Tag Archives: Faith

2026: The Year of Big Prayers

As I look back over the last year and look forward to the next one, I’m reminded of how quick I am to underestimate what God can do, and how often He’s proven me wrong.

I can’t tell you how many times I saw Him do this in the past twelve months. There were times I prayed for a hope of mine to come to fruition, for a hard situation to be resolved, and for healing or a change of situation for someone in my life. In each of these, I kept trying to right-size my request and make sure I wasn’t asking too much. In theory I knew that anything was possible with God, but I regularly found myself praying for what I thought was realistic rather than what I truly hoped for (you can tell I haven’t conquered this habit yet, as this is not the first time I’ve written about this topic).

And yet, despite my doubting, in each of these situations God showed up and answered the actual desires of my heart, not the watered-down version that I gave Him.

Years ago when I was struggling a bit with my health, I thought I could only pray for healing on the small scale – God, don’t let my blood sugar get too low right now,or God, please keep me out of the hospital. I didn’t expect to get to a place where I could travel and exercise without issue, or be able to get the flu and not end up in the hospital, or be pain-free for such long stretches of time like I am now. I was praying small prayers back then, but God was answering big ones.

Plenty of times I asked God to help me find the right person – someone who would love me as Christ loves the Church, who would be a strong, kingdom-minded, spiritual leader in our home, who would be excited about joining me in what God has called me to and would be called to things that I can join him in as well. Even though I prayed for these and many more qualities in a future spouse, the temptation was always there to settle for less, because I thought I might be asking for too much. And yet, just three months from now I will get to marry the love of my life, who has been an answer to one very specific prayer after another (if you’re reading this, LJ, lova ya). I was praying big prayers, while tempted to pray smaller ones. But God was always planning on answering the big.

There were also times this year I asked God to help people in my life out of a bad – sometimes life-alteringly so – situation. In these moments, I prayed because I knew I should. But truthfully, I didn’t expect to see much, if anything, change. It seemed too difficult, too unlikely. Yet, each of those circumstances did a complete 180, thanks only to God. Once again I was praying small prayers, while God was answering big ones.

I think it’s natural to feel like we have to shrink our prayers and expectations. We’re human, and are so used to our own limitations that we forget our God is limitless. I know I have a tendency to assume that things will always stay exactly as they are; when I have one reality in front of me it’s hard to visualize any other.

It can also be hard to pray big prayers after disappointment. When we don’t get the answers we want, it feels safer to manage our expectations and not get our hopes up. When that person isn’t healed, or we lose that job, or life doesn’t look the way we wanted it to, it’s okay to feel the pain of that. God meets us in our grief just as much as He meets us in our joy. But praying smaller prayers doesn’t stop us from hurting when life is hard; it only stops us from experiencing the wonder that comes from seeing a prayer answered in supernatural specificity.

Something I need to ask myself is this: Did it seem realistic to the Israelites enslaved in Egypt that they would ever see freedom, or that Pharaoh would willingly let them go? 

Did it seem realistic that God would split the sea in two, letting them walk through on dry land? Or that He would provide manna every day for forty years? 

Did it seem realistic that Jesus would heal a sick woman simply by the touch of His cloak, or that He would cast out demons, or raise the dead?

Did it seem realistic that the Son of God would suffer, die, and be raised to life in order to give life to a fallen creation?

Thankfully, we don’t serve a God who is realistic. We serve a God who can’t be boxed in by our tiny expectations, who does the impossible like it’s nothing. Not only that, but we serve a God who delights in giving good gifts to His children. 

So, in 2026, I’m challenging myself to pray bigger prayers. 

God knows the desires of my heart anyway, so I might as well verbalize what I’m hoping for. And He is present whether I get the answers I want or not, which means I can pray without fear of disappointment, knowing that my true joy is found in Him.

I can especially pray with confidence if I’m asking for things that I know are in His will: that those around me would come to know Him, that they would be freed from sin and shame, that they would find spiritual healing and rest in their Savior. I can ask these things in faith, knowing that I’m aligned with the heart of the Father on this. 

Maybe you want 2026 to be the year of praying big prayers for you, too. I’d encourage you to join me in this, and in looking ahead at the year to come with excitement and expectation.

Related Scripture

Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

Exodus 12:31

Then [Pharaoh] called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, ‘Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said.'”

Exodus 14:10-14, 21-22

“As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, ‘Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’ But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent’…Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.’

Matthew 9:20-22

“And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, ‘If I only touch His garment, I will get well.’ But Jesus turning and seeing her said, ‘Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.’ At once the woman was made well.”

Romans 8:26-28

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Jeremiah 32:17

“Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.”

Matthew 19:26

“And looking at them Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'”

Matthew 7:7-11

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

Psalm 66:19-20

“But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me.”

In the Moment

Recently I’ve noticed how strong the temptation is for me to want to rush ahead to the next season of life. 

As soon as I cross one milestone I’m quick to think about my next goal, often getting impatient and considering whether or not I’m falling behind on my very arbitrary – and very linear – schedule. I try to predict how each step along the way should go, and leave very little room to enjoy watching God work out the details. Because of that, when one tiny element doesn’t go the way I decided it should, it’s easy to spiral out and decide the whole plan is derailed. 

Sometimes, this what’s-next mindset comes from a lack of trust in the goodness of God’s plans and timing, or the faithfulness of His provision; it gives me a sense of control over a future that I haven’t actually submitted to Him. Other times, it actually comes from a place of excitement at what’s in store; I just want to hurry up and get there!

But I’m realizing that this impatience to get where I’m going can end up breeding discontentment in where I am. 

It’s so important for me to learn to simply stay in the moment with the Lord in each season, just as He stays in the moment with me. After all, if I have some kind of vision of where I’m going, how much more so does the Lord? If I’m excited at the future plans He has for me, He is too. And if I’m feeling the desire to grow up in maturity and godly character, He wants that for me as well. 

If anyone had an excuse for wanting to skip to the end, it would be the One who already knows what the end will look like.

And yet, despite His knowing exactly where I’m headed, He isn’t rushing things. He doesn’t jump ahead and drop me down wherever I’m going to end up. He is patient, walking alongside me with each step forward (and often, with a few steps backward). 

I feel like there are so many examples to illustrate this in Scripture, but one that comes to mind is when Jesus was asked to heal Jairus’ daughter.

Of course, Jesus knew the end result – He was going to bring this little girl back to life. Now, the most time-efficient thing to do would have been to heal her from a distance; we know He could have done this, as we saw when He healed the centurion’s servant. But instead, He made the journey to Jairus’ house, interacted with the guests, entered the daughter’s room, and raised her from the dead. And all this time, everything He did was in Jairus’ presence. 

Why would He bother with all of that, when He could have healed her in an instant? I’m sure there were a number of reasons, but what it boils down to is that while there was value in raising Jairus’ daughter back up, there must have also been value in being present with him for that stretch of time. 

Maybe it was important for Him to minister to this grieving father as they walked. Maybe the time they spent together set Jairus up for a deeper relationship with Him, beyond simply receiving an answered prayer and then going about his life. Maybe there was something special about witnessing the disciples’ trusting relationship with Jesus firsthand. I don’t know what it was, but I know that the Lord does nothing without intention; if He made the decision to walk that road alongside Jairus, then I believe the result was better than if He had simply healed his daughter from afar. 

All of this is to say that while the Lord sees value in the destination, it’s evident that He sees value in the journey too. 

I believe that we’re meant to do the same. 

When we’re in a hard or painful season and we just want out of it, we can patiently wait for the healing and sense of God-nearness that often comes most tangibly in the valley. 

When we’re frustrated with our shortcomings and wish we could jump ahead to a better, more mature and well-rounded version of ourselves, we can give ourselves grace and trust the ongoing process of sanctification that the Lord is doing in us. 

And when we’re excited about the future plans God has for our lives, but are having to wait on their fulfillment, we can take joy in this season and squeeze as much out of it as possible, rather than passively waiting for the next one. We can look forward to the future with hope and expectation – and begin each day right now with the same – because the God of our future is also the God of our present. 

Related Scripture

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

“But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:41-42)

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing…But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:25, 33)

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130:5-6)

Prayer – The Answered and the Unanswered Kind

If you’re anything like me, it can be scary for you to pray really specific prayers. The thought that often goes through my head is “What if God doesn’t answer me? I don’t want to be disappointed, so I just won’t ask for this thing.” 

But honestly, that’s pretty silly on my part. God wants us to ask Him for what we need, and He listens to our prayers. And I do believe that prayer makes a difference, that at specific times and in God’s wisdom He will intervene – either in our circumstances or in our hearts – based on our prayers. 

So really, I shouldn’t be afraid to pray just because I might be disappointed. Instead, I should be afraid of missing out on the answers God could provide or the ways He wants to involve me in His plans, just because I was too afraid to ask. Think about the verse that says “you do not have because you do not ask”; doesn’t that indicate how important it is to just try and see what happens?

Now, there will be times when you pray and see God respond. But there will also be times when you pray and God doesn’t seem to answer, or doesn’t answer the way you want Him to. What then? 

A while back I was praying for something, and I felt God nudging me, “But how will you respond if the answer is no?”

I had to really wrestle with that. If God didn’t answer me the way I wanted, how would I react? Would I lash out in anger at Him? Would I give up on prayer completely, deciding that He’s forgotten me or doesn’t care about me? Would I refuse to accept His answer and try to make it happen on my own? 

If I were to respond in one of these ways, it’d be natural. But I have to remind myself that when the answer is no, it doesn’t mean that I prayed wrong, or that I’m not good enough for God to do what I want, or that He doesn’t care. The only thing it means is that the answer is no. 

In Luke 11, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. In verses 9-10, He tells them that those who ask receive, and those who seek find, and those who knock have the door opened to them. Then right after that, He says the following:

“Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

I think one of the reasons Jesus says this right here is because not all of the answers we get from God are what we want. Think about Paul asking God to remove the thorn in his flesh, or even Jesus asking God to let the cup of suffering pass from Him before His crucifixion.

In those moments of disappointment, it would be easy for us to say “You said that those who ask would receive. Then why did I not get what I prayed for?” We might feel as though (to follow the analogy) we asked God for a fish or an egg, and were given a snake or a scorpion instead. And so I think it’s really perfect that Jesus says this here. He reminds us that no matter how unjust things seem to be, no matter how wronged we feel by our circumstances or by God, He is working on our behalf even still. He is providing for us and redeeming our most painful circumstances, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

One last thought – I think we can get it wrong when the answer is yes, too. We can get our desired answer from God and then begin thinking that we got it because we’re just so deserving of it. We can idolize the gift rather than the Giver. We can become entitled, thinking God owes us something. 

So whenever we pray, we need to ask ourselves “What will I do, with either answer?” 

If the answer is yes, we can thank God and humbly steward what He’s given us. If the answer is no, we can still worship Him for being good and for being the source of our strength to endure. And that frees us up to pray honestly and specifically for what is important to us; we can pray open-handed, knowing that no matter what answer we receive, we can trust the One who hears us.

Related Scripture

Luke 11:1-13

“It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.’ And He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.’

Then He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?'”

James 4:2-3

“You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

1 John 5:14

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“Concerning [the thorn in my flesh] I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Invested

Oh, how blessed I am.

This has been a focus of my heart lately. I keep getting hit with such great realizations of how deeply I am loved by God. And the funny thing is, the times when I’m reminded of this the most are the times I’m feeling the least worthy of that love. It’s when I’m convicted of my sinfulness that I’m also reminded of His kindness towards me.

There’s so much selfishness in me, and bitterness, and pride. My decisions are often shaped by love for myself before love for others and for God. And yet, over and over again I find God seeking me out and walking alongside me. He’s faithful to me and patient with me, because He loves me.

I become aware of this truth when I see the amazing people and circumstances He’s blessed me with.

Or when He sits beside me through a hard situation, offering me the peace and strength that I would never find on my own.

Or when I look back in my life and see the connections between what God was doing in me then and what He’s calling me to now…when His purpose for me becomes just a little clearer.

Most of all, I recognize God’s desire for me when I read His Word. Whenever I feel him actively drawing my attention to the specific truth that I need in that exact moment, I see His consideration for me.

After all, if He didn’t love me, He wouldn’t bother to teach me in such a gently convicting way. But instead, God’s love is evidenced for me in the ways He intentionally grows me, challenges me, and pursues me. He is truly invested in me – how incredible is that?

But this is not just true in my life; God’s deep, inexhaustible love is for every single one of us. God has a purpose for each of us, if we will let Him work in our lives.

God desires you and is invested in you, and He has a good plan designed for you – do you believe that?

It can be hard at times to let this truth really take hold in our lives. We may feel worthless and unloved, anxious at the future, condemned by our sin, or held back by self-centered pride. Sometimes I lose my sense of joy at what God is doing, especially during the routine moments in my life. But regardless of where our hearts are, God is still our Father, and He is still full of love for us.

When we feel unworthy or unloved by others, we can remember that the holy, all-knowing God knows us fully and loves us fully. He took care to form us in the womb; He knew us before we were ever born. And He knows just who He wants us to become.

When we aren’t sure what’s next in our future, and we’re afraid of making a mistake, we can remember that God has a plan in store for us. He has set out good works for us to do and He will guide our paths; we must simply trust and submit to His will.

When we feel weighed down and controlled by our sin, we can remember that we’re forgiven and loved. Jesus knew every sin we’d ever commit, and He died for us anyway. He’s invested in us enough to not only give us eternal salvation, but to also give the daily grace and power we need to resist temptation and grow in godly character.

And when we fall into the trap of self-righteousness, we can remember the humbling truth that nothing we could ever do would make us worthy of God’s love. It is only because it’s in His very nature to love that we’re loved by Him. He loves each of us – not because of who we are, but because of who He is. And He commands us to cast aside our pride and to love others as unflinchingly as we’ve been loved.

When it’s hard for you to feel God’s love, I encourage you – and myself, while I’m at it – to think back on all the times God’s worked in your life (and to remember that He’s at work even when we don’t recognize it).

Any time He’s protected you from harm, given you the strength to endure a hard time, revealed His character to you through Scripture, blessed you with good, encouraging friends, or convicted you of sin – this is evidence of His love for you! This is proof that He looks at you with fatherly affection, and that He is invested in you.

So walk through today with the confidence of someone that is known and loved by God. Know that God is for you and not against you, and that He has a plan for you.

Related Scripture

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”

Psalm 31:19

“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men!”

Psalm 34:8

“O taste and see that the Lord is good, how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

Psalm 56:9

“…This I know, that God is for me.”

Isaiah 54:10

“‘For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”

Jeremiah 29:11

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future.’”

Matthew 6:26

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”

Romans 8:28

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:38-39

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us form the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 2:4-7

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:10

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

1 John 4:19

“We love, because He first loved us.”

Generous in Self

I’ve written before about being in a season of preparation and wanting to be intentional about learning and growth during this stage in my life.

I feel now that I’m beginning to move into a new season – a season in which I must step into what God has been preparing me to do. And I want to be just as intentional in this season as in the last. So, I’m considering the ways that God has taught and blessed me throughout this time, and how I can use what I’ve been given to serve Him.

I believe that God has blessed me in order to bless others. This is true financially, but also in other areas of my life. He’s given me stability, joy, spiritual gifts, and time and opportunities to serve. He’s placed specific callings on my heart and made me aware of needs that I can fill.

And in order to fill these needs, I am called to generosity. Not just generosity of my finances, or of my love and mercy, but generosity of self. I want to be generous with everything that I have and everything that I am.

In my last post I wrote about not being stingy with love or acting as if I’ll run out of it. This goes for my time and energy as well. I must be obedient with what I have and the ways God’s called me to serve, for the more of myself I give, the more of Himself He pours back into me. He will not fail to supply me with what I need to be faithful to His call.

So, in this coming season, I hope to be committed to generosity of self. To not simply be a consumer, receiving good things from God, from my church fellowship, from my relationships. Instead, I want to be filled by each these so that I can then pour into others.

So, I’ll be looking for the intersection of my God-given strengths and the needs of those around me. And I must no longer hesitate to pray for opportunities to serve; countless times my own fears and insecurities have caused me to shy away from this. So instead I will pray, in full assurance of God’s provision, and will be ready to obey when these opportunities arise.

Just as I wrote about “testing the limits” of God’s love, I want to “test the limits” of everything else that He provides.

This is not to say that I will ignore my own well-being and push myself to a place of burnout (“you can’t pour from an empty cup”, and all that), but that I will refuse to hold back out of fear of not being or having enough. When I hear God’s call to a particular person, action, or ministry, I will confidently and joyously give whatever it is He asks of me.

There’s a very short book by Bruce Wilkinson called The Prayer of Jabez. In it we read this concise and powerful prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”

This is one prayer I want to keep in my life moving forward. I want God to bless me – not in the selfish, earthly-focused ways that I often desire, but in the ways that align with God’s will. I want Him to bless me with whatever will equip me to become who He wants me to be in Him.

I want Him to “enlarge my territory”, to increase the opportunities around me in which I can serve Him. To make me aware of those in need and the ways that I can help.

I want Him to keep His hand with me, so that I never fall victim to the temptation to work in my own strength. I want to be entirely, utterly dependent on His power in my life.

And I want Him to keep me from evil, from the temptation of sin and the pain that it causes. To protect me from anything that threatens to separate me from God’s will for my life.

By trusting in God’s willingness to bless me, to provide opportunities to serve and grow, to do His work in me, and to guard me, I can move forward into this new season with confidence. I can live generously, knowing that all that I am is supplied and protected by the Lord.

Related Scripture

1 Chronicles 4:10

“Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” (NKJV)

2 Corinthians 9:7-8, 10

“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully with also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed…Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”

1 John 3:17

“But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

Proverbs 11:25

“The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.”

Generous in Love

And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’

And He said to him, ‘You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.’

But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’

(Luke 10:27-29)

In Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, He tells of a Samaritan man coming to the rescue of a man who had been beaten, robbed, and left for dead. The cultural norms of that day would have kept many Samaritans from showing compassion. Rampant prejudice between Samaritans and Jews had undoubtedly led to hurt and bitterness towards each other, and no one would have blamed him for crossing to the other side of the street. In fact, even the Jewish priest and Levite refrained from helping, unwilling to risk harm or inconvenience. 

But that’s not what the Samaritan did. This man had deep, heartfelt compassion, treating the one most would regard as his enemy with the kindness he’d use towards a friend. He went above and beyond, willing even to suffer personal loss as a result. And in doing so, he proved to be a true neighbor to this man.

I notice that Jesus told this story in response to one of listeners, who “wishing to justify himself, asked ‘And who is my neighbor?’” He had been commanded to love his neighbor as himself, and his first thought was to determine just who was deserving of this love.

But the story that followed highlights an important point: there is no place for us to make those kinds of distinctions. We are to love our neighbors – those who have hurt us, those we’re prejudiced against, those who are despised by our culture – and we are to love them generously.

Now, we all know this in theory, but how often do we do exactly the same as this listener?

How often do we seek to find loopholes in who, when, and how we are called to love? Maybe we justify speaking against someone because they’ve hurt us first. Or maybe we lack empathy towards others who have different views from our own, or to those we don’t deem worthy of our attention. Or maybe we prioritize our own desires over someone’s needs.

But we were called to put God and His kingdom first – above our pride, our wounded feelings, our comforts, and our rights. If we do not, we become like this man, asking ‘And who is our neighbor?’ We become people who act as though love is in short supply, as though we must guard it and spend it only when necessary.

But the love we’ve received from God, wholly undeserved and wholly infinite, is the well from which we draw. And if God grants us continual access to this love, and commands us to take from it and give to others, we have no reason to disobey.

We will never be able to love others too much or give too much of ourselves; whenever we think we’ve reached our limit, God pours His abundant love, power, and strength back into us and remedies our lack.

I’d encourage all of us – myself so much included – to start “testing the limits” of this love. To see just how much of it we can offer to others, and to watch God provide. Let’s be a people who give so generously, without any regard for ourselves, secure in the love that has been given to us.

Between this story and the countless mercies of God towards us, it seems that our blueprint for generosity is much more radical than we often allow it to be. There is no place for us to decide who is and isn’t deserving of our kindness; we are called to love and forgive sacrificially, and the only way to do so is by the power of God.

Related Scripture

Luke 10:30-37

“Jesus replied and said, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think provided to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?’ And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy toward him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’”

Matthew 25:37

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

Psalm 86:15

“But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.”

Micah 6:8

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Generous in Mercy

I’ve been thinking a lot about mercy lately, and I feel like it’s something that God is telling me to pay attention to. I’ve been convicted of the ways I am often not very forgiving, and I’ve felt that He wants to grow me in this area.

On the one hand, I have always felt merciful to a fault, frequently making excuses for others’ behavior and unwilling to stand up for myself. But, after those friendships have either reconciled or ended, these hurts often find their way back into my mind, leaving me feeling a little bitter.

Of course, it’s important to set boundaries at times, and there are relationships in which you can forgive yet still put distance between yourself and the other person. But I do have to wonder if I’ve actually forgiven all those who have hurt me, or if I’ve just momentarily forgotten about their actions.

Many times I’ve let things slide simply because I fear the consequences of addressing an issue. On the outside this may resemble mercy. However, I’ve begun to wonder if my unwillingness to hold others accountable for their wrongs against me is less about showing mercy towards them, and more about my own weakness in simply fearing conflict.

So, I’ve been asking God to show me what biblical mercy looks like. Any solution I come up with on my own will only be a flawed, broken sort of mercy – I want the mercy that fills the character of God.

When I look at the picture of forgiveness as demonstrated by God, it definitely seems as though what I’ve been doing falls short. He forgives us so wholeheartedly that He crossed over heaven and earth, life and death, to be reconciled to us.

And it’s not as though He made excuses for our sin, pretending it wasn’t that bad – He recognized the depravity of our sin in ways that we can’t even fathom, and He still chose to make a way for our salvation. Who am I then to hold bitterness towards someone for some insignificant slight, some careless word?

I will never know the weight of the pain that Jesus carried; yet in even the minor hurts that I experience in life, I have access through Him to the power of God helping me to forgive. I cannot have mercy towards others in this radical, self-sacrificial way without the help of the One who did it first. So I must be honest with God, asking Him to overcome my weaknesses and to give me the ability – and the desire – to forgive. I will be abundantly supplied by God to do what He has called me to do, to show mercy.

When thinking about forgiveness, I’m reminded of Ephesians 4:26-32. We are told to “be angry and yet do not sin”. So, there is clearly a space for Christians to be angry and hurt by others’ actions, yet to be so in a godly way.

Our emotions should never give way to bitterness or malice, but should instead be used to recognize the depth of our hurts so that we can hand them over to God in conscious forgiveness. Aware of the unfair rejection we’ve withstood at the hands of others, we can better understand the magnitude of our sin against God – and the magnitude of His mercy towards us.

Mercy is so necessary, not only so that we can maintain healthy relationships, but because we cannot risk allowing our anger to “give the devil an opportunity” or to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God”. It’s clear that there are some very serious consequences resulting from our grudges. By holding bitterness in our hearts, we push God’s will out of the way and give sin a chance to break our relationships even more than they’ve already been broken.

So, when we are wronged, we must remember to view others through God’s eyes – as broken, sinful people in need of mercy – and to leave our bitterness behind, choosing instead to edify and give grace to one another. We must forgive each other as Christ forgave us – sacrificially, wholly, lovingly.

Tim Keller wrote in one of my favorite books, A Prodigal God, about how God’s redemption plan was not dependent on our feelings of remorse or repentance – Jesus chose to die on the cross for us while we were still sinners, knowing that we may choose to accept Him or not. And in the midst of His crucifixion, He asked God to forgive those who mocked Him. In the same way we must be willing to forgive others even when they show no remorse for the way they’ve treated us.

Keller also wrote about how we often find it easy to forgive others who we feel are on our level of “goodness” because we can relate to them and to the mistakes they’ve made, as we’ve probably done the same. But we struggle to give grace to those who commit sins we think we would never do. In a way, we feel that we are above forgiving them.

But we must remember that we are not above any sin, and that while we may not have done whatever it is that’s been done to us, our pride makes us guilty still. And any sin, whether an action or a prideful feeling, separates us from right relationship with others and with God. So we must ask ourselves, is it worth it? Is it worth creating a distance between ourselves and God simply to hold on to a grudge?

As I’ve prayed over these things, I’ve come to the knowledge that I don’t want a mercy that is born out of weakness – my unwillingness to be vulnerable, my aversion to conflict, my desire to please. I want a mercy that is born out of power – the power found in the Holy Spirit. This power comes from the security and salvation I have found in God and from the recognition that I have all things in Christ, which means I have everything to give and nothing to lose.

Because God is generous in mercy towards me, I can be generous in mercy towards others. I pray that God will help me to do so, to overcome my weakness and to give me the ability and desire to forgive.

Lord, please help me to forgive wholeheartedly, unreservedly, not needing anything in return. To forgive only by the strength You give me, not by my temporary feelings and human abilities. Do a work in me and help me to forgive, just as You continually forgive me.

Related Scripture

Ephesians 4:26-32

“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity…Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

1 Peter 2:21-23

“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”

James 1:20

“For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

Luke 6:36-37

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.”

1 John 4:11

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”

Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”

Repentance

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save…But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God…” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

God is the essence of holiness – He cannot approve of sin nor allow it into His presence. When we were dead in our sin, before salvation, we were by necessity separated from God. That’s why He chose to die in our place – so that we could be washed clean and made pure. And when we become saved, He makes us able to stand in His presence blameless with great joy (Jude 1:24-25).

But, there are going to be times when we fall short and do wrong, in spite of our saved state. Which is why repentance is so important. When we allow ourselves to live in sin, we begin to build up a wall between ourselves and God – not a permanent, eternal wall (that has been taken care of once and for all) – but a manmade structure. We disallow ourselves from walking in right relationship with Him because we know that we are doing what He hates. But the amazing thing is that in spite of our shortcomings God is still willing to hear our prayers of repentance, and to renew us and strengthen us by His power.

I know that I often struggle with accepting forgiveness from God; I can feel like my sin is just too big. And I think I am not alone in this. But when we hold back because we just can’t believe that God would forgive that sin, we are inadvertently minimizing who He is. Do we really think that He who went so far as to suffer and die for us will be inhibited by whatever mess is in our lives right now? Let’s not equate Him to sinful humans who are fickle in their forgiveness. He is an unchanging God, and He stands by what He says. So when He tells us that He will forgive us if only we repent, He means it! And once He’s forgiven our sin, He remembers it no longer (Hebrews 10:17). He doesn’t hold it over our heads, but casts it away as if it never happened. Let’s rejoice in that and bring our repentance to Him with gladness.

While our sin is often too great for us, it can never be too great for God. Even when we don’t know how to pray, when we are overwhelmed with our failures, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26). God has made Himself so accessible – we have no work to do except give ourselves to Him. Because of His great love for us, we have access to deep forgiveness and freedom. Repentance is a privilege, and we should welcome it as such.

Related Scripture

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 8:1

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Psalm 32:1-5

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’, and You forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Jude 1:24-25

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Romans 8:26

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Hebrews 10:17

“for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more”

Romans 4:7-8

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account”

Isaiah 30:18

“Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.”

1 John 2:1-2

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Psalm 103:8, 12

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy…As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.”

2 Corinthians 7:10

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Where Are We?

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:26)

When I read this verse, it often makes me wonder if I’m where I’m supposed to be. Jesus says that whoever serves Him must be where He is. Am I where Jesus is? Or am I somewhere else, living out my own desires?

So, I’d like to start this post by asking, Where are we, the believers?

Are we caught up in the middle of strife with those around us, forgetting that our struggle is not against flesh and blood? Are our days filled with anger, division, bitterness? Do we feel so exhausted and burnt out by our frustration with the ways others let us down?

Or maybe we’re living a life centered solely on the here and now. Are we so focused on our earthly comforts and pursuits that we forget to love others well? Do we remember that our kingdom is not of this world, that the things of this earth are but small and temporary?

Are we simply trying to make it through life unscathed? Are we concentrated on avoiding the things that are outside of our comfort zone, to the point that we leave no room to let God work in our lives?

Or are we stuck in a place of insecurity, constantly striving to prove our worth to those around us? Are we spending all of our energy simply trying to stay on top of our responsibilities, our plans, our hopes for the future, yet still falling behind?

Or are we somewhere else? Somewhere that was well-intended, but that ultimately has pulled us further from God’s will?

I have certainly found myself in each of these places, found myself losing sight of Who I serve. In John 12:26, Jesus says, “where I am, there My servant will be also”. So, this leads us to ask not only where are we? But where should we be? Jesus wants us to be where He is, but what does that mean?

Looking throughout Scripture, I’ve pinpointed just a few of the places where we see Jesus consistently place Himself.

We see Him caring for the less fortunate, extending His promise of rest and peace to the poor and the oppressed, the widows and the orphans. We see Him offering grace to those that society and religion had rejected. He tells the woman caught in adultery to Go, and sin no more and the thief on the cross Today you will be with Me in Paradise. He dines with the sinners, unashamed of the love He has for them.

We see Him serving those around Him in deep humility and grace. As the Son of God, Jesus had every right to wield His power and authority over His disciples. And yet, He humbled Himself and took a position of servanthood towards them all, washing their feet and dying for them. This great sacrifice is extended toward the rest of humanity as well; He is patient with us and offers us so much love, despite our unworthiness.

We see Him showing powerful forgiveness. In the midst of His crucifixion, He prayed for His accusers – Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And His work doesn’t end with grace. Over and over He calls His followers towards holiness – a holiness that is empowered by the forgiveness we’ve received in Him. He does not condone our sin, but instead guides us into a higher calling.

We also see Jesus spending time in the presence of God. Throughout the Gospels He consistently makes time to be alone with God, to pray and seek His will. And His constant focus is on carrying out this will; it is not pulled away by others’ misperceptions or demands, the temptations of Satan, or the agony of the cross. He doesn’t shy away from the truth, but preaches the word of God with boldness, unapologetically drawing attention to the message of the kingdom. We see Him in perfect obedience to the Father, willing to lay down His very life for the world while we were yet sinners.

So, let’s ask ourselves again, Where should we be?

We must be where the Lord was, caring for those in need as the hands and feet of Christ. We must show mercy and grace to those who are lost and wrestling with sin. We must be willing to love others with a servant’s heart – not putting our own desires above theirs, but seeking their welfare, bearing their burdens. We must forgive one another and encourage each other to live lives of holiness, empowered by God’s grace. And most of all we must spend intentional, prayerful time with God, seeking His will. We must not be carried away by the expectations of those around us, but must step confidently and obediently into the plans that God has set for us.

At the end of John 12:26, Jesus says that whoever follows and serves Him in this way will be honored by the Father. So let’s be faithful to God’s call, intentionally placing ourselves where we know that our Savior is.

Related Scripture

John 17:24

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

Luke 12:34

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

Matthew 7:16-20

“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

John 13:35

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jeremiah 17

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

The tree described in these verses, which has been planted by a stream of water, has no reason to fear when outside circumstances get difficult. Despite the drought and heat, this tree still has access to what it needs not just to survive, but to thrive. Its leaves are green and healthy, and it doesn’t stop bearing fruit.

In the same way, when we take our root in God, deriving nourishment from and relying completely on Him, we have nothing to fear. During periods of dryness and insecurity, when we’re just trying to make it through, we can still thrive. Even when growth is slow or invisible, if we place our security in God and act faithfully to Him He will certainly work in our lives, yielding fruit from our trusting obedience.

It’s important to note that the tree planted by the water does not avoid the years of heat and drought; rather, it continues to exist in a threatening environment. But because it has abundant access to water, it has no reason to wilt or to become stagnant. This is vital for us to recognize: putting our trust in God is by no means a shortcut to avoid all the pain in the world. We still live in a broken, earthly environment, and we will face hardships that threaten to overturn our peace. But, when our hope is where it should be – in the God who is our life, our nourishment, our refreshment – we have no cause for despair. The weight of our crises is nothing but a fraction of the abundant power of our God.

Seasons of drought will come, but they don’t have to shake us. I believe that God can cause us to grow in spite of, and often because of, these times of insecurity. So, we can rest assured that all we need to survive – and to thrive – is found in the hands of our God.

Related Scripture

Isaiah 41:10

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 43:1-2

“But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”

Psalm 9:10

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

Psalm 56:8-11

“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Psalm 112:7-8

“He will not fear evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is upheld, he will not fear, until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.”

Nahum 1:7

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.”

Matthew 6:26-27

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:18

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Romans 8:37-39

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”