Wellspring. Karen Moore
after that session is over? Do you feel energized and ready to get back in the game of life or do you feel like just letting everything go because there's really no point anyway?
What you think about and what you take into your consciousness from others is vital to your well-being. When you're around toxic conversations and toxic people, you suffer the consequences. You feel depleted of hope and energy.
Snap out of it! The writer of Philippians has some good advice. Don't think about every bad possible outcome you can imagine and try to cope with living. Be intentional about what you allow into your heart and mind. After all, you own that space and you need to protect it. Think about good, true, and beautiful things. It will make a big difference in your day.
In the Flow
Lord, help me steer clear of the people who see only the dark side of life. I have you, the Light of the World, in my heart. Amen.
January 14
Pass on the Blessings
Finally, all of you be of one mind, sympathetic, lovers of your fellow believers, compassionate. . . . You were called to do this so that you might inherit a blessing.
—1 Peter 3:8-9
Someone needs what you have to give today. It may be a small gift of encouragement through your words or your greetings. It may be a gentle heart that listens with compassion. It may be your clever sense of humor and your ability to chase away the clouds of gloom that threaten their day. You are God's hands and feet, his eyes and ears.
Emily Dickinson reflected on this need in her own way when she wrote . . .
They might not need me; but they might.
I'll let my head be just in sight;
A smile as small as mine might be
Precisely their necessity.
Your smile, your thoughts, your helping hands are just what somebody else needs today. Bless others and God will immediately bless you. Show his face and shine his light everywhere you go today. You are blessed to be a blessing.
In the Flow
Lord, you know the needs of each person I will encounter today. Help me see them as you see them. Help me offer them the gift of your blessing. Amen.
January 15
Stand Firm . . . Take a Bow!
You must stand firm, unshakable, excelling in the work of the Lord as always, because you know that your labor isn't going to be for nothing in the Lord.
—1 Corinthians 15:58
You've probably done a few thankless jobs in your life. You know, those are the jobs where you trudge in to work every day, do what you must with as much energy as you can manage, and trudge home again wondering why you keep doing it.
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, tells us that when you see what you do as doing work for the Lord, you have every reason to celebrate. His Spirit will supply all the energy you need and your heart will be light because of the joy you experience.
God has every desire and intention for you to be happy in your work. If you find yourself in the slow lane, trudging your way, begrudging your day, then it might be time for a change. Ask God to help you know whether he wants you in the job you're in. If you're working for him, there will always be a reward. In fact, your future is guaranteed and the benefits are awesome.
In the Flow
Lord, I know that I don't always feel sure I'm doing the right work. I know I don't give all that I can when my heart isn't in the flow of things. Help me see your hand in the work I do and shine your light so others can see your good works and rejoice. Amen.
January 16
What's in Your Wallet?
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
—Matthew 6:24
Credit card companies would have you believe that the kind of credit card you carry makes a difference. Perhaps! It's not always easy to recognize the seductive power of being able to spend money that isn't really yours. If your circumstances ever make it necessary for you to live on those credit cards, you start to discover what kind of hold they actually have over you.
Perhaps you don't think you have money issues because you don't even use credit cards, but look again. It doesn't take much to become slaves to our money. We build a lot of our lives around it . . . saving, spending, planning, and dreaming. It sounds harsh, but the truth is in your wallet. What keeps you moving forward? Is it your prayer life, your commitment to the things God designed for you to accomplish, or is it something else? What seduces you into believing you can do it all on your own?
There's nothing wrong with your credit card as long as you give credit where it's due. As long as you are diligent enough to recognize whether you own it or it owns you. You're the child of a King and everything in this world is open to you from your Father's hand. Go to him for anything you need. Serve him with your whole heart.
In the Flow
Lord, it's so easy to be seduced by the things of this world. Please help me see the truth in all I do. Amen.
January 17
Where Are the Wise?
Where are the wise? Where are the legal experts? Where are today's debaters? Hasn't God made the wisdom of the world foolish? In God's wisdom, he determined that the world wouldn't come to know him through its wisdom. Instead, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching.
—1 Corinthians 1:20-21
What suggests that a high IQ directly leads to wisdom? Where do we find those who are the real sages, the ones worthy of our listening ears? According to Paul, we are wise when we come to know God, and in that wisdom, we understand more of what makes us worthy in his sight. The things that stand out in this world, the beautiful people, the brilliant ones, the wealthy ones, may or may not have wisdom. Those who are not as inclined toward a kind of brilliance that sets them apart in worldly ways, may yet be the wiser.
God sets his people apart and he has placed them in every arena of life. He has equipped his own with a kind of wisdom that will brilliantly lead others to his door. That's wisdom. That's what sets the wise at heart truly apart.
Be wise and seek him in every way you can today.
In the Flow
Lord, I have glimpses of wisdom, moments of brilliance, but I know that I don't stay in those spaces unless you lead me there. Grant me greater wisdom in the things I do that please you. Amen.
January 1 8
Waters of Joy
You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation. And you will say on that day: "Thank the LORD; call on God's name; proclaim God's deeds among the peoples; declare that God's name is exalted.
—Isaiah 12:3-4
What makes you