365 Reflections

Life can seem like God has left. But He never really has. The Psalmist cries out the words many of us have said at some point: Psalm 22:1 (ESV) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? When we feel distant from God, we need to remember the deception of our feelings. Truth is greater. The interesting thing about Psalm 22 is that the despair lasts for 2 verses! The third verse has him turning to the greatness of His God. Psalm 22:3 (ESV) Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. He recounts how those who trusted Him were delivered. And so it shall be with you and I. Following the Lord is not a cakewalk, but it is not a plank walk either! We do not lose hope, "though outwardly we waste away yet inwardly we are renewed day by day." Some commentators suppose Psalm 22 to be two Psalms combined into one because of the cry of dereliction in the beginning and the hope and confidence in t...

If you want to last in the work of God you are going to have to learn to handle conflict. Maybe it was the Jerusalem council that wore on their nerves. Perhaps the hours of endless preaching and raising up leaders in every city where they travelled. For whatever reason Paul and Barnabas got into a very heated dispute over John Mark... Acts 15:36–41 (ESV) And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, str...