Sometimes God speaks to our hearts while we quietly read through Scripture. Sometimes He comforts us as we pray or listen to praise music. And as you’ll see in my guest’s post today, other times He uses someone unexpected to let us know He sees us, loves us, and holds us securely now and forever.

Angels Watching Over Me
by Candy Arrington

I stared at the ceiling of pre-op outpatient surgery, wishing I was somewhere else. Earlier, the nurse hustled my husband to the waiting room, believing I was minutes away from my turn in the operating room.

Now, nearly an hour later, I was growing increasingly uneasy. Alone, at the far end of a long room, away from the nurses’ station, I felt my resolve to remain calm dissolving. I willed myself to remain in the bed and not bolt for the door.

As I turned, I saw a little lady moving a push broom across the floor near my bed. She softly hummed “Amazing Grace.” Leaning the broom against the wall, she came to my bedside and straightened the covers, smoothing and tucking as she worked. Gentleness tugged the corners of her mouth into a comforting smile. Her face was unlined and serene.

She placed my hand in hers and patted it in rhythm with her humming. Then she moved to sit in a rocking chair I hadn’t noticed in the shadows. Rocking slowly, she continued her soft humming, a different, but familiar, hymn. I was intrigued. I hadn’t seen her enter the room and now she settled in a dim corner, as if for a visit.

Suddenly leaning forward, she stopped humming and asked, “You’re not scared, are you?” Before I could answer, she followed with, “Don’t be scared, Baby. Jesus, take care of you. You rest. Jesus gonna take care of you.”

The humming resumed. I felt myself beginning to relax. The fear drained away, and my panic evaporated. With a sigh, I felt peace settle over me like a warm blanket. My eyes grew heavy as I gave in to sleep.

Later, I was awakened by a bustling nurse preparing to take me to surgery. Groggily, I looked toward the rocking chair. My visitor was gone. Smiling at the nurse I said, “That was the sweetest little lady. She calmed my fears.”

The nurse looked at me with question mark eyebrows, and said, “What lady? No one else has been in the room.” I explained she must have been a cleaning woman. Again, the nurse gave me a quizzical look, and said, “The cleaning lady went off shift hours ago.” There was no further discussion as she wheeled me into the operating room.

Angels are mentioned numerous times in Scripture. A few include: messenger angels, who appeared to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds (Luke 1-2, Matthew 1:18-25); rescue angels, who opened prison doors (Acts 5:19-20, Acts 16:25-34); an angel leading and guarding the Children of Israel (Exodus 23:20); and worshiping angels (Isaiah 6:2-3).

I’ve often thought of that little lady in pre-op. I guess I’ll never know for sure if she was human or an angel, but I believe God sent a messenger that day to provide comfort in my hour of need.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Candy Arrington has written hundreds of articles and devotionals on faith, personal growth, and moving through and beyond difficult life circumstances. Her books include: Life On Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books),  When Your Aging Parent Needs Care: Practical Help for This Season of Life (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B & H Publishing Group). Candy is a native South Carolinian, who gains writing inspiration from historic architecture, vintage photographs, nature, and the application of Biblical principles to everyday life. Learn more about Candy at www.CandyArrington.com, where you can also read her blog, Forward Motion: Moving Beyond What Holds You Back.

Candy’s new book, Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well, provides insights on learning from and growing through a time of waiting.

Let’s talk about this! When has God loved and encouraged you through someone else? How did that increase your faith? What did that instance reveal regarding His heart for you?

What God Wants To Do For You (Isaiah 30:18) – Your Daily Bible Verse

Today's Bible Verse: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" — Isaiah 30:18 Have you ever wondered what God wants to do for you when you're struggling, waiting, or unsure of what comes next? Isaiah 30:18 reminds us that God's heart is filled with grace, compassion, and justice. Even when we become impatient or struggle to trust His timing, God remains faithful and desires to show us His goodness. Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Meet Today’s Host: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel 🎙️ Listen to more daily devotionals with Jessica at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio Rev. Jessica Van Roekel is a passionate Christian speaker, author, and worship pastor who shares how God brings beauty from brokenness. Her message centers on God’s power to rescue, restore, and renew, even after seasons of rejection or loss. She is the author of Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything, a guide to seeing God’s purpose in life’s disappointments. Jessica and her husband are raising a vibrant family, with two adult daughters, a college-aged son, and a high school daughter. You can explore her teachings, devotionals, and resources at WelcomeGrace.com. Let Scripture shape your heart today—begin with the Bible Verse of the Day on Biblestudytools.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

1. What God Wants To Do For You (Isaiah 30:18) 08:09
2. How God Protects Us from Deception (Judges 18:5) 07:58
3. Finding Courage to Face Your Foe (Psalm 27-1) 09:37
4. Can You Love God Without Obeying Him? (1John 5:3) 07:15
5. When God Raises Up Those Others Reject (Judges 12:7) 06:51

May you personally experience Christ as each of these this Christmas.

Prayer prompt:

Jesus, help me experience You and Your love. Help me to sense Your presence throughout the day and to pause to acknowledge this. Help me to experience the soul-deep peace of complete absolution, knowing through faith in You, that I am lavished, surrounded, and completely covered by Your grace. Help me to worship You from a trust-filled, fully yielded heart that I may, daily and progressively, experience Your gift of life. True and vibrant life. And thank You for seeing my need and coming to dwell with me and to remove everything that hinders my relationship with You, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. In Your victorious Name I pray, amen.

How to Overcome Panic Attacks Through the Power of Praise – Faith Over Fear

Panic attacks can leave us gasping for breath, desperately praying for peace, and perpetually bracing ourselves for the next unexpected attack. If that's you, you'd probably do about anything to break free from these deeply unsettling anxiety bursts. Today's guest, Wendy Speake gets it! But Christ showed her a way out! What if something as simple as prioritizing praise could lead to lasting peace? What if, by shifting to worship, even when that feels like the last thing you want to do, invites the power and presence of God into your struggle? In today's episode, host Jennifer Slattery and guest Wendy Speake explore how to interrupt negative thought patterns, distinguish biblical praise from spiritual bypassing, and develop habits that help us focus on God's truth when our emotions tell us otherwise. Wendy also shares practical strategies from her book, A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness, including a simple gratitude practice and a different way to approach our most desperate prayers. Discover how intentionally praising God for who He is can help you persevere through difficult seasons and experience His presence even when your circumstances remain unchanged. Want to enter the giveaway drawing? Subscribe to Jennifer's faith-building newsletter here! Resource mentioned: A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness Scripture referenced or discussed: Psalm 23; Psalm 40:2–3; Psalm 100; Psalm 118:24; Psalm 121:1–2; Lamentations 3:22–23; Acts 16:25–26; Philippians 4:4–9; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 13:5. Connect with Wendy Speake: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Follow her writing on Amazon Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

1. How to Overcome Panic Attacks Through the Power of Praise 35:55
2. How to Experience God's Presence When You Feel a Mess (ft. Stasi Eldredge) 35:03
3. Hearing God: How to Move Forward in Confidence When You’re Unsure 34:55
4. When God Seems Silent: How to Trust He's Still Near 35:00
5. When You Fear You'll Miss God's Will: How to Hear Him with Confidence 38:03

A question posed in a book I read years ago periodically replays through my mind, and often with an unsatisfactory answer: What are you doing in which you know you will fail if God doesn’t come through?*

I would rephrase this as, “In what ways do I insulate myself from needing to rely on God’s strength, accomplished through my weakness?”

In other words, how quickly do I give God my yes?

If you can relate, I hope today’s devotion, written by my guest Martha Rogers, encourages you.

‘“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her” (Luke 1:38 NIV). 

A simple verse, but oh the power in her response, “may it be to me as you have said.”  How frightened Mary must have been when she heard the pronouncement from the angel. Still, she listened, acknowledged then obeyed. Despite the circumstances, she knew the angel had given her a special blessing and wonderful task. 

We don’t know for sure how old she actually was, but she was old enough to be betrothed. Tradition has portrayed her as being in her teens. How would you have handled the great responsibility placed upon her by God? 

Often, God allows difficult challenges and asks us to simply trust Him in what He is doing. Mary trusted God and accepted the task. For nine months she carried the child, but we know little of what happened in that time except that she did visit her cousin and tell her the news. Elizabeth and the child in her womb immediately recognized the significance of the child Mary carried. 

Mary praised God in what is called Mary’s “Magnificat” in the first chapter of Luke. She praised Him for what He had done in the past for His people. Her soul glorified the Lord God. Sometimes, praising God and glorifying Him may be difficult in troubled times, but we forge ahead in faith. 

He promised never to leave us and to work things together for our good, but we become impatient and want things to happen right away. We want our troubles to go away now.  We want things now instead of waiting for God’s timing.  

Sometimes God does take away our troubles in a miraculous way, so the suffering is short lived, but other times it remains for a long season. That is when our trust and faith in the Lord is so important. We must never give up on the fact that His mercy will endure, and He will overcome. Like Paul, we praise God for His love and His enduring promises. 

Jesus was and is and shall be evermore, the perfect Gift. Each day is a new gift from Him to be opened and treasured no matter what may come.  Treasure and ponder all the things He has done and will do for us as faithful, obedient servants. His love knows no end. 

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, may we always be as trusting and obedient as young Mary was when she learned what her responsibility would be. May we rejoice and praise Your name in any and all circumstances.

Meet Martha Rogers:

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and multi-published author from Realms Fiction of Charisma Media and Winged Publications. She was named Writer of the Year at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in 2009. She is a member of ACFW and writes the weekly Verse of the Week for the ACFW Loop. ACFW awarded her the Volunteer of the Year in 2014. Her first electronic series from Winged Publications, Love in the Bayou City of Texas, debuted in the spring of 2015.  Martha is a frequent speaker for writing workshops and the Texas Christian Writers Conference. She is a retired teacher and lives in Houston with her husband, Rex. Their favorite pastime is spending time with their twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Visit her online HERE.

*Francis Chan, the Forgotten God

How to Overcome Panic Attacks Through the Power of Praise – Faith Over Fear

Panic attacks can leave us gasping for breath, desperately praying for peace, and perpetually bracing ourselves for the next unexpected attack. If that's you, you'd probably do about anything to break free from these deeply unsettling anxiety bursts. Today's guest, Wendy Speake gets it! But Christ showed her a way out! What if something as simple as prioritizing praise could lead to lasting peace? What if, by shifting to worship, even when that feels like the last thing you want to do, invites the power and presence of God into your struggle? In today's episode, host Jennifer Slattery and guest Wendy Speake explore how to interrupt negative thought patterns, distinguish biblical praise from spiritual bypassing, and develop habits that help us focus on God's truth when our emotions tell us otherwise. Wendy also shares practical strategies from her book, A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness, including a simple gratitude practice and a different way to approach our most desperate prayers. Discover how intentionally praising God for who He is can help you persevere through difficult seasons and experience His presence even when your circumstances remain unchanged. Want to enter the giveaway drawing? Subscribe to Jennifer's faith-building newsletter here! Resource mentioned: A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness Scripture referenced or discussed: Psalm 23; Psalm 40:2–3; Psalm 100; Psalm 118:24; Psalm 121:1–2; Lamentations 3:22–23; Acts 16:25–26; Philippians 4:4–9; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 13:5. Connect with Wendy Speake: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Follow her writing on Amazon Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

1. How to Overcome Panic Attacks Through the Power of Praise 35:55
2. How to Experience God's Presence When You Feel a Mess (ft. Stasi Eldredge) 35:03
3. Hearing God: How to Move Forward in Confidence When You’re Unsure 34:55
4. When God Seems Silent: How to Trust He's Still Near 35:00
5. When You Fear You'll Miss God's Will: How to Hear Him with Confidence 38:03

I just left a conference full of tired and discouraged women leaders. Yes, some attendees came full and encouraged, but I suspect, based on the tears I saw and conversations I overheard, they were in the minority. And for many of them, it wasn’t the demands of ministry that most fatigued and disheartened them. These precious women felt beaten down by the hurtful actions of others. Words that cut straight to their most wounded placed, feeding the lies that whispered, “You can’t do this. You’re insufficient. Too broken. Too flawed and too weak.”

I imagine you can relate. We’ve all found ourselves on the receiving end of careless yet painful statements and verbal attacks. In those moments, if we’re not anchored firmly in Christ’s love and grace, we’ll crumble.

Some time ago, I felt as if I was hit on every side. Significant health challenges. Loss of sleep. Major technology issues that interfered with my ability to complete important and time sensitive responsibilities, which, unfortunately, had recently increased. Relational difficulties. All of this triggered anxiety that, in turn, fueled my insomnia, which only further hindered my productivity. Then came what felt like the verbal assault that poked at some already bruised areas.

For a while, I slipped into a vortex of condemnation.

I felt like a buoy tossed into a raging sea, thrown about with every wave.

But then I sensed God asking me, “Who will you live to please? Whose voice will you allow to become loudest in your life?”

He was calling me to close my ears to everything and everyone else except for Him, to soak in His truth, and to rest momentarily in His protective embrace. It was in that quiet sacred place that His voice, previously muted by my insecurities, became clearer. He told me I wasn’t insufficient or defected. In Him, I was holy, chosen, and adored. Flawed, oh my, yes, but also empowered and redeemed. Called by my Savior to growth, healing, and even in my broken state, to impact.

As God’s gentle Spirit nourished my hurting soul, I sensed Him saying, “I’m calling you to something beautiful.”

Our God of infinite beauty always brings the yielded heart beauty from their pain. Trusting this, I clung to that and deliberately surrendered to His will–even though I knew it led to a path of increased pain. But as I sat, quiet and yielded, filled and comforted by my God, I reflected upon the wounded people God was inviting me to reach. Those who were deeply hurting and aching to experience, through His flawed yet redeemed children, His love and grace.

Would I abandon those precious souls in self-obsession, in self-protection, or would I courageously keep stepping, in love?

Would I hold tight to the condemnation spoken over me or the truth of Christ coursing through me?

And would I lean on another leader who, at least temporarily, wasn’t slung about by a storm? Someone one step beyond me, someone who could uniquely speak encouragement to my bruised soul—because she’d been there and understood.

I knew I couldn’t stand firm on my own, and so I called in reinforcements. While I still fulfilled my responsibilities and met my deadlines, my world quickly narrowed to those who spoke life and strength into my soul. I carved out time in other places to increase time for Jesus, my husband, and Spirit-filled women who could hear my struggle, with compassion, but also with their gaze focused entirely on Christ. Ladies who recognized His call on my life, not just for ministry, but for personal wholeness, growth, and freedom.

You see, a lot of people can speak truth. And a lot of people can share love. The one who consistently reveals both is a priceless jewel. A gift sent from Christ to our weary souls.

And so, those were the individuals to whom I reached out, even if that meant allowing some things to slip, and trusting God in that. Living with opened hands, unburdened shoulders, a purified and filled heart, and a mind set on truth.

That is the only way to live—and love—freely.

Notice what Paul says in Philippians 2:1:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

“Therefore,” he wrote, pointing back to what he wrote regarding suffering for Christ. He wanted them, and by extension, us, to remember, even when hurled into a violent and choppy sea, we are still held firm by grace. Encouraged and united, and comforted by His tender, compassionate love (v. 1).

This understanding helps shift our focus off of the turmoil around us, and perhaps even raging within, and onto the God who remains sovereign over the storm.  

The God who invites us to cling to Him, surrender to Him, and to rest in Him, knowing He will always reveal our next step. He’ll teach us how to experience His strength when our knees feel ready to give way, resting in His inconceivable grace.

A grace that says:

Your sins are forgiven, their power broken.

Your weaknesses compensated for.

Your healing and growth, a process initiated, sustained, and one day fulfilled, by the One who bled and died to set us free.

A grace that anchors us so securely in Him, we can then become an anchor for others.

Let’s talk about this! When are you most tempted to yield to your feelings of insufficiency? How do you respond when you feel under attack? What are some ways you intentionally anchor yourself in Christ’s love and grace? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, and make sure to connect with me on Facebook, Amazon, and Instagram.

How to Overcome Panic Attacks Through the Power of Praise – Faith Over Fear

Panic attacks can leave us gasping for breath, desperately praying for peace, and perpetually bracing ourselves for the next unexpected attack. If that's you, you'd probably do about anything to break free from these deeply unsettling anxiety bursts. Today's guest, Wendy Speake gets it! But Christ showed her a way out! What if something as simple as prioritizing praise could lead to lasting peace? What if, by shifting to worship, even when that feels like the last thing you want to do, invites the power and presence of God into your struggle? In today's episode, host Jennifer Slattery and guest Wendy Speake explore how to interrupt negative thought patterns, distinguish biblical praise from spiritual bypassing, and develop habits that help us focus on God's truth when our emotions tell us otherwise. Wendy also shares practical strategies from her book, A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness, including a simple gratitude practice and a different way to approach our most desperate prayers. Discover how intentionally praising God for who He is can help you persevere through difficult seasons and experience His presence even when your circumstances remain unchanged. Want to enter the giveaway drawing? Subscribe to Jennifer's faith-building newsletter here! Resource mentioned: A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness Scripture referenced or discussed: Psalm 23; Psalm 40:2–3; Psalm 100; Psalm 118:24; Psalm 121:1–2; Lamentations 3:22–23; Acts 16:25–26; Philippians 4:4–9; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 13:5. Connect with Wendy Speake: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Follow her writing on Amazon Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

1. How to Overcome Panic Attacks Through the Power of Praise 35:55
2. How to Experience God's Presence When You Feel a Mess (ft. Stasi Eldredge) 35:03
3. Hearing God: How to Move Forward in Confidence When You’re Unsure 34:55
4. When God Seems Silent: How to Trust He's Still Near 35:00
5. When You Fear You'll Miss God's Will: How to Hear Him with Confidence 38:03

I sat there in church, the room darkened and the praise band’s thrumming set now just a soft, slow piano tune as our pastor spoke words over the congregation.

“Has the Lord turned your life around?” he asked us, raising his own hand to indicate God had done this for him, too. “Have you surrendered to Him and drawn close to Him? I invite you now to pray with me … and surrender.”

There in my seat, my head bowed and my palms upturned, my heart reached toward God. The prayers in my heart swirled—my daughter, my sister, my friend with heart issues, my friend with bleeding and pain, my friend recovering from shoulder surgery, an acquaintance just diagnosed with a massive brain tumor. So many prayers … for them and for others, for the world in general … circled around me, fleeting thoughts in my brain and tugs at my heart. I know God is big and powerful, mighty to save and capable of doing any miracle. I squeezed my eyes closed, opening myself to all of this. Please, God. Heal, save, protect, I whispered in my soul.

And yet from somewhere, a little seed of doubt crept in. Would He?

Then I allowed my pastor’s words to register once more—surrender.

Surrender.

Surrender.

For a moment I was reminded of the desperate father’s plea to Jesus as told in the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus’s disciples could not drive out a demon that have plagued the man’s child.

The father doubted whether anyone could save his son, and he asked Jesus to do something “if you can.”

The word “if” was the word Jesus seized upon. If? Jesus, part of the Holy Trinity encompassing God—Father, Son, and Spirit—three in one, Word become flesh. This was Jesus standing before him, and the man was asking “if”? 

“‘If you can’? said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:23-24 NIV).

Jesus did just that, driving out the demon and displaying the power and glory of God Almighty.

As I prayed in church, instantly I understood: In this moment I was the father of that boy. That little kernel of doubt creeping in, not wondering if he could but if he would, that too was “unbelief.”

Right there with my eyes squeezed shut, I prayed the prayer of that father in my own head: “I do believe. God, please help my unbelief.”

Immediately, I felt the peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit shimmer down upon me like tiny drops of mist and sunshine.

God heard. God could. And God would shine His light into all of this.

God is always in command.

And that is my invitation to you today, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Wherever you are and whatever prayers are in your heart, I invite you now to join me and surrender to God. Let go of the doubts and pray the prayer of the desperate father: “Help my unbelief.”

God hears you, and God will respond in the way He knows is best.

Then go in peace, knowing God has heard you and felt you, for God knows the cries of your heart. He created you. You are not an exception, but rather you belong to Him.

And He holds you close. Amen and amen.

Grab a free copy of Jessica’s ebook A God-Centered Life

If today’s post encouraged you, you might also enjoy Wednesday’s Your Daily Bible Verse podcast episode, When Your Faith Fails.

Get to Know Jessica Brodie:

Jessica is an award-winning Christian journalist, author, blogger, and editor. She is the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won more than 118 journalism awards during her tenure. She is the author of two devotionals, Feed My Sheep (2019) and More Like Jesus (2018), and editor of Stories of Racial Awakening (2018) and Called by God (2020), all from her newspaper’s Advocate Press. 

Jessica also writes fiction, represented by Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency, and her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis contest for unpublished contemporary fiction from the American Christian Fiction Writers. A speaker and contributor to Crosswalk, Christianity.com, and the United Methodist News Service, she has a faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com. Subscribe to Jessica’s YouTube Channel HERE.

I also encourage you to catch the latest Faith Over Fear episode as well, titled Building a Faith that Stands.

How do you respond when someone you care about hurts? Do you immediately feel an intense desire rise up to to fix their situation and in some way to alleviate their pain? That’s a tendency I’m learning to fight. I’m trying to get better at remaining present when those I love are experiencing pain.

That’s the topic, in fact, of the presentation I’ll be sharing with a group of women at the Carol Joy Holling Retreat Center: How God is growing me to love others well by fighting my aversion to discomfort. By learning, in fact, to walk with others through their “messy middle” as we wait, together, for the joy Christ promised is yet to come. And while contemplating all God is doing within me, as I seek to share what I believe He might want to do within these precious women, I stumbled upon the below post and asked the author, AC Williams, if I could share it with you. (Contact me here to book me for your next event.)

Why is it therapeutic to fix broken things? What is it that makes us feels better after we piece together fragments of something that used to be whole? I think part of it is being made in God’s image. He is the Master Fixer, after all.

So what happens when we encounter something that can’t be fixed? Where no act—physical, mental, or spiritual—can restore what has been lost? What do we do then?

I think often of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. We vilify them as examples of what not to do when someone you love is hurting, and rightly so. Job’s friends tried to fix the situation. They needed to understand, which meant they had to assign blame. And, frankly, I’m not sure assigning blame ever helps.

What we tend to forget, however, is that when they first arrived, they did it right (Job 2:11-13). They mourned with him. They grieved for his loss right alongside him, and they were silent. Because they could tell that his grief was too great for words, so they sat with him in his sorrow without speaking.

But after a week, they couldn’t be silent anymore.

Why do we think that a grief too great for words must endure only a short time? We think once the initial grieving period is done, it’s time to get down to business and figure out what went wrong. Whose fault is it? How do we fix it?

Friends, we don’t get to decide when someone else is done grieving. It’s not our responsibility to tell someone it’s time to move on.

Job’s friends eventually got tired of sitting with his sorrow and tried to fix his life for him. That’s where they went wrong (Job 42:7-9).

Sitting with sorrow isn’t fun. It’s not pleasant. And the longer it lasts, the more uncomfortable it gets. It’s frustrating. Heartbreaking. Exhausting in every sense of the word. We want to point fingers. We want to cheer people up. We want to do something.

And maybe there is something we can do, but it’s important to remember that sitting with sorrow isn’t about making ourselves feel better. Sitting with sorrow is the sacrifice we bring to support someone we love on their terms. Not ours.

Part of being in Jesus’ big family is bearing the burdens of our brothers and sisters (Galatians 6:2). We offer a shoulder to cry on, a hand to steady them when their world is upside down, or a prayer when they are so broken they can’t pray for themselves.

I’m not saying people don’t need to eat or that they don’t need clean clothes or a clean house. There’s absolutely a need for practical support in the face of overwhelming grief. But in our compassionate drive to bless others, don’t forget that grief is a process that looks different for everyone.

Be willing to help, yes, but be patient. Then be available to help on their terms when they ask. If we’re with them in their moments of deepest grief, understand that we are in a place of privilege and trust. When they’re ready, they’ll tell us what they need.

We can’t fix grief. We can’t fix mourning and sorrow and trauma. Those are things that will never be fixed in this world, but they can be redeemed. It’s just not us who can do it.

***

Get to Know Amy C. Williams

Amy C. Williams loves cats, coffee, and sushi and not always in that order. An award-winning author and writing coach, she has fifteen published books in both fiction and non-fiction. She is a popular monthly contributor for two blogs ranked in Writer’s Digest’s Top 101 sites for authors, and she was named the 2022 Arise Daily Writer of the Year. Learn more at her website, www.amycwilliams.com, or subscribe to her daily devotionals at www.alwayspeachy.com. 

What God Wants To Do For You (Isaiah 30:18) – Your Daily Bible Verse

Today's Bible Verse: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" — Isaiah 30:18 Have you ever wondered what God wants to do for you when you're struggling, waiting, or unsure of what comes next? Isaiah 30:18 reminds us that God's heart is filled with grace, compassion, and justice. Even when we become impatient or struggle to trust His timing, God remains faithful and desires to show us His goodness. Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Meet Today’s Host: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel 🎙️ Listen to more daily devotionals with Jessica at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio Rev. Jessica Van Roekel is a passionate Christian speaker, author, and worship pastor who shares how God brings beauty from brokenness. Her message centers on God’s power to rescue, restore, and renew, even after seasons of rejection or loss. She is the author of Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything, a guide to seeing God’s purpose in life’s disappointments. Jessica and her husband are raising a vibrant family, with two adult daughters, a college-aged son, and a high school daughter. You can explore her teachings, devotionals, and resources at WelcomeGrace.com. Let Scripture shape your heart today—begin with the Bible Verse of the Day on Biblestudytools.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

1. What God Wants To Do For You (Isaiah 30:18) 08:09
2. How God Protects Us from Deception (Judges 18:5) 07:58
3. Finding Courage to Face Your Foe (Psalm 27-1) 09:37
4. Can You Love God Without Obeying Him? (1John 5:3) 07:15
5. When God Raises Up Those Others Reject (Judges 12:7) 06:51

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Some time ago, a young adult struggling with some significant hurts said, “I’m not like you. I can’t just forgive.”

As I considered his words, I immediately thought of numerous times when this was far from true. When I held grudges, harbored bitterness over an offense, and longed for vindication. There’d been a season when this was my default response, and this grieved me. I knew God called me to forgive and to love from a pure heart. I wanted to obey, but I didn’t know how.

One evening, battling anger over a recent hurt, I sensed God calling me to meditate on Ephesians 4. Paul, the first century evangelist who wrote this letter, began the chapter calling the Christ-followers in Ephesus to live up to their true identity. In verses 1-2 he wrote, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (NIV). In the passage that follows, he explained the benefit of remaining connected to a Spirit-led, interdependent community.

Then I reached verses 30-32, which states, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (NIV).

Convicted and conflicted, I prayed, “Lord, why is my bitterness so hard to release?”

As I sat in His presence, He spoke, reminding me of who I am in Him and to Him. Anchored securely in my Father’s love, knowing I had no reason to hide, I found the courage and desire to say, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).

Reveal every crevice, every sin, falsehood, and wound—everything that keeps me from the vibrant life, the freedom to which I’m called.

There, in that quiet place, God illuminated the root of my struggle: Shame, pain, and pride.

Shame. I realized I wanted the individual to know how they had hurt me to prove that they were broken, too. So that my brokenness wouldn’t seem so bad.

This meant, I was seeking something from an individual that only God can give. Only my Father can heal my soul and eradicate my shame.  

He also helped me understand that I was using anger and bitterness as a defense mechanism. A way to distract me from my pain. I found increased freedom as I gave myself permission to grieve; to fully feel my hurt.

And finally, God revealed an insidious and toxic seed of pride. I had forgotten all the ways I’d fallen short of who God called me to be. Of all the times I’d desperately needed, and then received, His grace.

A grace meant to set me free from everything that enslaves; to flow first within me, then from me, giving me the power and desire to forgive others as Christ, my Savior, forgave me.

When negative emotions arise, many of us respond in one of two ways: We can become so stuck in self-condemnation and shame that our sins and weaknesses begin to overshadow God’s grace. Or, we can fall into a “grit-your-teeth,” self-reliant, surface level obedience. Granted, obedience to Christ is always the right response.

But our tender, liberating Father invites us to go deeper. To experience the soul-deep freedom that comes with increased intimacy with Him. So that we can live up to our true identities as loved, chosen, empowered, and transformed children of God.

Let’s talk about this! Has a seed of bitterness threatened your freedom and joy? Is God inviting you to experience greater healing and transformation in Him? How will you respond?

Scripture taken from: Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

What God Wants To Do For You (Isaiah 30:18) – Your Daily Bible Verse

Today's Bible Verse: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" — Isaiah 30:18 Have you ever wondered what God wants to do for you when you're struggling, waiting, or unsure of what comes next? Isaiah 30:18 reminds us that God's heart is filled with grace, compassion, and justice. Even when we become impatient or struggle to trust His timing, God remains faithful and desires to show us His goodness. Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Meet Today’s Host: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel 🎙️ Listen to more daily devotionals with Jessica at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio Rev. Jessica Van Roekel is a passionate Christian speaker, author, and worship pastor who shares how God brings beauty from brokenness. Her message centers on God’s power to rescue, restore, and renew, even after seasons of rejection or loss. She is the author of Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything, a guide to seeing God’s purpose in life’s disappointments. Jessica and her husband are raising a vibrant family, with two adult daughters, a college-aged son, and a high school daughter. You can explore her teachings, devotionals, and resources at WelcomeGrace.com. Let Scripture shape your heart today—begin with the Bible Verse of the Day on Biblestudytools.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

1. What God Wants To Do For You (Isaiah 30:18) 08:09
2. How God Protects Us from Deception (Judges 18:5) 07:58
3. Finding Courage to Face Your Foe (Psalm 27-1) 09:37
4. Can You Love God Without Obeying Him? (1John 5:3) 07:15
5. When God Raises Up Those Others Reject (Judges 12:7) 06:51