When Life Feels Aimless
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Do you ever feel a little aimless—like you’re going through the motions, but the motions no longer mean much? It’s easy for weeks to blur into months of treadmill living: lots of activity, not much direction. And … wouldn’t it be nice if our path was simply marked out for us?
Most of us long for wisdom—the kind that blends knowledge, experience, discernment, and the ability to put it all into practice. We want to know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it well. We want to be effective and grounded.
But how do we actually get wisdom?
Scripture tells us we begin by believing wisdom exists outside of ourselves. There is a reason, a design, a deeper logic woven into this world and into our lives. And that wisdom isn’t hidden. It’s found in relationship with God.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” —Proverbs 9:10
Wisdom doesn’t originate with us. It resides in God. He is its source and author.
Moses understood...
Whatever You Do: Reclaim the Fullness of Your Spiritual Life
 If I asked you, “How are you doing spiritually?” you might need a moment to think about it.
You’d probably start mentally reviewing your Bible reading. Have I been consistent? Did I even open it this week? Do I remember anything I read—and did it make any difference in my life?
Then you might check in on your prayer life. Have I actually been talking to God, or just thinking about prayer? Have I lifted up my family, my work, my community? Have I interceded for anyone at all?
From there, you might evaluate your church involvement—attendance, serving, small group participation.
And after that quick internal survey, you’d likely give yourself some kind of grade… then adjust up or down depending on whether you’re wired as an optimist or a realist.
But here’s the thing:
Your spiritual life is so much bigger than your religious activities. It touches every part of who you are and what you do.
Paul said it this way:
“WHATEVER you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the ...
Be Inspired, Not Discouraged
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When you see someone excelling—whether in school, sports, relationships, work, self-discipline, or communication—what’s your first reaction? Do you feel motivated to grow in that area, or do you feel left out, thinking, “Why don’t I have those abilities?” Or worse, “I could never do that”?
Hebrews 12 offers us encouragement for moments like this:
“Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let’s throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11—people who trusted God against impossible odds—are recorded not to make us feel small, but to inspire us. Their lives are meant to encourage us to step into the faith and purpose God has for us personally.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparison. We look at someone else’s success and either feel like failures or become prideful. As the apostle Paul reminds us, compar...
Seeing What God Is Saying
Some people live as if there is no God.
Some believe He exists but assume He’s silent.
And others are doing everything they can to hear His voice more clearly.
But maybe the way to hear Him isn’t through doing more.
Maybe it’s through quieting down and paying attention.
Our lives are noisy. Constant motion. Constant thought. Constant input. But when we slow our anxious energy and become still, something shifts. Suddenly, the world around us starts to speak. We begin to notice God’s fingerprints everywhere—His will, His beauty, His steady activity woven into ordinary life.
Psalm 19 says,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth.” (Psalm 19:1–4)
Creation speaks—without saying a word.
The problem isn’t that God has stopped speaking; it’s that we’ve stopped ...
The Point and Power of Pausing
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When Life Turns Up the Pressure
What do you do when you feel the pressure closing in?
Do you double down—determined to push harder until things finally give way? Or do you pull back—hoping that if you wait it out, the heat will die down on its own? In other words, when stress hits, do you tend to fight or take flight?
We all have natural reactions to pressure. The key is knowing what yours is—and learning when it helps and when it hurts. Sometimes our first response fits the moment. But other times, it’s just instinct taking over, not wisdom leading the way.
The truth is, when pressure and quick reactions mix, things often go poorly.
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If you’re a fighter, remember that moving too fast can land you in trouble. Proverbs 19:2 says, “Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” In other words, rushing ahead can leave you with regrets—a commitment you can’t keep, a word you can’t take back, or a problem that just got bigger.
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If you’re a f...
The Heart of True Intimacy
 When people begin dating, they often feel a surge of inner angst: “Will I be accepted? Will my invitation be well received?” These questions reach deeper than romance—they touch our sense of identity, self-worth, and lovability. In response, we’re tempted to show only our best parts, carefully curating ourselves to be acceptable—maybe even creating a false self in order to “catch” the other person.
The same temptation can creep into our relationship with God. If we’re not sure of His utterly unconditional love, we may try to hide the “unpresentable” parts of ourselves or craft a “religious” version of who we think we should be. But these paths are spiritually deadly. They keep us from experiencing the authentic, transforming love of God and leave us stuck in a shallow faith.
Yet Scripture is clear: God calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27). Real love means bringing every part of ourselves—not just the polished or presentable parts—into a full...
Reflection and Action: A Rhythm for Spiritual Growth
When was the last time you simply spent time with the Lord—not reading for information, not asking Him to do something, but just talking with Him, listening, and seeking His counsel for your life? Isn’t that what it really means to seek Him? (Psalm 27:8; Psalm 105:4)
I am convinced that one of the greatest ways to grow in wisdom and in the counsel of the Lord is through reflection with Him. In those quiet moments, we become more aware of His presence, hear His voice more clearly, and grow in spiritual authority as we learn to obey what He shows us.
Someone once said, “Action without reflection is meaningless action.” In the same way, reflection with the Lord—anchored in His Word—gives us divine perspective. As we consider our lives in His presence, the Holy Spirit teaches us (John 14:26). We begin to see ourselves more clearly and discover how to live practically in His Kingdom.
But here’s the key: reflection is not about self-evaluation or “producing a better version” of ourselves....
Redeemed for More: God’s Call on Your Day
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Some mornings feel like they start on their own. Life rushes forward, and we scramble to jump on the moving escalator without tripping. But before we get swept along, it’s worth pausing to remember: the world we live in is broken. Since the very first sin, everything has borne its marks—alienation, sickness, death. The decay is everywhere.
Yet God, in His mercy, stepped in. Jesus gave His life as a ransom (Mark 10:45), redeeming us from spiritual slavery and rescuing us from that downward path. So don’t just wake up and sprint into the day. Stop. Receive your redemption with gratitude. Lift your eyes to your eternal hope in Christ, and give thanks.
Redemption, however, is only the beginning. You have also been reconciled. The barrier of sin that once separated you from God has been torn down. No longer do you walk alone—God is with you, and in you. Spiritually united with Him, like a covenant marriage, you’ve died to the exhausting burden of independent living. Your new life is li...
Pull Yourself Together!
Have you checked your email today? How about YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat? Every day, we are bombarded with ideas, perspectives, opportunities, and sales. This constant influx of information can leave us feeling intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually overloaded. Over time, it can even fragment our sense of self.
In an effort to cope, we often compartmentalize our lives. We may act one way politically or socially, another way in our work or family life, and yet another way in our spiritual communities. While some variation is natural, consistent compartmentalization can erode our identity and undermine deep relationships.
Have you ever been at a gathering with people from different spheres of your life—family, friends, colleagues, church—and felt awkward? Some of this is normal. But the deeper question is: are you being true to yourself, or are you “playing to the crowd,” presenting a different version of yourself in each setting?
Though compartme...
The Battle Behind the Struggle
Have you recently faced difficulties or felt a sense of hopelessness? It may be more than challenging circumstances—it may be evidence of a spiritual battle. Scripture reminds us that life is not just what we see on the surface. There is a spiritual realm, and it is in conflict. There really is a God, and there really is a devil. Angels and demons are at work, and humanity is caught in the middle of their war. Whether or not we recognize it, this battle is real.
The apostle Paul addresses this reality in Ephesians 6:10–20, urging us to “put on the full armor of God” so we can stand firm. Our goal is not just to survive the fight, but to remain standing when it is over. Spiritual standing must become our way of life.
Here are four ways we can stand:
1. Stand On God’s Truth.
God’s Word is truth. Jesus prayed that His followers would be sanctified—set apart—by this truth (John 17:17). Paul urges us to renew our minds by it, so we are not shaped by the world’s lies (Romans 12:2). This ta...
