Encouragement grounded in Scripture
Rooted in truth. Anchored in Christ.
New reflections weekly.
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WWJD: Do Good Anyway
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:24, NLTDavid. David was the chosen King. Anointed to be King as a young boy, at the surprise of his brothers. His brothers who all believed they should be chosen. They were older. Stronger. David was just a shepherd boy. A runt.
David. The man with a colored past. An adulterer. Who covered up his sin by sending the woman’s husband to be killed. A murderer. Yet, still chosen.
The writer of many Psalms. Both beautiful and angry. He was hunted by men who believed he should pay for his past. Who believed he was unworthy to be a king. No good. That God had made a mistake.
Saul believed God had made a mistake. But David and God knew differently.
See, David had failed in many ways. He knew he had. But, prior to his writing of his many praises. His many songs, he has his reckoning with God. He came clean. David confessed his sins.
But God was not at all pleased with what David had done, and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, “There were two men in the same city—one rich, the other poor. The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him. “One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest.” David exploded in anger. “As surely as God lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this ought to be lynched! He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!” “You’re the man!” said Nathan. 1 Samuel 12:1-7
Nathan proceeds to tell David all he had done, letting him know what God planned to do about this sin David had committed, and David replies in this manner: “I’ve sinned against God.” (verse 13). David confesses. God forgives. David then sins no more.
And here in the Psalms we see that no, David doesn’t die just as God promises in verse 14, but he is tormented. Just as the Word promised, He was punished by God. His son died, and later on his other turned against him. He did not live a life without trials. However, he did something that was especially important-he did not sin again. He did not repeat his past. And God never brought it up.
It’s why he was known as a “man after God’s heart.” He vowed to be holy. He vowed to live a life that God would be proud of. He wanted to live a life that was worthy of the lineage of Jesus.
See, David understood this:
Turn from evil and do good,
and you will live in the land forever.
For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly. Psalm 37:27-28, NLTGod gives us the opportunity to ask Him for another chance. He gives us the ability to walk in righteousness again, not because we are good. Not because we even deserve it, but because HE is good. And see David? He was called a “man after God’s heart,” because he knew what it was like to be separated from Him. To live tormented by the pain he had caused God for not doing what He had asked, and he never wanted to do it again. He only wanted to do good. He decided to turn around, and walk a different way.
And people didn’t like it. They didn’t like that he could make mistakes, and still be seen as “good.”
You know why? Because we judge the past of others. We judge people based on their choices, not on their hearts. The Bible tells us this: The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
It’s true. We judge. And appearances are not just what others look like. We judge the past. We judge failure. We judge mistakes. Whether they are overcome or not. We hold onto the sins of others as if they define that person forever. Even if they repent and never do it again.
But there is good news. God doesn’t do this. No, once we do as David did, no matter the sinful deed-big or small. When we say, “God, I confess. I sinned against you.” He offers us forgiveness. In fact, God will have compassion on us. He will trample our sins under His feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! (Micah 7:19)
We may be slandered. We may be mocked. We may still have our sins held onto by people. We may be cast out of certain places. People may not believe we have changed. May continue to only see us as a mistake, but it doesn’t matter, because God knows we are after His heart, and because of this, we can continue to do good anyway.
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He is still working through you
A couple years ago I was on fire. Passionate. I was pretty certain that God had placed a specific calling on my heart. I knew I had heard him, remember the events. The time. The place. Who was around. What He said to me.
I had a plan and a purpose. A focus. A desire.
Then…I didn’t.
Then…I began to question if what I heard was real. Did He really speak to me? Was I really called to do that thing?
What happened? Well, many things. The world, mainly. Satan, more than likely. People, because they can get in the way. So, I listened to the world. I listened to Satan, and I listened to those people, and I doubted that call. Doubted if it was ever mine.
Doubt can creep in during the midst of some of God’s work and gifting when different motives are at work. Doubt can creep in during the midst of His speaking when other’s are speaking something different. Doubt can creep in when we are waiting for Him to move our mountains, because someone is telling us we are not capable to be used by Him. Doubt can leave the purposed feeling like they have no purpose.
Doubt kills vision. It kills focus. It can stifle a call.
Same power, now and forever
No You’re not through
Same words, can speak to the mountains
And make them move
I know the God of the old is the God of the new
I know that You did it then and You still do
You still do -TerrianFaith brings purpose and vision back to life. The faith that God will not keep His purpose from being accomplished, even if the world or man gets in the way, God is still moving mountains. Providing power to the people the world deems not capable, and reassuring us that He isn’t through with us yet.
Whatever doubt you may have today. Whatever dreams or calling have been allowed to die, I pray you remember God still has a purpose, plan, calling, and vision that is just for you!
I do not own the rights to this video, lyrics, or music.
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The one who “sees” you
Ever had to do an assignment in which you were asked to think about your funeral? Never. Well…I had never been either, until reading through the next chapter in the weekly devotional my husband and I have been completing together.
Full disclosure: We are on our second round. Really our first and less than half. Let me explain: We got through the first few weeks upon first starting it, only to stop because of a misunderstanding. We misunderstood the others motivation and motives. We also only read it halfway. Meaning we did none of the actual written work.
So…we started over. From the beginning, because sometimes this is what you have to do in marriages, even long ones-start over.
But really? Funeral planning? Who wants to think about that? No one, really. We didn’t that night, either. But I did think of this: what would I want to be said about me upon my leaving? What would I want to be known for? Essentially-how do people see me? Do they even see the real me at all?
I now know. How he sees me, anyway. My husband, that is. A small part of the things he sees me do, that he knows bring God glory. The things he knows about me. My likes. Dislikes. My passions. My gifts. The things that time, commitment, and pure respect allow a person to see.
This-that pic above-was what I walked into on Sunday morning. I wasn’t going to share this. Thought it could be one of those humble brags. And I am trying to watch those. Watch how they may make others feel, because I know how I tend to compare. Worry at times if my gifts. My talents. Heck, even just me…are good enough compared to others. And I know I’m not alone. The constant bombarding of pics and accomplishments on social media ensures we are not alone in these feelings.
But, I realized something later.
I didn’t put this together. I didn’t slap pictures on this board. I didn’t even choose those that would be placed there.
My husband did.
I have wondered at times how others see me. How I am viewed by those that encounter me, spend time with me. Am I a good mother? What would my kids say about me? And yes, if I were to go tomorrow, who would write my eulogy? What would they say?
It’s eye-opening to see yourself through the eyes of another; even if at first the pictures staring at you from a board are a bit jarring.
I asked my husband in passing who dared to display an entire board of ME, to which he calmly responded, “Me.” Thinking nothing of it, I later did. A lot. This is how he sees me.
My husband didn’t know me as that little girl in that “then” picture, but he knows about her. He’s heard the stories, and for a good part of a year he watched me fight to find the parts of her I let die. Find the parts of her I held back because someone put her light out once. He listened to the parts of the little girl that didn’t have a voice, that came out to roar. Sometimes in not so loving ways. And he still honored her. The little girl she was, and the woman she is now.
He knows my coffee and how I like it. He could go to Starbucks and order it, and wouldn’t have to ask me beforehand what I wanted. He’s the one who knows I like the Holiday Blend and buys it in bulk-just because. He sees her. He cares for her. He honors her. Even when she hasn’t had her coffee, and is irritable.
He knows where I enjoy my coffee, and knows it includes a blanket, a Bible, or a book. He knows I have an extreme fondness for Christmas, and DIY’ing costumes, decorations, and themed costumes and holiday decor. He knows this. He may shake his head, and think some of it is silly, but he honors me. Respects me.
He knows I have several tattoos on my body, but there’s one that’s special. He knows my life verse, and that tattoo is it. He knows this, because he knows me. He honors me.
He has supported every ministry endeavor I have been “called” to, even if some I was not able to accomplish. He listened to me, heard my sorrows. Shared in my adventures. Some that even involved slime, duct tape, and whipped cream pies. He has prayed with me and for me, and knew without ever complaining that he was a “co-children’s pastor,” “co-Liberian pastor,” “co-whatever” by default. Because he knows God. He honors Him, and in turn honors me, and what I am called to do for Him.
He is responsible for the motivation to pursue dreams, because he didn’t allow me to sit and wallow; or give up on them. He touted them, praised them, helped me even tweak some. Because he honors me. He honors the gifts God has given me.
He has seen me fail. He has seen me rock babies, and grandbabies. Sweat over test results. Triumphed over small kid victories. And climbed every parenting hill and mountain with me. He has been by my side for surgeries. Been my nurse, and for several weeks after wrist surgery even carried my bright blue purse. He watched me cry after an important meeting didn’t go so well, and told me how great I was…even if I left the meeting feeling so less than.
He sees me as a superhero, and has said as much (even in said meeting) . He believes it even when he knows I have been anything but at times. He has been patient when I not so. He has been strong when I have been weak. He has seen the worst in me, been through the worst with me; and never faltered.
He has seen mistakes. He has seen mountains moved. He has seen wavering. He has seen steadfastness. He has seen hidden pain. He has seen healing. He has seen the frayed edges often hidden behind the surface, and he has stayed to watch the edges become seamless again. He has watched me come unglued, and has patiently waited for God to put me back together.
He has seen bad.
Yet still chooses to see good.
At the end of the day, this is what it takes to be a godly man. Because God sees our bad, but still chooses to see good too.
God sees our worst, and helps us become our best.
He knows us.
He honors us.
He respects us.
Ours has not been perfect. My goodness, no. But we have one thing that insists we stay the course and see each other past the worst we sometimes give: God.
Maybe you don’t have the one. You know the one. The one all the dating apps tell you you’ll find. Maybe you haven’t found the one who “sees” you just yet. Who sees past your habits, quirks, crazy desire for kettle-cooked chips, or those things others just don’t tolerate for long. You can search for the ONE: God. He is the ONE who sees you. Everything about you. And still sees you with nothing but love. Honor. Respect. Just reach for that ONE.
With Him you can rest assured someone always sees you.
About Me
I am January! Wife, mother, meemaw, pastor, and mental health provider who makes it through the day with my coffee, my journal, and my God. A simple human, navigating life through the messy and sometimes chaotic. All focused on Him.
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Grace 'n Grounds 