so I can open them up right now!

Do you know something awesome? God already knows this about me and he loves me just where I am. He knows I get anxious and he gently guides me through waiting spots in my life. I know I can always cast any cares on him and leave them there with him and he will take care of them because he cares about me.

April 20, 2018

Oh The Places You Will Go!

Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.

This time of year means graduations. A popular gift is a simple book written by Dr. Seuss.

I found a great website that recommends some great bible verses to add to your gift:

Oh The Places You’ll Go with bible verses.

I don’t think this book is only for graduates. There are so many times in life where we take an unexpected turn. We find ourselves on a road we never imagined. It is in these times we can throw a fit and fight change or we can relax in God and enjoy the ride.

I am not suggesting there won’t be hills and bumps. I am saying change has a reason. The sooner we stop fighting it, the sooner we start learning from it.

April 18, 2018

The LORD’s Great Love

Leviticus 3:22-23
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Days turn into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. Some seasons we go through are down right tough. But we must always rememer that the LORD’s great love for us is what sees us through any stormy sea.

Tonight I would like to just pray for you just as Paul did over the Ephisians.

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephisians 3:14-21).

Tag: Faith

I Am Free!

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I Will Be Strong Tomorrow, but Not Right Now

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I Need A Hero!

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Fight to Fly

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I. Can’t. Do. It!

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Filled With Hate, But I Must Wait

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Yes, I Can!

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Four Little Words

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Oh The Places You Will Go!

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The LORD’s Great Love

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