In this episode of The Crosswalk Devotional, we tackle the challenging topic of dealing with people in our lives who resist change. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we cannot alter others’ behaviors or beliefs. We’ll explore how to find peace and acceptance in these situations, drawing inspiration from scripture and personal experiences. Learn how to shift your focus from changing others to nurturing your own spiritual growth and embracing God’s purpose for your relationships.

Join the Conversation: We want to hear from you! How do you cope when you can’t change someone? Share your insights and stories with us on social media @LifeaudioNetwork or via email. What verses help you find peace in acceptance? Let’s encourage one another on this journey of faith!

🎙 🎉 SUBSCRIBE to our NEW SHOW - YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/

In this episode of The Crosswalk Devotional, we tackle the challenging topic of dealing with people in our lives who resist change. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we cannot alter others&rsquo; behaviors or beliefs. We&rsquo;ll explore how to find peace and acceptance in these situations, drawing inspiration from scripture and personal experiences. Learn how to shift your focus from changing others to nurturing your own spiritual growth and embracing God&rsquo;s purpose for your relationships.
Join the Conversation: We want to hear from you! How do you cope when you can&rsquo;t change someone? Share your insights and stories with us on social media @LifeaudioNetwork or via email. What verses help you find peace in acceptance? Let&rsquo;s encourage one another on this journey of faith!
🎙 🎉 SUBSCRIBE to our NEW SHOW - YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/</a>

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

When You Can’t Change Them: Finding Peace in Acceptance

Life constantly tempts us to measure contentment by what we lack—but Scripture tells a different story. This Christian devotional explores how God is more than enough, even in a culture driven by comparison, accumulation, and the constant pursuit of “more.” Rooted in Psalm 4:7, this devotion invites believers to rediscover joy, peace, and lasting satisfaction found not in possessions, but in a secure relationship with God.

Highlights


Contentment grows when we focus on what God provides, not what we lack


God’s joy surpasses material abundance and worldly success


Gratitude reshapes our perspective in seasons of comparison


True security comes from God, not possessions or financial stability


Spiritual blessings in Christ are eternal and unshakeable


God’s promises bring peace even in uncertain circumstances


When we have God, we truly have more than enough

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

More Than Enough 
By Cindi McMenamin

Bible Reading:
“You have put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7 NASB)

I remember the day we were driving home from a store, and my teenage daughter was complaining to me about all that she didn’t have—a new car like the one being driven by her 16-year-old friend who just got her driver’s license, expansive homes her friends lived in with more rooms than their families needed, the latest electronic gadgets, brand-name clothing, the highest-priced handbags.

Weary of constantly being reminded of what we didn’t have that her friends’ families did, I finally blew!  

“Do you realize what we do have?” I snapped. “You have a roof over your head, and these days, that should be enough!” 

Apparently, my words struck a chord with her. Her face fell, and she sadly told me of another one of her friends who was losing her home due to her parents’ job loss.  

Immediately, my tone softened as I realized my daughter had already been convicted by her own words. We prayed for the family that was losing their hom,e and then I silently prayed for wisdom to turn that topic into a teaching moment. 

“You know, Sweetie,” I told her softly, as I continued to drive, “a lot of people around us are losing their homes. That’s why it’s important for us to not only think about what we have and be grateful for it, but to focus on what we have that we will never lose.” 

She looked at me, puzzled, for a moment. And then she got it. 

We immediately began to recount all that we have that can never be taken from us: 
The love we have for each other in our family
The memories we’ve had in our three-bedroom condo (and the small two-bedroom home we owned prior to that)
The unconditional love of God (Romans 5:8) 
The gift of our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
A promised mansion in Eternity (John 14:2-3) 

I realized that day that my daughter is not the only one who often wishes she had more. It’s easy for me, at times, to look at what others have and be envious. It’s natural for me to sometimes wish I had a little more money to indulge in my desires. But so often I forget all I do have…and that it is more than enough. 

So often, we go through life looking at what others have and wondering when our ship will come in. Then we remember we have a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), a God who has gone to prepare a place for us and who will come again and receive us to Himself so that where He is, we will be—forever (John 14:3). 

In Psalm 4, David begins his song by asking God for relief from his distress. But then he must have remembered what he had, because he finished his song with a perspective of joy:  

“You have put joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me dwell in safety” (verses 7-8). 

In The Message translation, verse 7 reads: 

“I have God’s more-than-enough, 

more joy in one ordinary day

than they get in all their shopping sprees.” 

That sounds like a song I should be singing every day that I begin to forget my blessings and start longing for more.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

God is our true source of security in an insecure world…and He is the Only One who satisfies in a culture where we can never seem to get enough.  When we have Him—along with His promises for provision, protection, and peace—we have “more than enough.” 

Can you draw strength from knowing that you have God’s more-than-enough, even if at times it doesn’t look like quite enough? Thank Him today for all that you have, as well as for the blessings that you don’t yet see. The Bible says if we belong to Christ, God has blessed us in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). And if we “share in His sufferings” we are “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). Joint heirs with God! Think about that. We are heirs of all that is His. Now that’s an inheritance. That’s a future. And that is more than enough. 

Further Reading:
Ephesians 1:3-14

For a daily awareness of all you have in your relationship with Christ, see Cindi’s book, The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God.

Life constantly tempts us to measure contentment by what we lack&mdash;but Scripture tells a different story. This Christian devotional explores how God is more than enough, even in a culture driven by comparison, accumulation, and the constant pursuit of &ldquo;more.&rdquo; Rooted in Psalm 4:7, this devotion invites believers to rediscover joy, peace, and lasting satisfaction found not in possessions, but in a secure relationship with God.
Highlights
<ul data-start="868" data-end="1320">
<li data-start="868" data-end="942">
Contentment grows when we focus on what God provides, not what we lack
</li>
<li data-start="943" data-end="1005">
God&rsquo;s joy surpasses material abundance and worldly success
</li>
<li data-start="1006" data-end="1069">
Gratitude reshapes our perspective in seasons of comparison
</li>
<li data-start="1070" data-end="1142">
True security comes from God, not possessions or financial stability
</li>
<li data-start="1143" data-end="1204">
Spiritual blessings in Christ are eternal and unshakeable
</li>
<li data-start="1205" data-end="1267">
God&rsquo;s promises bring peace even in uncertain circumstances
</li>
<li data-start="1268" data-end="1320">
When we have God, we truly have more than enough
</li>
</ul>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
More Than Enough By Cindi McMenamin
Bible Reading: &ldquo;You have put&nbsp;gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound.&rdquo; (Psalm 4:7 NASB)
I remember the day we were driving home from a store, and my teenage daughter was complaining to me about all that she didn&rsquo;t have&mdash;a new car like the one being driven by her 16-year-old friend who just got her driver&rsquo;s license, expansive homes her friends lived in with more rooms than their families needed, the latest electronic gadgets, brand-name clothing, the highest-priced handbags.
Weary of constantly being reminded of what we didn&rsquo;t have that her friends&rsquo; families did, I finally blew!&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Do you realize what we do have?&rdquo; I snapped. &ldquo;You have a roof over your head, and these days, that should be enough!&rdquo;&nbsp;
Apparently, my words struck a chord with her. Her face fell, and she sadly told me of another one of her friends who was losing her home due to her parents&rsquo; job loss.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Immediately, my tone softened as I realized my daughter had already been convicted by her own words. We prayed for the family that was losing their hom,e and then I silently prayed for wisdom to turn that topic into a teaching moment.&nbsp;
&ldquo;You know, Sweetie,&rdquo; I told her softly, as I continued to drive, &ldquo;a lot of people around us are losing their homes. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important for us to not only think about what we have and be grateful for it, but to focus on what we have that we will never lose.&rdquo;&nbsp;
She looked at me, puzzled, for a moment. And then she got it.&nbsp;
We immediately began to recount all that we have that can never be taken from us:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The love we have for each other in our family</li>
<li aria-level="1">The memories we&rsquo;ve had in our three-bedroom condo (and the small two-bedroom home we owned prior to that)</li>
<li aria-level="1">The unconditional love of God (Romans 5:8)&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">The gift of our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)</li>
<li aria-level="1">A promised mansion in Eternity (John 14:2-3)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
I realized that day that my daughter is not the only one who often wishes she had more. It&rsquo;s easy for me, at times, to look at what others have and be envious. It&rsquo;s natural for me to sometimes wish I had a little more money to indulge in my desires. But so often I forget all I do have&hellip;and that it is more than enough.&nbsp;
So often, we go through life looking at what others have and wondering when our ship will come in. Then we remember we have a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), a God who has gone to prepare a place for us and who will come again and receive us to Himself so that where He is, we will be&mdash;forever (John 14:3).&nbsp;
In Psalm 4, David begins his song by asking God for relief from his distress. But then he must have remembered what he had, because he finished his song with a perspective of joy:&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;You have put&nbsp;joy in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine are abundant. In peace I will&nbsp;both&nbsp;lie down and sleep, For You alone, Lord, have me dwell in safety&rdquo; (verses 7-8).&nbsp;
In The Message translation, verse 7 reads:&nbsp;
&ldquo;I have God&rsquo;s more-than-enough,&nbsp;
more joy in one ordinary day
than they get in all their shopping sprees.&rdquo;&nbsp;
That sounds like a song I should be singing every day that I begin to forget my blessings and start longing for more.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
God is our true source of security in an insecure world&hellip;and He is the Only One who satisfies in a culture where we can never seem to get enough.&nbsp; When we have Him&mdash;along with His promises for provision, protection, and peace&mdash;we have &ldquo;more than enough.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Can you draw strength from knowing that you have God&rsquo;s more-than-enough, even if at times it doesn&rsquo;t look like quite enough? Thank Him today for all that you have, as well as for the blessings that you don&rsquo;t yet see. The Bible says if we belong to Christ, God has blessed us in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). And if we &ldquo;share in His sufferings&rdquo; we are &ldquo;heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ&rdquo; (Romans 8:17). Joint heirs with God! Think about that. We are heirs of all that is His. Now that&rsquo;s an inheritance. That&rsquo;s a future. And that is more than enough.&nbsp;
Further Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
For a daily awareness of all you have in your relationship with Christ, see Cindi&rsquo;s book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-Loneliness-Devotional-Closer-Connection/dp/0736989250/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2S9YRHB4MSKZR&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TmMnSOVvCMTwhHlx85y3XjGXf3_3YngV6Aac9qHg--TC22sSLZWj6K5tsD_Nn8bGKOq6RQ9vX9-WoB69FeJrtS4-v-oYNbRh8WrQ2Fy1ZoQcfajvANjvlhX">The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God</a>.

More Than Enough

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/d30a32a9-c66e-4df1-a2f0-b3da00e907f6/transcript

Life rarely unfolds without surprise, hardship, or moments that test our emotional and spiritual limits. This Christian devotional explores how God prepares believers to live with courageous faith, even in the face of fear, uncertainty, and overwhelming circumstances. Rooted in John 16:33, this devotion reminds us that while trouble is unavoidable, peace and victory are found in Christ—who has already overcome the world.

Highlights


God prepares His people for hardship before it arrives


Jesus offers peace even while acknowledging life’s troubles


Courageous faith grows when we remain connected to Christ


The Holy Spirit strengthens, guides, and sustains believers


God’s grace meets us before and after moments of failure


Abiding in Christ replaces fear with peace and clarity


Victory comes through reliance on Jesus, not self-effort

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Divinely Prepared to Live with Courageous Faith
By: Jennifer Slattery

Bible Reading:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33, NIV

Most of us don’t like to be caught off guard, hit with something we weren’t expecting. Those situations can feel disorienting if not overwhelming. Not long ago, a friend shared an experience with me that, in the moment, triggered all of her internal alarm systems, resulting in her landing in total freak-out mode. In short, she and her husband decided to attend a small group for those enduring chronic anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges. She went to receive encouragement in her long and arduous healing journey from complex trauma, and her husband accompanied her to offer support. 

She walked into the meeting room expecting something similar to a Bible study with sharing opportunities similar to what occurs with Alcoholics Anonymous. Mentally and emotionally unprepared for a deep discussion on trauma, she quickly found herself overwhelmed and embarrassed by her intense reaction. The following week, however, she responded much differently, largely because she now knew what to expect and had been able to talk through this with her therapist. This allowed her to bring tools, like her current knitting project, as a grounding tool when she sensed herself becoming overwhelmed. 

The disciples Jesus spoke with in today’s verse would soon face numerous overwhelming and life-threatening circumstances that could’ve easily triggered panic, causing them to lash out physically or verbally, flee or withdraw from the danger, and therefore their calling, or become paralyzed by their fear. The Lord knew this. He grasped how difficult life would soon become for His first-century followers. That understanding, coupled with His incomprehensible love, motivated Him to prepare them for what lay ahead. 

First, He told them that one of them would betray Him, Peter would deny Him, and all of them would abandon Him during His darkest hour. But recognize, He didn’t say this to shame them but instead to help them, post failure, to return to Him and receive His grace. 

He also said that they’d experience persecution and even death for their faith. First, however, He spoke powerful promises to encourage and strengthen their trembling souls. Although He told them that He’d soon be leaving, and they couldn’t join, He also assured them that He wasn’t abandoning them. He was going to prepare a place for them and would eventually return for them, thereby declaring that their hardship wouldn’t get the final say. His love and grace would. 

He also let them know that they wouldn’t have to face their upcoming difficulties, or any other aspect of life, alone. He’d send them God the Holy Spirit, to strengthen, guide, and teach them, and speak through them. 

Then, in John 15:1-8, He spoke words that, when applied, have the capacity to bolster the most timid souls. In verses 4-5, He said, 

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

That was their survival plan. Their freak-out escape route. When overpowered and overwhelmed, they weren’t to rely on themselves. They needed to turn and draw near to, remain vitally connected to, and spiritually alert to, His presence at work within them. He would give them everything they needed to live as the victorious conquerors He was calling them to be. They would overcome because He, their Savior, had already overcome.

Intersecting Life & Faith:

God still prepares His children for the hard things to come. Throughout Scripture, we read numerous warnings of the unavoidable difficulties ahead–sickness, wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters, relational storms with people who act antagonistically to our faith. But the Lord also describes, in detail, how to stand strong even when the ground beneath us feels ready to give way. 

As we “abide” or “remain” in Him through prayer, Bible reading, connecting with other Christ-followers, listening for His voice, and resting in His presence, He steadily and progressively replaces our fear with courage and peace, our confusion with clarity, and our heartache with joy. 

Equally important, He speaks of His grace before our moment of moral failure so that we know we can return to it and rely upon it. Phrased differently, He reminds us that His grace wasn’t His backup plan. It has been His life-saving, soul-nurturing strategy since the beginning of time. 

No matter what we encounter, we can trust that His grace is sufficient, for His strength is perfected, or reaches its full expression, in our weakness–when our weakness draws us closer to Him, that is.

Further Reading:
Matthew 26:41
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Proverbs 22:3

Life rarely unfolds without surprise, hardship, or moments that test our emotional and spiritual limits. This Christian devotional explores how God prepares believers to live with courageous faith, even in the face of fear, uncertainty, and overwhelming circumstances. Rooted in John 16:33, this devotion reminds us that while trouble is unavoidable, peace and victory are found in Christ&mdash;who has already overcome the world.
Highlights
<ul data-start="1127" data-end="1556">
<li data-start="1127" data-end="1185">
God prepares His people for hardship before it arrives
</li>
<li data-start="1186" data-end="1249">
Jesus offers peace even while acknowledging life&rsquo;s troubles
</li>
<li data-start="1250" data-end="1311">
Courageous faith grows when we remain connected to Christ
</li>
<li data-start="1312" data-end="1375">
The Holy Spirit strengthens, guides, and sustains believers
</li>
<li data-start="1376" data-end="1436">
God&rsquo;s grace meets us before and after moments of failure
</li>
<li data-start="1437" data-end="1495">
Abiding in Christ replaces fear with peace and clarity
</li>
<li data-start="1496" data-end="1556">
Victory comes through reliance on Jesus, not self-effort
</li>
</ul>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Divinely Prepared to Live with Courageous Faith By: Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading: &ldquo;I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.&rdquo; - John 16:33, NIV
Most of us don&rsquo;t like to be caught off guard, hit with something we weren&rsquo;t expecting. Those situations can feel disorienting if not overwhelming. Not long ago, a friend shared an experience with me that, in the moment, triggered all of her internal alarm systems, resulting in her landing in total freak-out mode. In short, she and her husband decided to attend a small group for those enduring chronic anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges. She went to receive encouragement in her long and arduous healing journey from complex trauma, and her husband accompanied her to offer support.&nbsp;
She walked into the meeting room expecting something similar to a Bible study with sharing opportunities similar to what occurs with Alcoholics Anonymous. Mentally and emotionally unprepared for a deep discussion on trauma, she quickly found herself overwhelmed and embarrassed by her intense reaction. The following week, however, she responded much differently, largely because she now knew what to expect and had been able to talk through this with her therapist. This allowed her to bring tools, like her current knitting project, as a grounding tool when she sensed herself becoming overwhelmed.&nbsp;
The disciples Jesus spoke with in today&rsquo;s verse would soon face numerous overwhelming and life-threatening circumstances that could&rsquo;ve easily triggered panic, causing them to lash out physically or verbally, flee or withdraw from the danger, and therefore their calling, or become paralyzed by their fear. The Lord knew this. He grasped how difficult life would soon become for His first-century followers. That understanding, coupled with His incomprehensible love, motivated Him to prepare them for what lay ahead.&nbsp;
First, He told them that one of them would betray Him, Peter would deny Him, and all of them would abandon Him during His darkest hour. But recognize, He didn&rsquo;t say this to shame them but instead to help them, post failure, to return to Him and receive His grace.&nbsp;
He also said that they&rsquo;d experience persecution and even death for their faith. First, however, He spoke powerful promises to encourage and strengthen their trembling souls. Although He told them that He&rsquo;d soon be leaving, and they couldn&rsquo;t join, He also assured them that He wasn&rsquo;t abandoning them. He was going to prepare a place for them and would eventually return for them, thereby declaring that their hardship wouldn&rsquo;t get the final say. His love and grace would.&nbsp;
He also let them know that they wouldn&rsquo;t have to face their upcoming difficulties, or any other aspect of life, alone. He&rsquo;d send them God the Holy Spirit, to strengthen, guide, and teach them, and speak through them.&nbsp;
Then, in John 15:1-8, He spoke words that, when applied, have the capacity to bolster the most timid souls. In verses 4-5, He said,&nbsp;
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. &ldquo;I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.&nbsp;
That was their survival plan. Their freak-out escape route. When overpowered and overwhelmed, they weren&rsquo;t to rely on themselves. They needed to turn and draw near to, remain vitally connected to, and spiritually alert to, His presence at work within them. He would give them everything they needed to live as the victorious conquerors He was calling them to be. They would overcome because He, their Savior, had already overcome.
Intersecting Life &amp; Faith:
God still prepares His children for the hard things to come. Throughout Scripture, we read numerous warnings of the unavoidable difficulties ahead&ndash;sickness, wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters, relational storms with people who act antagonistically to our faith. But the Lord also describes, in detail, how to stand strong even when the ground beneath us feels ready to give way.&nbsp;
As we &ldquo;abide&rdquo; or &ldquo;remain&rdquo; in Him through prayer, Bible reading, connecting with other Christ-followers, listening for His voice, and resting in His presence, He steadily and progressively replaces our fear with courage and peace, our confusion with clarity, and our heartache with joy.&nbsp;
Equally important, He speaks of His grace before our moment of moral failure so that we know we can return to it and rely upon it. Phrased differently, He reminds us that His grace wasn&rsquo;t His backup plan. It has been His life-saving, soul-nurturing strategy since the beginning of time.&nbsp;
No matter what we encounter, we can trust that His grace is sufficient, for His strength is perfected, or reaches its full expression, in our weakness&ndash;when our weakness draws us closer to Him, that is.
Further Reading: Matthew 26:41 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Proverbs 22:3

Divinely Prepared to Live with Courageous Faith

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/1434ab8d-12a6-40fd-9fde-b3da00e903a8/transcript

Pleasing God over people is a tension every believer faces. This Christian devotional explores the difference between people-pleasing and God-honoring obedience, drawing wisdom from Ecclesiastes 3:1–2 and the life of Jesus. True biblical love is not rooted in appeasement or fear of conflict, but in discerning when to speak truth, when to remain silent, and when obedience to God requires courage over comfort.

Highlights


People-pleasing and peace-making are not always the same


Biblical love values truth over appeasement


There is a God-appointed time to speak and a time to remain silent


Jesus modeled courage, truth, and discernment in every situation


Fear of man can prevent growth and obedience


God equips believers with the right words when we trust Him


Pleasing God sometimes requires speaking up, not staying quiet

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This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

How to Please God Above Man
By Kelly Balarie



Bible Reading:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.” –  Eccl. 3:1-2 NIV

I knew if I gave in, the argument would be over. Yet, I also knew if I said, "You're right," I'd be lying.

In reality, there is a difference between people-pleasing and peace-making. They are not always one and the same.

In the past, I'd be inclined to lie to keep the peace. I'd be inclined to brush things under the carpet of don't-lift-up-the-corner-of-this-rug for anything—to keep everyone happy. I'd be inclined to adapt to make sure everyone is okay.

This is not biblical love, but it verges more towards manipulative love. Appeasing man is not always the same as pleasing the Lord. We must be careful here.

There is a time for everything under the sun.

“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot…” (Eccl. 3:1-2)

There is a time to speak truth and a time to be quiet. There is a time to bring clarity and a time to listen. There is a time to defend and a time to back off. There is a time to pray, and there is a time to say things.

Jesus didn't always back away; sometimes He spoke truth. He called out the Pharisees and told them the truth when they fought Him (Matt. 23:27-28). He said, "Forgive them" aloud when He was being crucified (Luke 23:34). He addressed the Pharisees' lack of mercy with a straightforward address (Matt. 23:23). He powerfully used His words and actions to drive the merchants out of the temple (Matt. 21:12-13).

The list goes on and on... Jesus did not always stay silent.

To turn the other cheek does not always mean taking it...

There is a time to speak up. There is a time to not fear man. There is a time to tell the truth.

The key is to pray and discern what God would have you do (Eph. 5:17).

Sometimes things never change because we never change our approach. Sometimes ruts continue because we don't trust God to equip us with the right words. Sometimes habits continue because we fear man more than we believe God will help us.

Don't mistake fear of man for fear of the Lord. The Lord may have you speak up louder than the fear of man has ever permitted you to. This is not unbiblical; it may be monumental in your walk with the Lord.

The answer is not always silence. Sometimes the way that most pleases God is speaking up. Wisdom is knowing the difference.

Lying is sinning, even if it is pursuing peace-making. The question is—how do we be true, while being godly and loving? Sometimes, this requires pausing to seek God for what needs to be said. Other times, it may require praying to get a couple of levels deeper than what is on the surface.

The ultimate key is to respond to a person from God's will and not to react from our own.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

How do you tend to react? Do you negate your feelings? Do you cover the truth to keep peace? How might God be leading you in a new direction?

Pleasing God over people is a tension every believer faces. This Christian devotional explores the difference between people-pleasing and God-honoring obedience, drawing wisdom from Ecclesiastes 3:1&ndash;2 and the life of Jesus. True biblical love is not rooted in appeasement or fear of conflict, but in discerning when to speak truth, when to remain silent, and when obedience to God requires courage over comfort.
Highlights
<ul data-start="1147" data-end="1575">
<li data-start="1147" data-end="1207">
People-pleasing and peace-making are not always the same
</li>
<li data-start="1208" data-end="1255">
Biblical love values truth over appeasement
</li>
<li data-start="1256" data-end="1326">
There is a God-appointed time to speak and a time to remain silent
</li>
<li data-start="1327" data-end="1395">
Jesus modeled courage, truth, and discernment in every situation
</li>
<li data-start="1396" data-end="1444">
Fear of man can prevent growth and obedience
</li>
<li data-start="1445" data-end="1508">
God equips believers with the right words when we trust Him
</li>
<li data-start="1509" data-end="1575">
Pleasing God sometimes requires speaking up, not staying quiet
</li>
</ul>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
How to Please God Above Man By Kelly Balarie 
Bible Reading: &ldquo;There is a time&nbsp;for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:&nbsp;a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.&rdquo; &ndash;&nbsp; Eccl. 3:1-2 NIV
I knew if I gave in, the argument would be over. Yet, I also knew if I said, "You're right," I'd be lying.
In reality, there is a difference between people-pleasing and peace-making. They are not always one and the same.
In the past, I'd be inclined to lie to keep the peace. I'd be inclined to brush things under the carpet of don't-lift-up-the-corner-of-this-rug for anything&mdash;to keep everyone happy. I'd be inclined to adapt to make sure everyone is okay.
This is not biblical love, but it verges more towards manipulative love. Appeasing man is not always the same as pleasing the Lord. We must be careful here.
There is a time for everything under the sun.
&ldquo;There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot&hellip;&rdquo; (Eccl. 3:1-2)
There is a time to speak truth and a time to be quiet. There is a time to bring clarity and a time to listen. There is a time to defend and a time to back off. There is a time to pray, and there is a time to say things.
Jesus didn't always back away; sometimes He spoke truth. He called out the Pharisees and told them the truth when they fought Him (Matt. 23:27-28). He said, "Forgive them" aloud when He was being crucified (Luke 23:34). He addressed the Pharisees' lack of mercy with a straightforward address (Matt. 23:23). He powerfully used His words and actions to drive the merchants out of the temple (Matt. 21:12-13).
The list goes on and on... Jesus did not always stay silent.
To turn the other cheek does not always mean taking it...
There is a time to speak up. There is a time to not fear man. There is a time to tell the truth.
The key is to pray and discern what God would have you do (Eph. 5:17).
Sometimes things never change because we never change our approach. Sometimes ruts continue because we don't trust God to equip us with the right words. Sometimes habits continue because we fear man more than we believe God will help us.
Don't mistake fear of man for fear of the Lord. The Lord may have you speak up louder than the fear of man has ever permitted you to. This is not unbiblical; it may be monumental in your walk with the Lord.
The answer is not always silence. Sometimes the way that most pleases God is speaking up. Wisdom is knowing the difference.
Lying is sinning, even if it is pursuing peace-making. The question is&mdash;how do we be true, while being godly and loving? Sometimes, this requires pausing to seek God for what needs to be said. Other times, it may require praying to get a couple of levels deeper than what is on the surface.
The ultimate key is to respond to a person from God's will and not to react from our own.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
How do you tend to react? Do you negate your feelings? Do you cover the truth to keep peace? How might God be leading you in a new direction?

How to Please God Above Man

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/6453effc-3f7c-4630-b959-b3da00e8fe6d/transcript

When You Can’t Change Them: Finding Peace in Acceptance

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