Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

It is not pleasant to be around someone who brags. Who wants to listen to a person who is constantly speaking pridefully about themselves? But nowadays it's hard to escape it.  You don't even have to be with someone to hear their boasts. All you need to do is look at Facebook, or Twitter, or any of the popular social networking sites.

Recently I have been reminded by a number of people that "God's got this!" No matter what the circumstances, no matter how big or small, no matter how impossible or hopeless - God's got it under control. What a comforting thought to carry through the day. There is no need to panic or rack your brain to devise a complicated plan. In God's way and time He will take care of it. Unfortunately, trusting God is not the human way of doing things.

These powerful words were spoken by George Mueller, a great man of prayer. He is known for the many orphanages that he started in England. Throughout his amazing ministry he never asked anyone for financial support and never went into debt. Early on he decided not to take a salary for his work, but to trust the Lord to supply all his needs.

What do you do when facing a troubling situation? Often our natural reactions are to panic, to complain, or to strive to fix the problem. It is not common to enter into the trial with cheerfulness and confidence, but that is what the Apostle Paul did. Having taken three missionary journeys across great portions of the world, Paul returned to Jerusalem. He entered the temple where he went through the typical rituals of purification to fulfill a vow. While waiting for the final sacrifice, some men from Asia began to stir up a crowd against him.

This God-Fact overwhelmed me yesterday.  I have been taxing my brain about colors ever since my long-overdue decision to paint the bedrooms. As I sought to choose the perfect palette for each area, my head spun with decisions and I again confirmed my suspicions that home decorating is not one of my natural talents. That is why I reveled in God's artistic abilities early this morning.

One way to live a life of confidence is by seeking to maintain a clear conscience. There is nothing that makes you stand straighter and look someone right in the eyes than when you know you have done things the right way. Great Grandma used to say that you can't stop people from saying things about you, but you can live in such a way that no one will believe they are true.