Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

There are many reasons that God allows trials into our lives. Sometimes we suffer because we or someone else has sinned, but that is not always the case. We know from the Bible that Christians will suffer painful trials on this earth as a result of being a child of God. When we identify ourselves with Christ, there will be times when we will be misunderstood and mistreated just as He was. Difficulties also sharpen us and help us to grow in our faith. But there is another reason that we may suffer.

The summer heat always makes me think of county fairs and 4-H animals. In the past we have spent many sultry evenings exercising pigs and walking goats, sheep, and even a steer. What a spectacle our family has made as we have strolled down our country road leading our goats and sheep on leashes like most people would walk a dog.

God never forgets His children. It is such a comfort to know that our all-sufficient God knows our name, sees us wherever we are, and has the desire and power to meet all our needs. He delights to comfort, protect, and provide for those who are His. We never need to feel afraid.

What do you do when you are waiting? There are often times when we must wait for things we want to happen. Opportunities don't always open immediately and people don't always show up on time. Waiting is a big part of the human experience.

Have you ever been so tired that your legs just ache? In my recent attempts to get back into physical shape, the reward for my exercising has been aching muscles. Emily encouraged me with the reminder that soreness is good because it tells you your body is growing stronger. But there is another kind of ache and exhaustion. It comes from an anxious and weary heart.

What will people learn about you when you die? Those who don't know you will make suppositions about who you were by what you leave behind. I have learned that estate auctions tell all. Working for an auction company, we very often deal with estates. Someone will call our office to inform us of the death of a family member or friend and employ our services to come to take care of the "stuff" they have left behind. Depending on the situation our team will spend days, or even weeks, going through the deceased person's home, organizing the items that will sell at auction, discarding the trash, and donating clothing and other such items to charities. It is truly amazing what you can learn about someone just by looking at their belongings.