Devotions for Difficult Days

Wrapped in a Bow

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB 1995

To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3 KJV

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB 1995

I strategically placed a bright yellow stuffed chick, peanut butter and chocolate eggs, and candy filled, pastel colored plastic eggs in a basket. All surrounded by handfuls of fruit-flavored jelly beans, nestled in neon colored “grass.” Smiling, I stood back to admire the grandkid’s Easter baskets, knowing how excited they will be to tear into the carefully crafted baskets. The only thing missing was a bow.

Real life comes with lots of missing-bow scenarios doesn’t it?

Wouldn’t it be nice if life always came complete with wrapped-in-a-bow endings? But that’s not reality, is it? Even for followers of Jesus Christ, if you’ve lived longer than ten minutes, you understand that no one is exempt from the pain of life. Because of sin, life often comes to us with the somebody-forgot-the-bow disappointments and the “cracked eggs” of childhood challenges, addiction, abuse, regret, rejection, depression, fear, disappointments or (you fill in the blank). Wrapped in a bow, it’s not.

But even in the midst of that reality, our God is so good. So faithful. He uses the cracked eggs of bitter disappointment and regret, or the somebody-forgot-the-bow pain of addiction, despair and hopelessness. Giving us beauty for ashes as He causes all things to work together for our good and His glory. Offering us not just a new beginning, but a new birth. A new life. And this was all made possible by the no-bow-anywhere-in-sight crucifixion of our Lord. The great exchange. Taking on Himself our sin and offering us His righteousness. But just like the Easter basket gift, we must reach out and take the gift offered us.

I would love to tell you, that accepting this gift will wrap every life circumstance in a bow, but we both know that isn’t true. What this gift will provide is eternal life … along with strength, wisdom, soul-deep peace, and authentic hope as you walk through the challenges of real life. And when the time comes for you to breath your last breath here, you will experience your first breath in His Presence. I’m sure He’ll have lots of bows!

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’”
Billy Graham

Lord Jesus, Please give us eyes to see You, even in the no-bow-in-sight situations of real life. Enable us to trust You, even when all around us are cracked-eggs difficulties or I-don’t-understand trials. Thank You for taking our sin and giving us Your Righteousness. We are so thankful, Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus

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Holy Week

We have arrived. The most important week in all of human history. Holy week. A time to reflect on Jesus Christ, the very Lamb of God, who gave His life as a ransom for you and I. Nailed to a wooden Cross for our sins, willingly dying a torturous physical death and then rising again, three days later. Let us never lose the awe of that fact.

While I am not into religiosity, or the trappings of customs for custom’s sake, I am into celebrating, honoring and worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ and doing whatever it takes to purposefully call to mind His gracious gift to a sinner like me. Like you. With that in mind, Anne Graham Lotz’s ministry has graciously given permission to share her Holy Week Scripture readings. This is not a religious exercise, but rather an opportunity to soberly remind ourselves of what He accomplished on our behalf, through listening to His Word being read by Anne.

By all means, enjoy the chocolate bunnies, peanut butter concoctions and pastel-colored eggs, but let’s not forget the reason for our celebration. Click here and join me as we celebrate Holy Week together!

Holy Week Scripture Readings

Insufficient Funds

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day …”

“…to give His life a ransom for many.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NASB Mark 10:45

It feels like only yesterday when I walked into the Big Bear grocery store… To my embarrassment, the grocery-bill total was greater than what my wallet contained. Hoping no one noticed the exchange taking place, I quietly pointed out to the cashier which items to remove from my grocery order, items we could live without until my next paycheck. Though this happened several decades ago (a few times), it’s still recalled with a twinge of embarrassment and shame.

As we near Good Friday and Easter, and I think deeply of what Jesus Christ did for me, for you, this decades old grocery exchange came to mind. Having insufficient funds to pay for bread, peanut butter and a few boxes of mac and cheese is nothing compared to being unable to pay the staggering price to redeem our soul. The price so high and the debt so great that we are left entirely helpless and even worse – hopeless. That is our state.

And yet… And yet God so loved the world (that’s you and I) that He gave His One and only Son, that whosoever believes (trusts) in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.

This giving of His Son for us is not a pretty, pastel-colored Spring scene. It is a blood spattered, spit dripping, whiskers pulled, muscles contracting and torn – scene of the great exchange taking place. On that first Good Friday, the only begotten Son of God ransomed me. Ransomed you, with His very life. From the Greek, He literally, paid the slave price for us. He exchanged His righteousness for our sin so that we can stand before God sinless. The debt beyond our ability to pay has been paid for us. We add nothing but a grateful, thankful heart for what He has done.

Back to my grocery dilemma. Suppose a stranger overheard my situation and offered to pay what I could not, but out of compounded embarrassment, I said, “No thank you” or simply ignored the offer. Though the offer was made, it would do me no good if I were unwilling to swallow my pride and accept the gift. But if I were willing to admit my need, and accepted the payment offered to me, I could leave the store with all my groceries, debt free. The choice is mine.

We add nothing but a grateful, thankful heart for what He has done.
Becky White

Unlike my grocery bill, which only caused embarrassment, having insufficient funds to pay for our sin debt has eternal consequences. Either we pay the debt ourselves by an eternity separated from Him or we humbly reach out and take the gift of payment graciously offered on our behalf. The choice is ours.

I pray that He enables each of us to grasp even a thin thread of what He has done, of what He has provided for us through the ransom paid those many years ago. To Him be the glory, great things He has done!

Father, I am speechless at Your mercy and grace toward me. As Your word says, I am privileged to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light.” In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

For a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths, click the products page

Learning to Trust Him as we walk along STONY PATHS – 09.24.2021 Download

Poor, or Just Broke?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 NKJV

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV

The daffodils are blooming, tulips are sprouting and the fresh scent of spring fills the air, that means that Good Friday and then Easter, are just around the corner. I admit, I love seeing the little ones get dressed up for Easter, I enjoy the beautiful pastels of the season and I definitely eat my share of peanut butter filled “eggs!” But I know that’s not what Easter is really about. It’s a Holy Season, set apart to remember what our Savior accomplished for us, over two millennia ago. This year, as I thought deeply of my own hot-mess, brokenness, and what Jesus did for me, the following story came rushing back to my memory. A story shared years ago at a ministry meeting.

Teaching on the topic of poverty, and with a heart-felt effort to connect with the kids in the urban ministry youth-group, the leader shared his family’s financial challenges due to recent employment struggles. Curious, one of the young men spoke up and asked the leader if “he had his lights or gas turned off, or if they were on food stamps”.

Shaking his head, the leader replied, “No.”

The young man sat back in his chair, cocked his head, and said “You ain’t po’, you just broke.”

“You ain’t po’, you just broke.” Such profound wisdom from such a young man.

There is a world of difference between being poor and being broke. To be broke is a temporary condition. It implies we just need a few bucks to get by, just a little help to make it through the month. To be poor is interwoven into every aspect of life. How we think, how we dress, where we live, what we eat and even, where we sleep. Poverty is a way of life. Shaping our very identity.

The Lord Jesus calls us to recognize that we are poor in spirit. Not broke. Poor. Every single one of us. Busted. Lint-lined, inside-out pockets. We don’t just need His help to get through a crisis, we need Him to give us new life. Or as Christ Himself put it, we “must be born again” (John 3:7). I know from experience that He often leverages the crises of our lives to lay bare our own poverty, not to shame us, but to heal us. He longs for us to recognize what He already knows; we are poor. Yet all too often, we stubbornly cling to the “few bucks” of goodness we have. Protesting that we aren’t as bad as the other guy, we just need a little help to get back on track. Telling Him in essence, “I’m not poor, I’m just broke.” Trouble is, He only saves the “poor in spirit”, not the broke.

Which are you?

He often leverages the crises of our lives to lay bare our own poverty, not to shame us, but to heal us.

If we’re willing… the choice is ours to make…
Becky White

One last point, sticking with the poor vs broke (money) theme… We’re not just poor, we’re a gazillion dollars in debt, with no hope of paying what we owe. And no one but the Lord Jesus Christ can (and also willing) to pay our debt. Completely. Not you, not another “god”, no one. Try as we might, hope all we want, ignore this Truth to our own peril. HE is The only Way out of the mess we’re in.

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. – C. S. Lewis

Father God, I am so thankful for Your tender-goodness towards me. You revealed my poverty and then caught me in Your arms as I fell to my knees in awareness of how poor I really was/am. I surrender my life to You anew (for some, it may be the first time) this Holy season, I need You. I receive new life through Your shed Blood. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus, thank You …

Click here for a FREE pdf of Stony Paths, a gritty, real-world devotional to encourage you as you walk the Stony Paths of real life. You may also purchase a hard copy by following the link.

He Notices You

As He (Jesus) passed along He noticed a man blind from his birth. John 9:1 AMPC

Jesus noticed a man. A lonely beggar described as “blind from his birth,” is noticed by the Creator as He walked along the dusty roads of His world. I’m immediately struck by two points in this short verse of Scripture. First, that Jesus noticed the man in the first place. Didn’t He have important people to see and places to go? Didn’t the Savior have a Jerusalem daily planner to follow, demons to cast out or seas to calm?

I confess that I often race through the day without even looking up long enough to see the faces of those He’s placed in my path. Regular folks walking out their own of blind-from-birth trials who just need to be “noticed.” So busy with my life and schedule that I neglect His schedule and His purposes for me.

Secondly, though this man is challenged by his blindness-from-birth condition and though he’s obviously close enough for Jesus to see him, the man remains silent as the Healer walks past him. Cue the chirping crickets. We read nothing of him calling out to Jesus for help. If I were in his shoes, I imagine I would be yelling, pleading, begging for Jesus’ attention, for even the possibility of healing. Yet he remains silent until Jesus Himself presses the issue.

God does not love the rest of the world more than He loves you.
– Arterburg

Does the blind man’s silence speak loudly of one who couldn’t bear the possibility of another disappointment? Another emotional roller coaster of dashed-hopes? Or maybe he had grown so accustom and even comfortable in his pain that he no longer pursued healing? Had pain become so normal that he settled into it like an old chair? If so, the Lord Jesus put His finger on the “comfort zone” of this man’s painful normalcy and offered him deliverance. Our Lord takes the time to notice us. To even seek us out when we don’t have the good sense to cry out. He comes to us in all our brokenness, pursuing us, loving us and then finally putting His finger on our own blind-from-birth condition as He initiates the longing for authentic healing and wholeness.

You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in a bottle. Psalm 56:8 NASB

My Lord and my God, How thankful I am that You notice me, You see me and You care enough to stop. I can hardly type the words without astonishment flooding me. You even provide the desire for healing when I don’t have the good sense to ask. Wiping away the fear of disappointment, I rest in Your faithfulness and lean into Your Sovereign arms. How I love and praise You Father! In Jesus Name. Amen.

Written by Becky White for Jesus

A Roadway in the Wilderness

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice. Isaiah 41:10 AMPC

I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs. Isaiah 41:18 Berean Study Bible

I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Isaiah 43:19b Berean Study Bible

As news reports have come pouring in, in real time, we’ve witnessed folks numb from the traumatic events that have suddenly enveloped them. Missiles destroying maternity wards, vacuum bombs that cause a person’s lungs to explode, and sheer terror filling the faces of little ones, even as they leave all they know for an unknown future … And that’s just one crisis occurring in our world today. I bet you have one or two occurring in your own family. Being a follower of Christ offers no exemption card from difficulty.

God will provide. God will make a way where there seems to be no way. God is able to do above and beyond all that I could dare ask for or imagine …. I can’t help but wonder how God is making a way for those suffering such staggering losses half a world a way. How God is doing above and beyond all that they could dare ask for or imagine. It must be that He is providing His strength and stamina and grace to handle such chasm deep difficulties. It must mean that He is infusing those ingulfed in hopelessness with the supernatural ability to continue walking forward. Just one more hour. One more day.

And the same grace that sustains the weary ones in Ukraine or Russia, sustains us. While we may not be running from missiles, we may be running from our past. We may be hiding from the pain of bad choices or the trauma inflicted by another’s sin. We may not have been practically force-marched out of our home country, but we may have had to walk away from all that is comfortable and familiar into a land of the unknown. The same God who holds their hand, holds ours. He cares about bombs falling and hearts breaking, mass casualties and the loss of an unborn child.

While I would love to tell you that His Word promises no heartache or pain, I would be lying. What His Word does promise, is that He will never leave or forsake us as we walk through fiery trials. And that our times are in His hands. Hands that were pierced for us.

God’s word is true, always and everywhere. The prison cell, the bombed-out home, the living-on-the-land tent home or the suburban home. America, South Korea or Ukraine. Call to Him and He will answer you. He will be with you in difficulty. You are not alone.

“Faith’s most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith vain.”
Corrie ten Boom

Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, please infuse us with Your strength and grace to walk through the impossible and in the end, we trust You to bring glory from our pain, our loss and trust that You will work all things after the counsel of Your will. We love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus Christ

Click here for a FREE pdf of Stony Paths, a gritty, real-world devotional to encourage you as you walk the Stony Paths of real life. You may also purchase a hard copy by following the link.

Unknowns of Life…

He knows what is in the darkness…

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.

Daniel 2:22b NASB Psalm 142:3a NASB

The unknown. We all fear it. We avoid situations that cause it. We try to prevent it. But it’s unavoidable isn’t it? We have no idea what the traffic will be on our way home from work let alone the weighty unknowns of life. The unknown factors at work in our world, our country, our health or our families. Will a spouse walk out? Will a pink slip be handed us? Will a terminal diagnosis be given? Is WWIII just around the corner? Try as we might, there is no adequate preparation for the pain and shock of such unknowns. For such times of darkness. Darkness that has the capacity to cause us to feel overwhelmed by the fear of the unknown.

As I pondered the idea of the unknowns of life, my eyes fell on this, circled and highlighted in orange, sentence in my Bible; “He knows what is in the darkness.” Though I don’t recall why I highlighted the verse – at this moment, it jumped off the page at me. His Spirit speaking directly to me. “Becky, I know.” My Father knows what the darkness conceals. He knows my path, He illumines my darkness. He knows. I found genuine comfort embedded in that reminder.

Whatever form of darkness you’re facing today, trust the One who sees into the dark unknown and follow His lead through the murkiness of your circumstance.
Becky White

The unknowns, the around-the-corner issues of life are like a darkness that conceals what we desperately want to know. What’s next on the agenda of life’s challenges? A toddler’s sniffles or a marriage in distress? A cancer diagnosis or a broken-down car? A career move or a sudden death? A child’s rebellion or an out-of-my-comfort-zone season? Whatever the “darkness”, He sees, He is aware.

Whatever form of darkness you’re facing today, trust the One who sees into the dark unknown and follow His lead through the murkiness of your circumstance.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night, “even the darkness is not dark to you the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Psalm 139:11-12 ESV

“Now, I know in my experience that Jesus’ light is stronger than the biggest darkness.”
Corrie ten Boom

My Father,

Try as I might, I can’t “prepare” for every potential difficulty that may occur (And You know I try!). Grant me the ability to rest in the knowledge that You see into the darkness of my challenges and have already made provision for all that will come my way. You are never caught off guard. Thank You Father!

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Release the Weight

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

Psalm 55:22 AMPC and 1 Peter 5:7 NASB 1977

I am so sorry for your pain. Your loss. Your dashed hopes. Your sense of hopelessness. Or anxious thoughts that torment you. Take a deep breath. Get level set. If you’re able, grab a cup of coffee and sit down a moment. Now, open your Bible or Bible app to Psalm 55:22 AMPC. Trace your finger across the words. These are the very words of God to you dear one. Read them out loud.

He acknowledges, that yes, you do have a burden. It hurts. It’s heavy. It’s not your imagination. Feel the pain of that raw reality. Feel the questions bubbling up in your spirit. Feel the ache. Then cast that burden upon Him. Release the weight of it into His strong arms. He’s waiting for you, to lay your burden down and leave it there.

Now, turn to 1 Peter 5:7 and do the same. Notice the reason our Lord wants us to cast our burdens and anxieties into His hands … He cares for us. For you. Astounding. We don’t pray because we’re “supposed to” or because He’ll be angry if we don’t. No. He cares for us. He knows the weight of our struggle. He knows the hopelessness we feel. Hand. It. To. Him.

Yet, even as I type the words, I am reminded of my own “casting” prayers … More times than I like to admit, I cast my burden into His hands, thank Him for taking care of it for me, and then promptly pick the burden back up. My suitcase-of-difficulty tucked neatly under my arm as I walk away with the same burden I came to release. The same burden that I cast onto Him moments before. You laugh!

Whatever your pain or the pain of someone you love, acknowledge the burden of it and then cast it into His arms, as you walk away. Leave it with Him. Knowing, “He’s got this.” Whatever the outcome, He’ll make a way. He will be faithful; He is always good.

“Heartache forces us to embrace God out of desperate, urgent need. God is never closer than when your heart is aching.”
– Joni Eareckson Tada

Father God, when I’m confronted with inevitable burdens of life, enable me to release the weight of those burdens into Your arms. Thank You that You care for me. For what affects me… Astounding. Thank You in advance for moving on my behalf. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Release the Weight

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

Psalm 55:22 AMPC and 1 Peter 5:7 NASB 1977

“Heartache forces us to embrace God out of desperate, urgent need. God is never closer than when your heart is aching.”
– Joni Eareckson Tada

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.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Prep Work

Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

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 37:26-28 50:20A NASB

Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. If that phrase doesn’t leap off the page at you, maybe you aren’t familiar with Joseph’s story, or maybe like me, you tend to forget that our God often uses the detours and the pain and even the tragedy of our lives to position us just where He wants us. Just when He wants us.

Let’s take a quick look at the summary version of Joseph’s life. He’s his dad’s favorite son. Maybe a bit spoiled. Possibly a bit bratty. Definitely anointed by God. As a teenager, he’s granted visions of his future that include power and greatness. That’s the end of his story. It will come to pass because God said so. But hold on tight, with God’s call always comes God’s preparation. Of us. Of others. Of our circumstances.

For Joseph to walk out the reality of being second in command in the land of Egypt and the privilege of being used by God as His instrument of “salvation” for thousands… He experiences the pain of betrayal by his brothers. The degradation and hopelessness of being sold into slavery. The doing-the-right-thing yet cast-into-prison-anyway injustice of being falsely accused of rape and then incarcerated. For years. I’m sure this isn’t what Joseph had in mind when God gave him dreams of great blessing. But preparation for blessing is often painful and always necessary.

I have walked through seasons of preparation such as teen motherhood, the death of two of my children, divorce, betrayal and even my own addictions. These have produced in me a desperate dependence on, and deep love for, my Father God, along with an authentic empathy for those in pain. Such results, that seasons of comfort and ease simply cannot provide.

Preparation for blessing is often painful and always necessary.

What about you dear one? How have you been “brought into Egypt” through life’s difficulties? Have your painful circumstances blinded you to His sovereign hand? What are you walking through right now that may be a “season of preparation” for future blessing?

“Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.” – Corrie ten Boom

Oh Father, enable me to rest in Your sovereign control over my life. Please help me to focus on the truth of Your Word rather than being blinded or surprised by the circumstances around me. You love me, You have a good plan for my life, and I can trust You… whatever the season. In Jesus’ name Amen

By Becky White for the Lord Jesus

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