Tag Archives: email devotionals

November 29, 2013 · 8:06 AM

First World Problems, Third World Realities

As I was driving home last night, I noticed the car in front of me. Their passenger side door was partially opened. Fearing the worst that could happen, I changed lanes and went to pass them. As I got beside them, I noticed why the door was open. They had a TV in their backseat that was wider than their car. I thought, “First world problems.” Then I glanced over to the right and saw Target and Best Buy’s parking lot. They were completely full and people were driving around looking for a place to park. “More first world problems,” I thought.

I’m not against having things or Black Friday shopping. I’ve just had my perspective adjusted by the realities of how the rest of the world lives. God has blessed us beyond measure and we don’t even realize it most of the time. He has opened the windows of Heaven on us and poured out blessings so much that we just assume this is how it’s supposed to be. The reality is that 80% of the world’s population lives on less than $10 a day according to GlobalIssues.com. That’s just over $3,000 a year. Sure the cost of living is less, but not so much that you can have quality things at that rate.

I’m not going to ask you to give up a coffee a day or to give to some great cause. I’m simply going to ask you to be thankful for what God has given you. Acknowledge Him as the source of your income and be mindful of the blessings He’s given to you. Understanding the realities that other people live in helps adjust our perspective of the “problems” we have here. Knowing that there are still people in the world that don’t have running water or electricity in their homes to keep them warm should help us to be more thankful. We should believe the saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”

We truly have a lot to be thankful for. As you shop today, this weekend or holiday season, keep in mind that you are able to do so because God has blessed you. The long lines you’re in for great deals could very well be long lines to get food or clean water. Instead of complaining because of all the craziness, thank God you have more than enough and can go shopping for all these things. Our first world problems are nothing compared to the third world realities. Our inability to recognize God’s blessings could lead Him to shut those windows and open them on someone else. Stop today and truly give thanks.

Free Friday will resume next week.

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October 7, 2013 · 7:36 AM

Your Piece of The Puzzle

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I prayed something this morning that I’ve never prayed before. I prayed for someone I don’t know to do what only they can do. I’m a big believer that others are waiting on the other side of your obedience. When God asks you to do something, no matter how small, large, crazy, odd or illogical, it’s not necessarily just for you. It’s to line things up for someone else to be able to do what God has asked them to do. So this morning, I not only prayed for courage to step out in faith to do my part in obedience to help someone else, I prayed for the person I’m waiting on.

When we’re in that moment of waiting on God to move to show us a sign of what’s next, it’s dependent on someone else’s obedience. We keep asking God to show us or to move on our behalf, but today, I decided to pray for the person who needs to do their part so that my part will line up. When my part lines up and I step out in faith, it will release the next person who is waiting on me. Our steps of faith are never just for our own benefit.

I work on secret projects at work all the time. Because it’s a highly competitive industry, I don’t get all the information. I get just enough to do my part. I’m not allowed to reach out and ask others if they’re working on the same project or what their part is. The people higher up know what each piece of the puzzle looks like and assigns different people to work on different pieces. Once each of us completes our work and submits it, the higher ups put it all together and then I can see how it all fits together and makes sense.

Stepping out in faith and obedience is just like that. Each of us have a piece to a puzzle that is much larger than ourselves. Our responsibility isn’t to complete someone else’s part. It’s to do what God asked us to do. It doesn’t matter how small you may feel your piece is. In a puzzle, every piece is important. In faith, each of our parts is important. It doesn’t matter if you have a corner piece or a center piece, what you do in faith today matters to the whole of what God is doing.

If you aren’t happy with how small you feel your piece is, remember Matthew 25:23. Jesus used a parable to teach us that if we were faithful in the small things, He would make us ruler over many. When you show God you’re willing and able to do the things that seem small in your eyes, He will know He can trust you with the things that seem larger in your eyes. Our faithfulness activates God’s trust in us and allows Him to give us more than we have now.

What has God asked you to do in faith, but you’ve been holding out on doing because it seems menial? What have you been asking God to do in your life that you haven’t seen any movement on? Pray for those who need to do their part in faith that will put you in position to receive from God what you’ve been waiting for. Do what you’ve been asked of God to do so that those who are waiting on your piece can do what God asked of them. Your piece, no matter how small, is important to God’s plan as a whole.

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