Why Did God Ask Questions in the Bible?

Kathy Collard Miller has the wisdom gained from both the Word of God and practical experience, dealing with many tough issues of life from a biblical perspective. In this Biblical Discernment UPGRADE, she explores the question of . . . questions!

"Does that title question seem silly? After all, God knows everything," Kathy says.

"So why are there more than 300 questions God asked, including the questions of Jesus, as recorded in the Bible?"

Did you know there are so many questions in the Bible? I (Dawn) sure didn't. Kathy's question about questions really got me thinking. Are there questions God might be asking me that I'm not hearing? This is a good study for upgrading our biblical discernment with wisdom for living.

Kathy continues . . .

It’s true God and Jesus asked many questions in the Bible. Certainly, it’s an intriguing thought—why questions?

When I first began noticing all the questions Jesus asked (and His Father), I was surprised. I knew He knows everything, yet He still asked questions.

In fact, in the third chapter of Genesis (so soon!), He asked His first question, “Where are you?”

So why does God ask questions?

Three Ways to Consider the Questions

1. READ the Question Personally.

As we are reading the Bible, God wants us to stop and consider whether He is asking us a similar question.

For instance, if you were to read God’s question of Adam and Eve—“Where are you?”—maybe the Holy Spirit wants you to hear the inquiry of God’s heart into your heart.

He might be saying, “It’s time to evaluate the location of your heart.

Are you in a place of trust or believing lies?

Are you on a mental treadmill ruminating on reasons for worry, fear, and anxiety?"

Second Corinthians 10:5 reminds us we can "destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."

By evaluating our thoughts, we can stop the arguments and opinions which are lies against our loving and sovereign God—just like God invited His rebellious first humans to come out of their hiding place, stop believing He wouldn’t forgive them, and receive His redemption.

2. EXAMINE the Question Wisely 

When we focus on God's and Jesus’s questions, we might begin to feel a little insecure.

Does Jesus need to ask the paralyzed man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15), “Do you want to get well?”

Does Jesus require the man’s efforts?

Is Jesus so insecure He is looking for approval or cooperation?

I would suggest Jesus asks this question to help this invalid get in touch with his hopelessness or other feelings and beliefs.

Knowing he has been there for over three decades must have drawn him into believing he would never be healed.

Jesus is asking whether he has a victim mentality. Jesus is much more interested in the man’s heart condition than whether he can run around on his two legs.

All the questions of God the Father and God the Son are about connecting with people at a spiritual level. Physical health will always end in eternal death, but salvation is for eternal life.

Maybe you are seeking health for your body. That’s great! But your loving Lord may be inquiring into your eternal posture, which is more important.

3. LOOK for God’s Character Eagerly.

The questions Father God and Jesus ask most often point to their own perfect qualities.

For instance, going back to the Garden of Eden, God, in effect, is asking,

“Do you think I am blind and uncaring where you are hiding?

You have wrong thinking about who I am.

I know where you are—and I care.”

With Jesus and the man by the pool, Jesus seems to also be asking, “Is your hopelessness preventing you from seeing my power to heal?”

Notice the intent of God’s questions—they usually point to His love, grace, faithfulness, mercy, kindness, wisdom, and so many other incredible perfect qualities.

He desires to draw us into more intimate connection with Him by learning the truth about Him.

Then we will seek Him more, trust him more and obey him more often.

Which of God’s and Jesus’s questions in the Bible are most meaningful to you?

Can you remember a time you noticed one of those questions and knew God was inquiring into your heart and life? What happened?

Kathy Collard Miller has continued to be in awe of God’s ability to use her through writing over 60 books and speaking in 9 foreign countries and over 30 US States. Kathy’s two books (co-written with her husband, Larry) about God’s questions are: God’s Intriguing Questions; 60 New Testament Devotions Revealing Jesus’s Nature; and God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature. Her other books include women’s Bible studies, Bible commentaries, compiled books, and Christian Living books. Her memoir about overcoming being an abusive mom is No More Anger: Hope for an Out-of-Control Mom. Kathy and her husband, Larry, of more than 50 years, are parents, grandparents, lay counselors, and live in Boise, Idaho. Visit her at www.KathyCollardMiller.com.

Graphic adapted, photo courtesy of Sophie Janotta at Pixabay.

Let's Talk about Finishing Well

It's my birthday today, and I've been thinking a lot about finishing my earthly race well. Actually, I started getting serious about "finishing well" shortly after I received my diagnosis with Multiple Myeloma in 2019. A diagnosis can do that!

In this Wisdom UPGRADE, I want to share some things I've learned as I've thought and meditated on this concept of finishing the final season of life.

We need a blueprint, a well-defined pattern to observe and follow, in order to finish well.

The Bible teaches us principles about finishing well in the final season of life. I see it as a pattern.

• There are "Principled People" in the Bible who illustrate powerful truths. They are the who in this article—biblical characters like Joseph and Paul, and especially Jesus.
• We also need a "Powerful Perspective" as we consider why it's so important.
• Then, through "Productive Preparation," we learn how to finish well.
• And it helps to have a "Practical Picture"—what does it look like to finish well today?

Let's look at each of these.

1. Principled People: WHO in the Bible Illustrates Finishing Well?

So many biblical characters did not finish well. We think of King Saul, Jezebel, King Solomon, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, and others). But many, though not perfect, did finish well, holding God and His Word paramount in their lives.

Here are just a few examples.

Joseph finished well. In spite of all life threw at him—his brothers' conspiracy and others' abuse—Joseph finished his race in spiritual strength. His family saw firsthand how he had served both God and Pharaoh, trusting the Lord with his whole heart through tough, scary times. Throughout his lifetime, Joseph used the wisdom God gave him, and stood firm and courageous against sexual immorality.

In the last seasons of his life, Joseph wisely provided for his family in a foreign land (Genesis 50:19-21), and in faith, he gave instructions about taking his bones home for burial in the Promised Land (Genesis 50:22-25; Hebrews 11:22).

Joseph lived well and he finished well, giving us an example of courageous commitment and wise preparation.

King David finished well. Even though the "man after God's own heart" had great courage and successes, there are signs that he never recovered from his moral failures, and his family was impacted by the consequences of his sins. His firstborn, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar; and then Tamar's brother, Absalom, killed Amnon. Later Absalom led a conspiracy to take over David's throne. The family devastation continued into Solomon's reign.

So David was not perfect. He confessed his sin and was forgiven—but he didn't act forgiven. In his final years he was hindered by regrets.

Yet Acts 13:36 says David finished well. He "served God's purpose in his own generation," and that is a lesson for all of us—to serve God's purposes in OUR generation. It's worth our time to discover God's purposes . . . ask for wisdom (James 1:5).

The Apostle Paul finished well. In 2 Timothy 4:7, he said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

We say Paul finished well because of all he endured in completing the will of God in his life (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). He suffered three shipwrecks, was imprisoned, flogged, beaten, and stoned. He knew cold, sleeplessness, hunger, and thirst. He was disdained and assaulted by Jews, Gentiles, and false Christians.

Paul trusted God's sovereign love and perfect providence and love (Romans 8:28, 36-37) until his death.

Paul teaches believers how to suffer well in order to finish well.

Jesus, our Savior, finished well. Jesus, said in John 17:4, "God, I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do."

That doesn't mean He finished all the work possible to do. No, Jesus left many things unfinished—for now. (He's coming back, remember.)

But our Lord, in His first advent, finished all the work the Father gave Him to do AT THAT TIME.

• He followed the Father's blueprint, staying closely attuned to His will (Luke 22:42).
• He was sent to "seek and save that which is lost" and provide atonement for all who would put their trust in Him (Luke 19:10; Romans 3:23-25). 
• Jesus completed His work on the cross—not turning away from it (Hebrews 12:2-3).
• He rightly said of His sacrifice for sinner, "it is finished" (John 19:30). 
• And Jesus discipled and commissioned those who would share the good news of salvation after He returned to heaven (Matthew 28:16-20).

Finishing well, for Jesus, required commitment, faithfulness, obedience, and vigilance—the same qualities we need to finish well.

2. Powerful Perspective: WHY is it important to finish well?

It's important for at least three reasons.

First: It's important to Jesus that we finish well.

Christians in earlier generations made much of the parable Jesus taught in Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. Two faithful servants used what their master had given them (bags of gold) to increase his wealth, but one foolish servant failed to even invest it. The two faithful servants heard, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Jesus shared that parable to help His disciples undertand not everyone will finish well, and He WANTED them to finish well.

"Well done" are the words every committed Christian longs to hear from Jesus someday in heaven. To hear those words, a person must be a genuine believer (Hebrews 11:6) and commit to faithfully serve and obey Jesus as Lord (Luke 6:46).

Martin R. De Haan II said, "Finishing well is the right way for a Christian to close the final chapter of life's book. It testifies to the reality of our faith. It leaves for those who remain a legacy of inspiring memories."

As I'm writing the final chapters of my life, I want to finish well, with purpose, wisdom, strength, and joy.

Second: What we do today matters in eternity, so we need to keep that in mind.

Years ago, a friend, Ken Nichols, shared an acronym that has helped me keep a proper perspective on life. To be fully ALIVE, he said, means "Always Living In View of Eternity." As wonderful as this life can be, we're not to just live for today. We were made for eternity.

J.D. Greear says that in Luke 12 there are three ways to live in light of eternity:

• Be awake to your task (Luke 12:37);
• Be confident of Jesus' return (Luke 12:40); and
• Be faithful to your charge (Luke 12:45-48).

In other words, be alert to God's will and active in your task, remembering that Jesus could return at any moment—and you will want to be found faithful.

Third, there are crowns to be won!

The New Testament mentions five crowns:

• the imperishable crown—it will "last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:24-25),
• the crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19),
• the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8),
• the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4),
• and the crown of life—the "victor's crown" (Revelation 2:10).

3. Productive Preparation: HOW do we go about finishing well?

So we know the who and the why of finishing well . . . but how?

A key word that kept popping out as I studied how to finish well was "prepare." God doesn't want us to be lazy or thoughtless concerning spiritual maturity and obedience.

I love the proverb about the ant who stored up provisions in summer and harvest (Proverbs 6:6-11). Solomon addressed the person who foolishly did not prepare in life, saying, "How long will you lie there, you sluggard?"

The Lord wants us to prepare wisely to be a productive servant . . . every single day.

(That doesn't mean we can't rest, as long as our final season doesn't become one big rest stop! And we can vacation, but we must never vacate our position as an ambassador of Christ, wherever we are!)

Preparing to finishing well is a heart attitude and a mindset.

Dr. Paul Chappell wrote about being "finish ready"—being "ever-ready" for that moment when "our ship will leave the harbor" for heaven.

Preparation can take many shapes. For me, it involves watchfulness, being a person who remembers to "love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8b). It means watching and eagerly waiting for my Lord's immenent return.

It also means submission to Jesus as Lord, the kind of humble surrender that leads to obedience and service. We cannot call Jesus "Lord" (ruler over us) while refusing to do what He says (Luke 6:46).

It means spiritual growth—not being content with where we are spiritually. It means falling more in love with God's Word, increasing in our love and devotion toward Him, growing in grace and wisdom, etc. Essentially, it's upgrading all the "basics" of the Spirit-led Christian life.

We have to persevere in these things, and when we do, there is great reward. The writer of Hebrews said, "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For 'In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay'" (Hebrews 10:36-37).

4. Practical Picture: WHAT does it look like to finish well?

Althought the goals are the same—to love and honor God and obey Him—finishing well will probably look different in individuals.

For me, it's writing the book that is in my heart, preparing my family for when I go to heaven, and continuing to reach out to my neighbors.

For you, finishing well might look like this:

• Cultivating you Marriage to the glory of God—drawing closer to your spouse in every way.
• Considering what kind of legacy you're leaving your children and grandchildren—and if that doesn't look like what you want, what can you do to change it?
• Working on difficult relationships . . . like finally talking to that person you offended with a spirit of reconciliation—or to the person who offended you, with a spirit of forgiveness.
• Getting finances in order so your family won't be saddled with debt and so you can invest in a ministry.
• Giving more of your time and resources to people and ministries instead of buying more stuff.
• Finishing a beloved project, maybe something powerful to help the needy in your community.
• Serving in church in a more impactful way, remembering we never "retire" from all Christian service.
• Going on a ministry trip while you are still physically able to serve.
• Knowing you are ready to enter eternity when you lie on your deathbed

This is more than a bucket list. It's a Prepare to Finish Well list. And we all need to make one and take some productive action every day.

A suggested prayer: 

"Father God, please help me finish the work You've given me, and help me finish it well. Show me how to live in light of eternity, all for Your glory and the praise of Your name." Because of Jesus, Amen.

What does finishing well look like in your life, your circumstances? How can you prepare better to finish well?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Silvia at Pixabay.

Upgrade Your Ministry: Continue Learning

Morgan Farr is a wise and practical teacher, distilling the truth of God's Word and applying it to everyday living. In this Ministry UPGRADE, she encourages us to keep on learning, for our benefit but also for the sake of better ministry.

"Learning shouldn’t end in a classroom," Morgan says. "It should be a forever part of the Christian woman’s life."

I (Dawn) agree with Morgan. We should always be lifelong learners, and nowhere is this more important than in our walk with God and ministry for Him.

Morgan continues . . .

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to let the pursuit of knowledge take a back seat. However, for Christian women, the call to learning should be a continual and integral part of our lives.

Our commitment to growing in wisdom, knowledge, and faith should stay in the forefront of our minds.

Let’s explore why every Christian woman should continue learning and what she should do with that knowledge. 

1. Get Wisdom

Even though history has not always been kind to women’s education, we see in scripture that learning and growing is a crucial part of life.

Proverbs 4:7 states,

"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."

This verse reminds us that wisdom and understanding are precious treasures worth pursuing at any cost. This means that wisdom and understanding are not one-time acquisitions but ongoing pursuits.

Learning isn't just about acquiring academic knowledge; it's also about deepening our spiritual understanding.

Ephesians 4:23-24 urges us to:

"be made new in the attitude of your minds"

and to "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey, and learning plays a pivotal role in our development as followers of Christ.

Consider joining a Bible study group, attending seminars, or dedicating time to daily reading and reflection. 

2. Give to Others

Learning isn't just for personal enrichment; it's also a means to serve others effectively.

Proverbs 31:26 (NIV) describes a woman who

"speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

When we continually upgrade our knowledge and wisdom, we become valuable sources of guidance and support for our families, friends, and communities.

God has given us unique talents and gifts, and we can use these gifts to bless others.

By investing in our growth, we can better equip ourselves to serve those around us.

This might look like using your skills as a bookkeeper to help a college student build a budget, or using your wisdom as a grandmother to minister in a children’s church. God gave you unique skills and experiences. Use them to give knowledge to others.

Let me share a real-life example.   

A YouTube star, Rob Kenney, created the channel “Dad, How Do I?” where he took his real-life experience and started making videos to help people walk through things they may not have learned from their parents.

I accidentally stumbled across his videos two years ago when I was trying to figure out how to replace a toilet seat. I was struggling and super frustrated, so I googled, “How do I replace a toilet seat?”

His video gave me the help I needed.

Now, that may not seem like a big deal, but when you realize that I had four kids ages six and under and my soldier husband was away—let me just say that there were a lot of tears when I finally fixed this silly thing that was creating so much frustration in my home.

Kenney's skills and willingness to share them helped me and my family, even though we have never met! 

3. Grapple with Relevance 

It is easy to feel irrelevant after hitting age twenty-nine. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Just because you don’t know the latest TikTok dance doesn’t mean that you don’t have knowledge to share.

Find what you are good at and let your church or community leadership know you want to give in this area.

I guarantee you there is a place where you are needed!

For example, being able to sew my husband’s name tape and patches on his Army uniform has saved us a fair amount of money during his military career.

• I could ask my chapel about putting up a flyer letting other military wives know I have this skill.
• I can either offer it to them as a free/low-cost service, or I can teach them how to do it themselves.

We are told in Titus chapter two how older people should mentor younger people, yet this doesn’t happen often in church.

I see a divide between the older generations and the ones coming behind them because we don’t know how to communicate our willingness to learn and teach.

As Christian women, our commitment to learning should be an ongoing journey guided by the Word of God. Through this, we enrich our lives and fulfill God's purpose for us, becoming the women He designed us to be.

So, upgrade your commitment to learning today and let it be a continual part of your life for God's glory

What skill can you share with your community? 

Morgan Farr is a succulent-cultivating, book nerd, aspiring author. She spends her days homeschooling her four young children and training her working dogs. As an Army wife, Morgan has learned to lean heavily on Jesus as she walks out military life. She is the Director fo Publishing at Planting Roots, a minitry for military women and wives. You can connect with Morgan on all major social media channels using her handle: morgandfarr.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pexels at Pixabay.

Does Jesus Still Heal Today?

Debbie W. Wilson, a Bible teacher and former counselor, has helped many women find victory in life's battles. But what happens when the battle is health? Is there anything the believer can do? In this Practical Theology UPGRADE, Debbie answers the question with two examples and solid scriptural counsel.  "Have you ever wondered," she asks, "if Jesus heals today?"

This is a question I (Dawn) considered early in my cancer diagnosis. My conclusions, like Debbie's, brought me greater understanding, peace, and abiding joy. 

Debbie continues . . . 

In the Gospels, Jesus initiated healing for some and healed others because they asked. Some were healed with just a word; others had to participate in their healing, such as wash in a pool or pick up their mat and walk.

But what about today? Does Jesus heal today?

God healed my father-in-law from chronic back problems in an instant.

He was working late in his small grocery store one night when an inexplicable current zinged down his spine. His back pain vanished. He bent and twisted without the usual pain. For the ultimate test, he strode over to the meat lock

Ed Wilson’s healing didn’t come in response to a healing service, but it did follow an extraordinary act of obedience.

Grocery stores make more profit from non-perishable items than from perishable food. Cigarette sales generated significant income for his small store and took up relatively little space. Before the FDA warning on cigarettes, a conviction grew in him not to sell cigarettes anymore.

People thought he was crazy. But he couldn’t shake the conviction.

Instead of letting the cigarettes run out, one night he loaded his store’s supply and took them out into the Arizona desert to burn them.

My husband never forgot how sick the family was the next day—or his father’s sacrificial act of obedience.

The next week God healed Ed’s back.

Should We Ask for Healing?

The Bible tells us to pray for healing.

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:14-16 NIV). 

Last week, our Bible study gathered around our sister to pray.

Before we prayed, I read and discussed James’s instructions.

1. “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call.”

The sick person had asked for prayer.

2. “Call the elders of the church to pray over them.”

The church is not a building but a body of believers—“the called-out ones.” The Bible calls believers a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).

We have the authority to pray for one another.

Paul reminds us there is neither Jew or Greek (not based on ethnicity or physical birth); nor slave or free (not based on socio-economic standing); nor male or female (not based on gender) (Galatians 3:28). We are one in Christ Jesus.

3. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Righteous means we have right standing before God. This is based on what Christ has done, not on our worthiness.

Faith in Jesus make us righteous and produces a desire to please Him in our actions.

4. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

We bowed our heads quietly and asked the Lord to search our hearts so that we could come before Him with clean hearts (1 John 1:9).

5. “Pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.”
.
Oil, in the Bible, often symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV).

Humans don’t have the power to heal, but nothing is impossible with God.

I anointed our sister with a small amount of Frankincense oil on her forehead and wrists, and quoted Isaiah 53:5: “by his wounds we are healed” (NIV).

6. “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.”

We gathered around her and prayed over her in Jesus’ name.

Our sister prayed too. She thanked God for her healing.

Whether here or in heaven, she WOULD be healed.

We ended singing, “Amen, amen….”

None of us will forget that holy moment when our prayers and tears mingled as the presence of the Holy Spirit poured over our sister.

Jesus heard us, and we trust Him to do more than we can ask or imagine.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).

If Jesus didn’t still heal today, would the Bible tell the sick person to ask for prayers?

Debbie W. Wilson is an award-winning author, Bible teacher, and former Christian counselor who speaks and writes to connect fellow sojourners to the heart of Christ. Learn more about her books, connect with Debbie, and find free resources at debbieWwilson.com.

Graphic adapted, original photo courtesy of Canva.

Advice from a King

Sally Ferguson always encourages readers to look at the plain truth of scripture and then apply it to their lives. In this Wisdom UPGRADE, she reminds us of a famous king who knew he needed God's help as he made plans for his future. Sally says we need to turn to the Lord regarding the details of our lives too.

"The world has been watching as the monarchy changed hands in England," Sally says. "A cherished Queen passed her torch to her son."

Like much of the world, I (Dawn) watched Queen Elizabeth's memorial service. The regal celebration of her life was only overshadowed by the sadness in her family at her passing. I watched King Charles' face—incredible grief—and wondered what he was thinking. Was he overwhelmed by the role that would soon be his?

Sally continues . . .

The logistics of rulership include reminting currency, updating police uniforms, and building facades to project the King’s image and cypher. The national anthem becomes "God bless the King," and His Majesty’s preferences will take priority. At the end of an era, the Queen’s deeds are memorialized. *

Another son also rose to power when his famous father passed from this life.

King Solomon

Solomon had big sandals to fill when the baton was passed to him. I can imagine his knees quivering as he asked God for help with his new role.

“Give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead this people, because no one can govern this great people of yours without your help” (2 Chronicles 1:10 CEB).

Had God asked me about my greatest wish, I’m not sure I would have thought to ask for wisdom.

Solomon watched his dad struggle with political egos and expansions, and knew it was beyond his comprehension. David’s rule grew with the kingdom—now it was up to his son to manage.

Some of Solomon’s quest for understanding is recorded for us in the book of Proverbs.

1. Plan away, but God saves the day.

I’m a planner down to the last detail. Sometimes plans must be set aside.

Maybe you’ve experienced this when the phone rang, and your plans changed because of an emergency at home? Or work called and needed extra hands for the task?

It happened to me this summer when my carefully composed itinerary wouldn’t print for our family reunion. Hubby said, “Let’s just go with it,” and we did.

Everything progressed for a fun boating adventure and, as far as I know, we didn’t leave anyone in the middle of the lake.

Solomon says,

“A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them” (Proverbs 16:9 AMP).

Have you been orchestrating details the Lord wants to direct? What would it look like to submit them to God’s guidance?

2. Dedicated plans. Successful outcomes.

When my friend’s Multiple Sclerosis advanced, she opted to seek relief with Stem Cell Replacement Therapy. She gathered a team to help with financial planning, physical care in traveling to Chicago, and practical help at home. It was daunting.

Our prayers felt like desperation knocking on heaven’s door.

My team brainstormed options for fundraising and decided to host a Harvest Fest with vendors, raffle baskets and children’s activities.

• We got on the phone and knocked on doors.
• We prayed for the Lord to do a mighty work for His glory.
• We cheered when people donated supplies and time.
• We celebrated when the farmer volunteered his wagon and horses for a hayride, and when the church rallied around our cause.

The day was a smashing success and a miracle to watch unfold. Six years later, we still marvel at what the Lord did in our midst.

Solomon says,

“Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place" (Proverbs 16:3 MSG).

Do you have trust issues?

God is able to handle the details.

How can you release your desires to God's undertaking?

3. Everything is potential for God’s redemption.

Some things in life don’t feel redeemable. Romans 8:28 reminds us every detail of our lives can be worked into something good for God’s glory.

I wrote a piece for Live & Learn: Unexpected Lessons From God’s Classroom that felt very vulnerable. It laid bare the outbursts I had when my kids were little. It exposed my impatience when life got out of control. And yet it became a tool for healing to see the Lord redeem life in the learning room with God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 says we give better to others what we learn from our own suffering.

Proverbs 16:4 says, “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose. . . “(NASB).

If everything has a purpose, then the junk you’re going through will one day be something you’ll treasure.

What part of life leaves you feeling vulnerable? Will you surrender it to God’s safe keeping until it becomes a blessing for someone else?

Solomon’s reasons for writing Proverbs are listed in Proverbs 1:2-6. There are 31 chapters—why not study one each day of the month? You’ll never lose your place when the chapter corresponds with the date on the calendar.

My prayer for today:

Lord, align my will to do Your will and grant me a dream worthy of the pursuit. May Your Name be glorified. Amen.

What dream will you pursue with the Lord’s help?

Sally Ferguson usually has to go through the school of hard knocks to learn her lessons. She’s learning to let the Lord use her foibles to help others and bring encouragement for the journey. Her story is available in Live & Learn: Unexpected Lessons From God’s Classroom. Sally lives in western New York with her husband and her dad and is working on a Bible study for caregivers. Catch up with Sally on her on her website.

* Reference: https://www.royal.uk/his-majesty-kings-cypher

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Daniel Kirsch at Pixabay.