Leading by the example of a servant leader is crucial for those you interact with or who work under you to witness
Have you ever pondered why some individuals within companies struggle with embracing servanthood? Some people we come across exude sour attitudes, with service being the furthest thing from their minds. Often, this sheds light on how their leaders treat them. Our conduct and character largely impact those observing us for guidance or looking up to us as leaders.
Jesus, the Son of God, epitomizes the ultimate servant-leader, and we can glean invaluable lessons from Him in the scriptures.
Take, for example, Matthew 20:28, where it states, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus exemplifies that genuine servant-leadership entails sacrifice, humility, integrity, and a cheerful heart to help others.
Jesus never harbored hatred, even towards those who were unkind or failed to honor Him as the Messiah. He remained steadfast in His mission, never grumbling or complaining.
Now, ask yourself, can you honestly claim to lead in such a manner? Take a survey of where you can grow in your role as a servant-leader.
Let’s close with a prayer:
Dear Father,
Remind me daily to be a person worthy of being called a leader. Leadership isn’t always easy, but I ask that you keep your Son, Jesus, as a reminder within me of how I should serve others. I want to emulate Christ in every interaction and be an example to others around me so that they will lead and serve with love also. Help me to create impact and be a leader who draws people to the Lord. Forgive me for my shortcomings and transform the way I lead to honor you at all times. I need your help in every area of my assignment. Please help me to be humble to receive instruction and correction from you. I have faith that you are with me through everything.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Priscilla
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Trusting God in everything requires great faith. Great faith like Noah, for instance. God warned Him of deadly flood waters that would come upon the earth and destroy all life. A flood that would kill all had never happened since the beginning of time. However, Noah trusted God. God gave Noah specific instructions to build an ark that would preserve the lives of his family and himself. As all of earth’s inhabitants washed away from existence, Noah and his family would be safe from destruction. Noah, a man of great faith, stood set apart from a wicked world and prepared in obedience to God.
Focus Scripture
By faith [with confidence in God and His word] Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:7
Trusting God In Your Mental Health
The pain and suffering that mental illness and mental health challenges can cause are often unthinkable to a person until it happens to them or someone that they love. This pain can be so vast that the person experiencing it longs to remember what life looked like before the suffering. During my journey, I once found myself at a point where I could hardly remember the person I was before bipolar and anxiety hit my life. Do you feel that way now? Have you at any point?
Believers living with a mental illness or mental health challenge need the kind of faith Noah had. Though you’ve been fighting for so long, there is a life of joy on the other side of your pain. The rainbow God put in the sky after the flood represented a promise. You also have a promise from God. Your promise is an abundant life that Jesus came to give you.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.John 10:10
Will you trust God for healing and the ability to thrive in life? It may have been several years since you’ve felt healthy, but will you trust God in everything like Noah?
Encouragement
I leave this piece of encouragement with you. Follow God’s lead, work towards your healing, do all you need to do to reach a life of wellness. This life includes seeking God through His Word and prayer. This life also includes worshiping through the pain, taking help from safe people in your life and following your health plan given to you by your therapist and psychiatrist. Don’t give up! Remember, you are never alone. God is with you. You are precious and loved.
PRAYER
“Mighty God, thank you for your healing power. I trust you in everything. I trust you in this dark area of my life. I believe that you will deliver me from the dark spaces of mental illness and help me to thrive in life abundantly. When I doubt your promise, please lead me back to you and strengthen my faith to believe all that you have said. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
This Week’s Vlog
THREE WAYS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR TRUST IN GOD
THROUGH PRAYER
Have conversations with God where you pour out your doubts and fears. Receive reassurance and peace because you know that God hears your prayers.
“The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”Proverbs 15:29
“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
THROUGH READING SCRIPTURE
Reading the Word of God shows us the character of God and showcases real life stories of those who trusted God in everything.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
LIVING BY FAITH
Walk your trust in God out. Be full of courage believing by faith that God sees things unseen and unknown to you. He is working in and through every area of your life. He works all things together for the good of them that love the Lord.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1
I pray this devotional, tips and vlog bless you and aid you in growing a strong trust in God. He is with you!
The world can make us lose sight of our true identities. The voices around us bombard us with labels, and even we, Christian women, fall prey to this snare. Yet, our identity doesn’t lie in these worldly labels, nor does it rest in the throes of anxiety, depression, or self-doubt.
Our true identity is revealed in Christ Jesus, the one who sees us for who we really are. Each day, He invites us to see ourselves through His eyes.
In the scriptures
In John 1:12, we find a powerful truth, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” Our identity in Christ begins with accepting Him as our Savior and understanding that we are His children, loved unconditionally by our heavenly Father.
In Romans 10:9, we learn that openly declaring Jesus as Lord and truly believing in our hearts brings us salvation. This is not a mere declaration, but an embracing of Jesus as the Lord of our lives. As His beloved children, we rest in the comforting truth that He is always present for us.
In 1 John 4:9-10, we see a demonstration of real love. It’s not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Jesus’s sacrifice is a testament to the profound love God has for us. The next time you question your worth, remember that you are immensely loved by the Almighty.
And finally, in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we are reminded of our worth. “You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.” The Holy Spirit resides within us, making our bodies the temple of God. Recognizing this can guide us in honoring our bodies and ourselves.
Conclusion
As we conclude today’s devotional, consider how being a child of God, being loved, and having worth changes your perspective about yourself. Are you beginning to see yourself through God’s eyes? Reflect on these truths and let them guide you on your journey to developing a healthy self-esteem.
The world will continue to label us, but we must cling to our true identity in Christ. We are children of God, we are loved, and we are worthy. Remember these truths, hold them close, and let them shape your view of yourself.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for thinking so highly of me that you sent your son Jesus to redeem the sinners of this world. You have shown me in your word, how important I am to you. I want to thank you for loving me unconditionally. Please help me to remember your words concerning me when I am unable to identify who I truly am or when I doubt my worth.
Thank you for everything.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Share with the community
What scripture has helped you most in understanding your true identity in Christ? Share your experience and inspire others in the comments below.
You Should Know
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Let’s take a moment today and reflect upon God’s grace revealed in the life of Eve . As you ponder over this divine virtue, let your thoughts be guided by the boundless examples of God’s grace, revealed in the scriptures. This journey of reflection will not only help you understand the true essence of grace, but also learn to identify its presence in your everyday life.
Consider the definition of grace: unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification. Simply put, grace is God’s favor, help, or a gift that we, as flawed humans, do not deserve. Grace is also the purification from sin that every believer in Christ receives. As we begin to comprehend what grace truly is, we start recognizing the abundance of it in our lives.
One woman who experienced the wonderful grace of God was Eve. After the fall of humanity in Genesis chapter 3, Eve conceived and gave birth to Cain, Abel, and later Seth. After the tragic murder of Abel by his brother Cain, God showered Eve once more with grace through the birth of her third son, Seth. Despite the pain and loss she suffered, Eve recognized God’s grace in her life. The ability to conceive and give birth, a miracle for many, was a gift she received not once, but thrice.
This is the grace of God, constantly at work, even when we feel undeserving. Reflecting upon the story of Eve, we are reminded that God’s grace is a beacon of light, often shining brightest in the darkest of times. Even when Eve probably felt herself unworthy, God gifted her with the miracle of life, a tangible testament to His grace.
As you navigate through the course of the day, remember Eve and her story of grace. Consider the ways God has shown grace in your own life, blessing you when you felt undeserving. It is God’s grace that helps us overcome our flaws and receive favor.
Let Eve’s story inspire you to recognize and appreciate God’s grace in your own life. Even when we find it difficult to perceive, God’s grace is at work, guiding us, healing us, and providing for us. The more we acknowledge this divine grace, the more we are able to see the depth of God’s love for us.
Prayer
God, thank you for Your incredible grace that shines through every page of scripture and every moment of my life. Help me recognize Your grace when it comes and give me a grateful heart to appreciate it. Amen.
Reflection
How can you see God’s grace working in your own life? How has He gifted you when you felt undeserving?
Share with our community in the comments.
You Should Know
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30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing Can Separate Us From His Love
I’ve had some moments in my life when the sins I’ve committed flashed before my eyes. In these moments, I’ve felt and seen the filth of sin on me.
Once I found myself feeling this way after a sexual sin. While growing up, purity is something I knew to be very important in the eyes of God. It is His will. When I found myself in sexual sin with a boyfriend, I began to feel filthy. Though I was a believer, I felt awful before the Lord.
Have you ever felt this type of shame, guilt, and condemnation around a particular sin you have committed? Thoughts like “God will never take me back or receive me after I’ve done such a thing like this” may have come to your mind.
This thought pattern is far from the truth in God’s Word.
Romans 8 reveals that God will never turn His back on his children. The gift of salvation justifies you. When you receive Jesus, the gift of justification is yours too.
God the Father has chosen us as believers to be His children. As His children, God has called us, justified us, and glorified us (raising us to a heavenly dignity). He is and will always be for us. The gift of His Son’s life as a sacrifice for our sins proves that.
No man can condemn us because God chose us and Jesus intercedes for us. Realistically, we also cannot condemn ourselves. Romans 8 also mentions that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Nothing includes life, death, angels, demons, fears, shame, guilt, condemnation, etc.
When you begin to attack yourself with condemnation, I encourage you to remember God’s promise to: never allow anything to separate you from His love. No matter what sin has brought you to the point of shame before God, He still loves you. When you come to Him with a repentant heart, He doesn’t see the filth of your sins, he sees His Son who is interceding for you.
Prayer
Dear Father God,
When I think about __________________ it makes me feel such shame. But you said I am chosen and justified. Your Son Jesus prevents anything from separating me from your love. So at this moment, I repent of _______________ and I no longer allow it to distance me from the love that you have always had for me. Thank you Jesus for cleansing me from the filth of my sins and interceding for me always.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
YOU SHOULD KNOW:
I’m always praying for my readers! Visit my CONNECT page if you have a prayer request for me to include in my prayers for you.
The power of God is astounding! His might is shown robustly in the lives of believers every day. Being a follower of Jesus takes faith and the grace of God. We are not promised a life without pain or trials while we live on this earth. However, this reality allows us to see the power of God in our darkest weaknesses.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul speaks about boasting about his weaknesses. He recognizes the power of God in his life even as he lives with a thorn in his flesh. Many of us experience a thorn of mental health challenges or illness. Sometimes this thorn weakens us to the point where we suffer from a lack of energy, great sadness, high anxiety, and loss of interest, to name a few. We face sorrow just as our Savior did.
Hardships Can Create Weakness
Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other disorders are hard to live with. It can be a daily battle. I often find life with a mental illness to be unpredictable. I never know how I will feel when I wake up each morning. I never know ahead of time that an anxiety attack is stewing. I also never know when my mood will flip throughout the day.
Suicidal ideation is also a challenge for many of us when we tire out from depressive episodes. In a state of weakness, sometimes hopelessness can come over us. I have experienced this challenge. It was hard to pull out without strength from God and my mental wellness resources.
I have wanted to give up many times during my mental health recovery. I have attended therapy and taken my medications, but sometimes the pain remains harsh. In many cases, I have combined mental wellness practices with the strength of God to pull me through my uneasy moments.
Our Darkest Weaknesses Become A Testimony
Moving on, I wanted to ask do you embrace your weaknesses as an opportunity for God to show His great power in your life? Boasting in our weaknesses allows us to testify of His sustaining power in our lives. For example, sharing my testimony has encouraged women to make God a part of their mental wellness journey. Sharing allows me to show women a first-hand example of how God can transform your life from bondage and brokenness to wholeness and deliverance.
Our Darkest Weaknesses And God’s Sufficient Grace
Earlier, I mentioned the journey of a believer requiring God’s grace. Our focus verse says that God’s grace “is sufficient” for us. How amazing is this revelation?! God’s grace covers our sins, shortcomings, and our darkest weaknesses. His grace is more than enough.
Our Lord and Savior had His struggles while living on this earth. I remember the account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus spoke about His soul being sorrowful and grieved. He asked His Father in prayer to take the cup of suffering away. However, Jesus also told God the Father that He wanted His will done and not His own.
I’ve prayed a similar prayer asking God to remove bipolar and depression from my life. I would say that I still live with the illness; however, God has given me grace. His grace has been everything I needed to reach a point where I thrive in life despite the hardship of mental illness. His power has made me stronger in my darkest weaknesses.
Thriving In Our Darkest Weaknesses
I believe all of us have an opportunity to thrive with the presence of God in our life. Faith in the power of God and His ability to restore is crucial. Healing in the area of mental health may not always look like the complete absence of symptoms. For me, it presents like maintaining hope and faith during a depressive period. It may also look like receiving the strength to continue to push through suffering. God is responsible for the healing I’ve seen within myself. He has provided every mental wellness tool I utilize. God has eased my pain and shown me abundant life is mine.
I want to encourage you to keep going. You may experience suffering immensely, but I want to remind you that you are still loved, worthy, beautiful, and will succeed. Don’t give up on yourself. Open your heart to God and allow Him to strengthen you in weaknesses. He can also restore your confidence, drive, self-esteem, and more. He is able!
Acknowledge your weaknesses just as Paul did. Do not walk in fear. Express the goodness of God’s strength during your circumstances. You will experience the power of God’s grace and might when you do this. Continue to keep going, sister. God sees you! He will provide everything you need to thrive.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for your strength and provision of grace! I experience weakness, but your power has been perfect amongst great pain and suffering. Thank you for never leaving me alone in my circumstance. You are faithful to provide and sustain me through whatever comes my way. Instill joy and peace throughout my mental health journey. Lead me on how to depend on you. Empower me to be a bold witness as I testify of the great things you have done. I want to always acknowledge my weaknesses as the place you have shown yourself mighty. Bring me to a place in life where I am thriving. Impart to me your purpose for my life and direct me in it. I know I can weather the darkest storms with you as my Savior. Thank you for abundant life and the promise of eternal life. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen
YOU SHOULD KNOW:
I’m always praying for my readers! Visit my CONNECT page if you have a prayer request for me to include in my prayers for you.
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