DAILY DEVOTIONAL ✝️ 

Battles

Every day we interact with people who are fighting their own battles. Some carry burdens we may not understand, and speak, or live their life from a place of hurt. Because of this, the Bible emphasizes to us all that our speech matters, as in Proverbs 18:21 it reads, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” what we say, and how we say it, can build someone up, or quietly break them down. As followers of Christ, we have a calling from God to be a positive influence on people, and if we could turn together to Ephesians 4:29, it reads “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up.” These are things that we need to be aware of.  It means remembering that every person you encounter carries unseen wounds. Scripture calls us to lean into compassion, to “bear one another’s burdens.” (Galatians 6:2) Being present for your friends and loved ones is a reflection of the heart of Christ. “Encourage one another and build one another up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

The best example we have of unconditional love is Jesus Christ he reminds us in John 15 verse 12,  “Love one another as I have loved you.” The issue we have in the current day is that we as people feel the constant need to retaliate with our speech. In your daily walk, do you gossip, do you judge others, maybe you don’t speak up when it would matter to? Gossip, cutting remarks, and constant negativity can slowly drain us. Proverbs warns us: “Gossip separates close friends.” (Proverbs 16:28) And Paul reminds us to let go of bitterness and slander (Ephesians 4:31). When you’re on the receiving end of hurtful words, it’s easy to become hardened or even to pass that same hurt along. At times when that's happened to me personally I become avoidant of those who wronged me, which is wrong, as Scripture tells us to “overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) ~Cooper Dillingham

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:🤔 Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. ~Helen Keller