When Life isn’t “fair.”
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
Audio Only – Genesis 50:20
Audio Only – Proverbs 3:5
A short montage of thoughts on Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding.
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
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Audio Only – Philippians 4:8
What are you thinking?
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
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Audio Only – Montage of thoughts on suffering
An audio only, short montage of thoughts on the topic of suffering.
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
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Audio Only – A few thoughts on Psalm 94:9 (God, are You listening?)
An audio only, short montage of thoughts on Psalm 94.
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
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Poke the Pain
“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.” Hosea 6:1 ESV
For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal. Job 5:18 BSB
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:3 NLT
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result. The saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20 NASB
Seated at a rectangular plastic table adorned with a sugar jar and plenty of creamer, I begin probing. “So … tell me, what’s your story?” This purposefully penetrating and open-ended question is one I usually ask in the course of urban ministry. Many of the folks seated across from me, have no home, no bed, no anything. And often, feel without hope. As other volunteers serve breakfast with all the “fixins”, along with a bottomless cup of hot coffee, I listen intently. My goal is to gently poke until I find the pain. Some share decades-old hurt or regret. Others, eye me suspiciously for possible motives, as they lift their fork for another bite of a dripping-with-syrup waffle. It’s then that I begin sharing a few of my own pain stories as well. I have come to understand that no matter the socioeconomic background, regardless of ethnicity or educational level, pain is our commonality. Some more than others, that’s true, but always, something.
Why do I ask this? Because I know that pain can either be used as a weapon in the hands of the enemy, or a tool in the hands of our Almighty, and sovereign God. As the Old Testament account of Joseph puts it, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” The words didn’t ignore his years-long pain of unjust imprisonment or suffering, but it did put it in perspective. Yea, You meant to jack-up my life. But hold on. God meant for that pain to bring about something good in my life. And very often, the enemy has used their pain to convince them of God’s “neglect” or even lack of existence.
Pain can either be used as a weapon in the hands of the enemy, or a tool in the sovereign hands of Almighty God.
Becky White
How about you? What’s your story? Is your pain point one of deep regret or childhood trauma? Is it dashed expectations that linger in your heart or widowhood or illness or a prison cell? Is your pain caused by watching the ache of someone you love? Pain is always a pivot point. Do we allow it to drive us to our knees and to greater dependence on the Lord, or allow the hurt to push us away? Away, in anger or depression or bitter unforgiveness?
As I share with the folks at The Bridge Ministry or The Columbus Dream Center, I freely admit that I don’t have answers to all the questions of “why.” But this I know, If God willingly gave the life of His Son for us, surely we can trust Him with what we do not understand. Trust Him with our pain.
The question we all must answer is, will we let our pain draw us to Him or repel us from Him?
In whose hands is your pain?
Father God, Yes, there are times when my heart is pained and raw from the realities of life. But I choose to trust You with all that comes my way. For my good and Your glory. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
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All Who Are Weary…
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest…”
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge.
Matthew 11:28 NASB 1977 Matthew 11:29 NKJV Psalm 73:28
Come. Don’t sit down in your pain. Don’t try to walk through it alone. Hear His call …. Come.
To Me. First. Before the counselor or friend. Before searching the latest blog post or listening to an online influencer. Not leaning on a “force” or thinking good thoughts, No. Hear His call …. Come to Me.
All. Not just the so-called religious or “good” folk (as if that were a thing). Not just pastors or whoever else you think “deserves” His help. All mankind is invited. Hear His call … All.
Who are weary. Has the sheer length of your trial or dashed hopes (yet again) caused you to grow weary? Has the no-miracle-in-sight reality in front of you brought weariness to your soul? Then you qualify. All who are weary…
And heavy-laden. Has bitter disappointment or pain or loss or emotional ache become a heavy burden you carry with you? Causing you to bend low with the weight of it all? Though you probably wouldn’t have raised your hand as a volunteer, once again, you qualify. Hear His call to Come, all you who are weary and heavy-laden…
And I will give you rest. He provides the rest. In spite of our circumstances. Not by necessarily removing our difficulties, but by walking us through them. No magic wands, just His strength infused within us by His Spirit. He offers a soul-deep rest that calms our spirit with His peace …. I will give you rest.
I have found by experience that though the pain was great and the ache unrelenting, as I turned to Him, His peace sustained me. And continues to. I assure you, that I would not have volunteered for the trials that have touched my life, ( I’m sure you wouldn’t have either) but as I have walked through them, I have found Him entirely faithful.
Notice with me that this promise is not for those who think they are “all that and a bag of chips”. Nor for those who regard realizing our own brokenness and need for Jesus Christ, as a “crutch” for the weak. It takes humility to admit our need (in whatever form it takes) and then coming to the Saviour.
I don’t know what trial has smacked you between the eyes, or what circumstance has become too heavy to bear… but He does. And His promise for you stands. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest…”
“The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”
Elisabeth Elliot
Father, When I am weary and burdened by the trials of this life, remind me of Your nearness and Your call to simply… come. To You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
To help you on your journey, click here for a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths, learning to trust Him as we walk along the Stony Paths of real life, or to purchase a hard copy.
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Audio only – A few thoughts on Romans 8:32 (and the trials of life).
An audio only, short montage of thoughts on Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? – Romans 8:32 NKJV
Hello friends! You usually find a written devo after the title, but today, I decided to do something a bit different. Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
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“Recipe” for Peace?
Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
And God’s peace [shall be yours]…[His peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 37:7 Philippians 4:6-7 AMPC
I’m not very good at following a recipe. It probably stems from years of creating my famous “what’s in the frig?” casserole, working to stretch a dollar and the contents of the frig. Tossing in whatever we had, to create the hoped-for taste. Eyeballing and improvising my way through the cooking until a “casserole surprise,” of culinary delight appeared on the table.
While this approach worked great for hamburger surprise, it doesn’t work well when dealing with the real-world challenges of depression, sadness, stress, heaviness and anxiety. These heavy weights that seem to be spiraling in our world today, require a step-by-step, grab-my-glasses, follow the recipe approach. We dare not ignore the ingredient list the Lord has offered us or the steps He has provided. If we follow His instructions, the end result will be His peace that is beyond our understanding. Not a shallow circumstance-based peace … But peace no matter the circumstance….
Though I’m not a *doctor nor do I play one on TV, I have walked through seasons of great difficulty and depression inducing trials, and have found by experience, the great faithfulness of our Father God to provide authentic peace that was beyond my understanding.
So here’s my tried and true “recipe” for handling the inevitable emotional roller coaster of our world.
At the first sign of painful emotions bubbling up, I talk to the Lord about it. I know that sounds too simple, but it’s surprising how often we don’t follow this most important step.
Secondly, I open His Word (the Bible) to **Psalms anywhere. I jokingly say “anywhere” but truly, the book of Psalms is medicine to the hurting heart and mind. Read it out loud and offer the Psalmist’s words back to the Lord as your own prayer. Allow these words to speak your heart when you have no words to articulate your pain or sense of heaviness. Believer and Quadriplegic, Joni Eareckson Tada, puts it this way, “The Psalms wrap nouns and verbs around our pain better than any other book.” Yes it does.
Next, I turn in the New Testament to Philippians 4, reading aloud His words as they wash over my spirit…reminding me not to fret or have anxiety about anything but to pray about everything. Knowing He promises to literally protect my mind from the enemy, as I turn my anxieties over to Him with a heart of thankfulness. Reading further in chapter 4 , I am reminded to be careful what I allow my mind to dwell on.
Be careful what you allow your mind to dwell on.
I wish I could promise that following this “recipe” would remove the thing causing emotional pain or depression, it won’t. But it will enable us to walk through the unavoidable valleys of life…with an unexplainable soul-deep peace unmoved by the waves of difficulty.
My Lord, so many times You have used Your Word to wash over my troubled spirit – providing Your peace in the midst of difficulties. Please enable those walking through emotional pain today to lean onto You and entrust their soul to Your care. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
*Of course, there are some situations where a doctor’s counsel is needed – but never to the neglect of God’s Word.
Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
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Audio only – A few thoughts on Psalm 55 (and the trials of life).
An audio only, short montage of thoughts on Psalm 55.
Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you.
Hello friends! You usually find a written devo after the title, but today, I decided to do something a bit different. Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
*I may record more of these in the future, we’ll see how the Lord leads and what the response is (or isn’t).
In His service, Becky White
Devotions for Difficult Days 