Day 31: Leading in the Light

Reading: Psalm 18:1-6

David displays a very worshipful and prayerful character as we read about him in the midst of struggles. The leadership he portrays is strong as he sets an example to others in how to handle the hardships in life. Worship and prayer are central parts to being a good, Godly leader, and setting the example to others is a big trait. David has great confidence that God will answer when he cries out, and his faith is huge despite the constant hardships he faces.
As leaders for Christ, we can learn from David in remembering how God got us through the hardships, and thanking Him for the answers to our cries. Being leaders of worship and prayer show the faith and example of a good leader.

What kind of leader do you think you are? What examples are you leaving for others to see?



What are the qualities of a good, Godly leader in your opinion?




Reading: Matthew 21:1-17

Being a leader like Jesus should be our goal. We see many traits that Jesus had as we make our way through this reading. First and foremost, we read that Jesus rode into town on a donkey, a very humble way to enter a town as a king. As leaders, we need to follow this humble example of carrying ourselves. When we come out as humble leaders, we have happier followers. There is a level of respect for those who are humble.
We also see Jesus lead by standing strong for what He believes in. We can't be pushovers as leaders. Good leaders stand by what they believe and what is most important to them. Jesus stands strongly against the sales in the temple, turning over tables and throwing out the merchants. A good leader follows through with their passions. We need to stand strong as Godly leaders, especially in a world that writes off Christian beliefs and morals so easily. Never be a pushover when it comes to your faith.

What does humility look like to you?




What do you feel most passionate about and will stand by no matter what?




Reading: Job 19:1-21:34

Good, Godly leaders have an eternal perspective. They focus on the big picture and see things from that perspective. Job, though deeply suffering, focused on the big picture, despite what his friends told him to drag him down further. Job remembered that his Redeemer lives and is in ultimate conrol over all.
When we as leaders have this focus like Job, we can manage life better and remember our true mission for being here. Living to meet our own comforts and plan our own lives can lead to disappointment and being brought down when hardships hit. Big picture focus and keeping our eyes on God's big plan can help us to keep our true focus on the mission and keeping our plans in line with God's.

What little things in life trip you up?



How can focusing on the big picture keep your life in check with what God wants from us?



 Good, Godly leaders do what Jesus did, and learn from the examples of others in the Word who led with great faith. The example you lead will hit someone out there. Humility and standing firm are a must in leadership. We see how Jesus does this as He rides into town on a donkey, and how He stands firm in turning the tables in the temples. Focus on the big picture when hardships come. Keep your focus in check, and align yourself with His plan.  

Day 30: Getting His Directions

Reading: Psalm 17:13-15

We can gain a little insight from David here. Every morning, David enjoyed the sweet satisfaction of God's presence. We see a strength he gets to face the day because of this morning routine. When we are seeking an answer from God, or direction, it is important we come to Him without distraction and be in tune with His will for us. When we are able to build such an intimate relationship with Him, we can learn what He wants for us. David awoke to his Savior everyday and found great satisfaction in Him, despite the chaos around him. Perhaps when we do the same, we can find ourselves leaning and trusting in God more and more despite our situations.

How do you spend time with God?



What happens when you haven't had that time in awhile?




Reading: Matthew 20:20-34

Sometimes when we ask for God's will and direction, we don't always get the answer we want to hear. We read how the mother of James and John asks Jesus if her sons can sit at the places of honor in His kingdom. We learn here that sometimes God's plan is better than ours. He may tell us "no", but it's because He has something way better in store for your life. His plan is laid out for us and when we obey and seek His will, and even more importantly, accept His timing, we will come out happier in the end. Jesus wants us to grow and to carry out His ministry in serving others, not seek the benefits of following Him, as He tells us that His mission was to come and serve, not to be in the places of honor and be served.
We also read about the blind men who remained persistent and cried out for Jesus to heal them. Jesus felt compassion for these men and healed them. Then we read that they followed Him. When we experience God's great power in our lives, we are to share it with others! Why keep Jesus a secret? These men followed Him and continued on expressing the news of Jesus. Don't just follow Jesus to reap the benefits of His love, but do it to serve and be a messenger of His mission!

When have you gotten a "no" from God? How did it work out?




When God does something exciting in your life, what do you usually do?




Reading: Job 15:1-18:21

We see the cycle continue with Job and his friends. Job longs for comfort and encouragement, his friends accuse him of sin and that being the reason he suffers, and Job defends himself. I can't imagine just how hopeless Job felt through the who process. However, we see him hold close to his trust in God. He knows that there is a plan for him and that God will come through. He never blames God in all of his speeches, but ensures that he is blameless before Him.
Sometimes we go through those dark times in our life and it feels like a frustrating cycle like Job endured. No comfort, only blame. But as we continue on through the book of Job, we'll see that Job's life rebounds and God reveals Himself in a powerful way. Sometimes, we just need patience in waiting for God's direction and will for our lives. We need to endure the frustrations so we can grow and trust in Him. It definitely isn't easy and it can certainly be a very frustrating and depressing time, but like Job, we can trust that God will come through when the time comes.

When have you been frustrated in the midst of hardship?



When has God's timing come through for you after a cycle of hardship?




There are many answers we can get from God when we ask Him for things. Yes, no, or wait on His timing. Sometimes we don't see the big picture, but when we don't get the answers or direction we wanted, we need to trust that God has something better for us up ahead. It is important to align yourself with Him on a daily basis so you are able to build that intimate relationship with Him. Trust in His answers and in His timing.

Day 29: Oh How He Loves Us

Reading: Psalm 17:6-12

We can get through anything with the wonder of God's great love. It is incredible how much He loves us and cares for us. David expresses greatly how wonderful and unfailing God's love is. He protects us under His wings, holding us when times are shaky. We can see just how intimate and incredible God's love for us is. Make this Psalm your prayer as you face the hard days in life. Trust in God's unfailing love.

When was a time you felt the intimacy of God's love?




When have you felt God's protection?




Reading: Matthew 20:1-19

When we read the story of the landowner and hired help, we can reflect on that and feel like it's pretty unfair. How many of us want to go to work all day and get paid the exact same amount that the guy who only worked an hour gets paid? Not sure I'd like that too much. But Jesus makes the point here that the love and grace His Father hands out is marvelous for all. No matter what your past looks like, He gives you the same grace as everyone else. The person who grew up in the church receives the same grace as the person who repents in the eleventh hour and had a brutal criminal history. The foot of the cross is even. This is just another huge wonder of God's unfailing and huge love. Don't ever envy what others have, or what you think they received unfairly. No one deserves the grace we are given. You can't earn it. God's grace is free for all who accept it.

When was a time when you envied someone?



When have you received something you didn't feel you deserved? How did you feel?



Reading: Job 11:1-14:22

Even though Job had a blameless life before it fell apart, he still looks to God's great love and grace. His friends make the same mistake over and over, tying Job's suffering to sin, claiming that he lacks wisdom, however Job points out that it is them that lack the wisdom in not keeping silent.
When we go to comfort others who have experienced suffering or hardship, it is important that we remember God's great and unfailing love, instead of focusing on condemning that person. Hardship can happen to anyone, even the most upright of people. When these times come, we need to be like Job, clinging to the hope and love we have in Christ, and remembering His grace in our lives. Encourage others who are struggling with that love. Carry Christ's love to all around you, instead of judging them.

When have you caught yourself judging someone's situation?



Why is remembering God's grace and love important when facing struggles in life?



God's love sure is a wonder. It's unfailing, and His grace is for all who accept it. I just love the words to the song "How He Loves". It is a beautiful expression of just how wondrous and unfailing God's love is for us: He is jealous for me. Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree, bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy...And we are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes. If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.


 Listen to the song here:

 

Day 28: Consuming Passion

Reading: Proverbs 3:11-20

Opening yourself up to a relationship with Christ opens a world of wisdom, the thing that should be desired most over material things. When we see just how deeply wise Christ is, we can surely feel as if He can handle anything in our lives that we find to be the steepest mountain. His wisdom is what set the world into motion and it makes things work together in the most perfect design. If God can create such intricate and intelligent workings, what makes you think He can't handle what you throw at Him? Though we need to remember that His timing is more perfect than ours. In this reading, we are told to embrace wisdom tightly, as true happiness and satisfaction comes from His wisdom alone. (Verse 18).

What intricate design in this world do you find yourself in awe of the most?




How do you go about getting God's wisdom?




Reading: Matthew 19:16-30

The story of the rich man can be a tough one for people to grasp, especially in a society that is wealthy and is richer than much of the rest of the world. Jesus tells us that it nearly impossible for a rich man to inherit the kingdom of heaven. And we are left asking ourselves if Jesus really wants us to sell our possessions to follow Him?
When Jesus asks the rich man to sell his stuff, He knows that the treasure of this man's heart is his riches. We read that where ever your heart lies, that is whom you'll serve. Jesus asks this man to put Him before all his stuff. So in this man's case, yes - Jesus told him to sell his stuff. In your case - not necessarily.
But we need to ask ourselves what is that thing that is coming between us and God? What are we putting our hearts into over Christ? Jesus is asking you to move that down your list and put your passion into Him. Not that those things you love are bad, but are they taking up your time more than spending it with Him? If you have a hard time with this, you need to assess your heart.

What is your passion for?



Why did the rich man go away sad? What would your reaction be if Jesus told you to get rid of the stuff your heart longs for most for Him?




Reading: Job 8:1-10:22

Keeping a strong passion for God in the midst of suffering can seem hard, maybe even impossible. however, as we continue to read the dialogue between Job and his friends, we learn more about His heart. Though Job cursed the day he was born, he still recognized the power and greatness. He clings to the hope he has in God and expresses the fact that God can make anything happen. Instead of blaming God and asking Him why, he praises Him.
Though Job doesn't put on the "everything is great" face, he can express great faith along with honest life struggles.

What does your passion for Christ look like when you face struggles?



How do you glorify God in these hard times? How can this be an example to those around you?




Developing a deep passion for Christ can take some time, but comes when we recognize just how great and awesome He is. We can see His marvelous work all around us, despite the struggles we face. Placing our hearts on Him over the other things we desire in life can be a hard sacrifice to make, but Jesus wants our all, not just a part of our passion.

Day 27: Paths to Follow

Reading: Psalm 17: 1-5

Throughout David's writings, we see a huge desire from him to stay right with God. He desires to follow the path God lays out for him, even if it means it will be hard. When we gain this desire to follow the path as well, there are some things we need to do to stay on that path. We need to assess our thought life and keep it in check. How easy is it to control our word and actions over our thoughts and what is in our heart? Thoughts are a tough thing to keep under control because you're the only one that knows what's going on in your heart and mind. (Except God of course.)
We also need to watch what we say. Those thoughts can eventually, and will probably eventually well up into our mouths. When we just blurt out our thoughts, we tend to get into trouble. Start working on your thought life by controlling what you say. Be sensitive to those around you and control your words.
Finally, we need to control our actions and where we go with ourselves. We can sometimes find ourselves in places we never thought we would - surrounded by bad influences and doing what they do. When we don't watch were we walk, we might be easily swayed by those around us.

Which of the areas above do you need to work on to keep to God's path?




How can you gain a desire to stay on God's path?




Reading: Matthew 19:1-15

We need to keep to God's path when it comes to the relationships in our life. Our culture has placed a very low view on the concept of "marriage" today. Many times, marriage isn't even considered and people just live together so the strings aren't attached. Others marry, not putting any thought into the commitment they make and figure if they don't like this one, they can just get rid of it and get a new one. Kind of like our material possessions (another topic for another day). We also have failed to take God's Word seriously when He talks about the importance of a spouse. When you get married, that person becomes more important than any other earthly relationship. God will always be #1, but your spouse is number 2. Divorce is an easy way out now for both Christian couples and the overall population. Why make it an option? Fix it if it's broken, don't throw it away.
Jesus also places a strong emphasis on children in this reading. In a culture that view children as better seen than heard, the disciples tried to get rid of the children that came to Jesus. But Jesus put the disciples in their place in welcoming and placing high regard on the children. This tells us that we too need to place our kids and youth in high regard. If we don't provide them with the tools they need to grow in faith, who will? Jesus says never to neglect the children in coming to Him. How are we doing this as a family and church?


What is your view on marriage? Are you willing to fight hard for your spouse or future spouse?



What do you do to grow our youth and kids in faith, whether they're yours or in the church?




Reading: Job 4:1-7:21

Do you have good friends on your path with you? As we read about Job and his suffering, we can see his "friends" that come to offer their two-cents. We read that Eliphaz offers his advice, essentially saying that Job did wrong and needs to go to God for his suffering, not knowing anything about Job and his life. Though Job's friends mean well, they don't offer good advice. They speak empty words and just try to sound like they know what they're talking about to Job.
I'm sure we've all been here. Either we've offered empty advice or have been given it.

Who is a good friend in your life that offers you good, Godly advice?




How are you as a friend to others? Do you offer good, biblical advice?




Walking on the path with Christ isn't always easy, in fact it can be more difficult. When we try to stay on His path for our life, we need to be sure to keep ourselves in check, in our thoughts, words and actions. As we look at our lives  compared to the way the rest of society lives, we need to decide the path we'll follow. God's way when it comes to relationships and basic living, or the world's way? Who do you have walking the path with you? Be sure they are good influences on you and the way you live. Take it, or leave it.

Day 26: Trials Revisited

Reading: Psalm 16:1-11

So many times in life we will face struggles and hardships, and when those come, there can be a temptation to turn away from God and find another way to be gratified. Unfortunately, many don't realize that true gratification can't be found anywhere but in God. We read in this Psalm that David refuses to turn away from God, even in the midst of his endless struggles. He says he will not even speak the name of other gods, for following them brings on a whole other slew of problems and hardships in life.
We can apply this logic to the things of today's world too. When we turn to other things to grant us happiness in life, like drinking, drugs, sex, and other "pressures" that we encounter from others, we will always be left empty in the long run, seeking more. These things can also lead to greater hardship in life. Be careful where you turn when struggles come your way. It might come back to create more problems.

Where do you turn when troubles hit?




What do you do to feel happiness in your life? How does this help you in the long run?




Reading: Matthew 18:10-35

Though our hardship is never a direct link to punishment for our sin, we can sometimes find that we brought suffering upon ourselves. Jesus points out some examples in this reading.
Abusing our freedom. We are all gifted freedom from God. We have the freedom to decide for ourselves what we want to do with our lives and what we will do with different situations that arise. We read the parable of the lost sheep, and see that when the sheep wander, they lose the protection of the shepherd. When we wander from God, we lose His protection as well. When we wander and do things our own way, we run the risk of getting hurt and facing struggles. But we also get from this reading that God will seek us nonstop until we are found again.
We can also cause further hardship in our lives when we don't handle conflict well. Jesus tells us how we should handle conflict, but many times we abuse these words and instead gossip, avoid it, or blow up. All of these poor choices for handling conflict can cause us to face harder days in that relationship and in other relationships because we then carry a horrible reputation. Handle conflict well, and it can be something that is easily put aside.
Finally, Jesus gives us quite a lesson in forgiveness. Forgiveness is a huge topic in today's world, as it is something people don't like to practice very much. But Jesus warns us through this story that if we don't forgive others, He won't forgive us. How often do we abuse this gift of forgiveness by falling into the same sin over and over again, and always count on God's forgiveness to pick us up, but as soon as someone in our lives wrongs us over and over again, we can't even look at them anymore? Though it can be frustrating to deal with people like that, can you imagine God's frustration with you? Yet He loves you so much, He'll welcome you back every time. Forgive others if you want His forgiveness.

How have you brought hardship upon yourself in the past?




How do you handle conflict typically?   




Reading: Job 1:1-3:26

If anyone in the Bible had hardship, it was Job. He went from the good life to nothing in the blink of an eye. Job, who was blameless before God, still endured great suffering from Satan. And though Job faced trial and loss after trial and loss, he never once blamed God for it. In fact, he worshiped God in the same way as he has when he had his life together. Job says to his wife, who encourages him to curse God and die, "I accept good things from God, why can't we also accept bad things?" This act of faith may seem unrealistic to you, but it's to show that trials can come no matter how close to God you are. Satan is still out there, chipping away at the closest of followers. We need to realize that in times of struggles, we can't let Satan have his way, and we must hold on to the faith we have in Christ. He will deliver us in the end and we'll come out stronger. As Job's story unfolds, you'll see more and more the man he is and the support he has.

When have you felt your world crumble around you?




What was your reaction to the constant hardships you faced?




When trials come, they can be hard to understand. Sometimes, we may never understand. The question we must consider when we do encounter trials though, is where will we turn? There are so many things in this world that can sway us from God, but we will always end up empty in the long run, and some of the things we turn to can cause us further struggles. Being faithful to God and taking the good and bad to Him is what we need to remember when our world seems to crumble. Turn to Him and He will rescue you.

Day 25: Faith in Hardships

 Reading: Psalm 15:1-5

Many times we question the hardship in our lives and want to know why God lets them happen. Though hardships are not a pleasant time of life, there is much you can learn from them, if you allow them to grow you. When we allow our circumstances to grow us, we can find ourselves in the presence of God through our growth. We read in this psalm who can come into the Lord's presence, and these same principals can apply when we face hardships:
Acting right and blameless, being truthful, not gossiping, not hurting others, keeping your word, being generous, and being honest.
All seem to make sense, but in the midst of hardship, how many times do we want to lash out or lie? If we can control ourselves through the tough times, we can find ourselves growing and become stronger for the next time we experience those hardships. "Such people will stand firm forever."

When have you lashed out because of a hard time you were experiencing?



How can you remember that trials are a time of growth for your character the next time you are in that position?





Reading: Matthew 17:14-18:9

Sometimes we can never know what causes our suffering, and all we can do is cling to faith. We read about how the disciples failed to heal a boy from his seizures, and Jesus tells them it's because they didn't have enough faith. He says that even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. The man's faith heals the boy.
We also get to see what Jesus does to prevent suffering as He insists on paying the temple tax so no one is offended. I've learned on mission trips to other countries that you respect the culture in wearing proper attire, even if it's not comfortable to you back home. This allows you to witness to others without putting attention on yourself. As long as what you do doesn't cross lines in your faith, respecting other cultures and people can get you far in faith.
Finally Jesus stands up against suffering by warning anyone who causes temptation or to cause someone to fall will be punished greatly. He takes a very radical stand against sin, saying to get rid of anything that causes it immediately. This can apply in our lives to the people we surround ourselves with. If it causes you to sin, cast it off as soon as you can. Sin causes suffering, and unfortunately, we usually do it to ourselves in the decisions we make. Have faith that God will take care of you and follow His direction to a better life.

When have you needed more faith in your life?



What is causing you to sin? What must you do to wipe it out of your life?




Reading: Genesis 49:1-50:26

Even through Joseph's crazy life, he recognizes God's hand in everything that happened to him. He knows there was a reason for his suffering and he is grateful for it, as it put him in the position of great power and authority. Joseph had great faith when it came to trusting that God would take care of him and allow him to see his family again. When we reflect back to today's Psalm reading for today, we see that Joseph follows the characteristics well as he goes through what he did.
As Jacob lies on his deathbed, he says quite powerful things about Joseph compared to his other brothers, showing that Joseph led a wonderful legacy through the life he lived.
We can approach our struggles the same way Joseph did in giving in to faith instead of bitterness. Remember to let the hardships grow you.

What kind of legacy do you think you leave when you react to the hardships in your life?




What kind of faith do you have when struggles come your way?



Hardships and struggles are certainly inevitable in this life. We'll all see our fair share (or not so fair share) of them and react in different ways. But to react to hardships with faith can be a hard task within itself. When we allow our struggles to grow us, rather than to defeat us, we come out stronger and closer to God. How do you deal with life's struggles?