Weekly Devotionals
Matthew 18:35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
There is a condition known as “Regretted Delayed Clapback (RDC)” that I think we all have suffered from at least once in our lifetime. Regretted Delayed Clapback is when you experience a disagreement or argument with someone, but only after the argument has ended, do you come up with the perfect Clapback to something that was said by the opposing party. You realize this Clapback could have potentially shut the conversation down and “won” you the argument. But unfortunately, you can’t go back and rehash the argument, so it plays over and over in your mind. You may even find yourself practicing what you could have said in the mirror, getting yourself all worked up over an alleged missed opportunity. Chances are, this condition doesn’t end well, and eventually, you find yourself right in the middle of an argument again.
Romans 9:17 “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.”
I’m sure I made it very clear how much I initially struggled with the idea of sending my son to Iowa to live with his dad for a while. I can easily say that saying “Yes” was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made in my entire life. But I prayed and asked God to allow love and grace to guide my heart in making the decision, and God clearly spoke to me and led me to that yes. I decided to let everything that happened between us go. I let go of the years of absence, the harsh words, and crippling mistakes. I made the choice to love and forgive, just as Christ did (and continues to do) for me.
2 Corinthians 4:9 “...persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
I was completely unprepared for that May 2015 fall. I got out of my car with a few bags and was stepping up the walkway stairs to my house... but something went completely wrong with my feet. I started to fall forward... and fast.
James 1:12 NIV - “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
Early in the first few years of my marriage I was really enduring some trials. There were some things happening that I just could not believe were happening to me. I remember saying to myself “now God I know those 11 months of premarital counseling were not in vain.” Personality changes and behaviors I had vowed to endure until death did us part.
