Tag: #beyondyourself

Lost and Broken Protection

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Last weekend, I saw a sunglass commercial. It proclaimed to have “lost and broken” protection. I immediately thought that is what Jesus is to us: lost and broken protection.

Are the struggles and challenges of this life getting you down? Don’t let the devil have his way and rob you of your joy. We can change our perspective and experience joy in our hearts – no matter our circumstances. For believers, joy comes from the Holy Spirit through praise and thankfulness, as a fruit of the spirit, when we are in proper relations with God (The Holman Bible Dictionary).

We can find joy and peace with God’s help and a little intentional gratitude—a daily choice. Some days, it’s not easy when challenges come our way. But God designed us to depend on Him. He will provide everything we need, even during stressful, anxiety-filled days. We just need to focus on Him, be thankful in all circumstances, and not allow our perspective to get clouded by fleshly emotions.

I am speaking to myself here as much as anyone. I am a planner and organizer. The business I am in challenges me. After I have worked the puzzle with the schedule, sometimes the weather, cancellations, or other unforeseen circumstances tip over the proverbial table, and all those pieces I worked so hard to put together are now on the floor, requiring me to put them back together in a much shorter timeframe.

This naturally causes me anxiety. So, I have been taking it to God every morning before I start work and praying for help. I am also going through a three-part Bible plan by Roxanne Parks, The Voices and the Choices. Roxanne observes Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians and concludes that he says to “give thanks in all circumstances”—not “for all circumstances” (I Thess. 5:18, ESV). We have much to be thankful for in all circumstances. Parks says gratitude opens our eyes to see blessings (The Voices and the Choices). It’s all about perspective and what we focus our attention on.

Eleven years ago, I was in a car accident, which changed my perspective on everything. I was grateful God spared my life. Still, it was more than that. It opened my eyes to a new life that I never knew existed. It was beyond me or anything I had ever known. I was spared, rescued, and given another chance at life – the life of God’s plan and purpose – with goals and dreams I never saw for myself.

When I was flying home from the accident in a wheelchair, cast, and back brace on a red-eye flight, I realized I wasn’t worried about anything. As I watched the anxiety of others at the airport build, my new perspective allowed me to experience peace beyond understanding. God provided every step of the way, placing kind and caring people in my path on both flights who helped me with off-boarding and grabbing my overhead bag to get me to my next wheelchair waiting at the gate.

I had to rely on strangers, thousands of miles away from home, in a situation that would cause anyone to panic and be anxious – yet my eyes were opened for the first time, allowing God to provide – something that eluded me previously. My new perspective led to gratitude and peace – even in my brokenness. At that time, I was broken in every sense of the word.

The NLT Study Bible notes explain that our relationship with God defines Christian joy. God is sovereign and can redeem any situation (Rom. 8:28). Jesus’ mission was to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10, emphasis added). God uses my painful past to help others. I hit a wall, literally and figuratively, when the car slammed into that rock wall. It was a wake-up call of epic proportions. God redeems all my broken pieces and covers my scars with Christ’s.

A grateful heart knows many blessings.

So, how do we adopt this philosophy of having an attitude of gratitude every day, “even if” our puzzle is flipped over? This is my sincere prayer each day. A grateful journal may help. We can also be mindful of praise and thankfulness each morning and throughout our day. We can intentionally claim God’s promises to provide everything we need, including rest and peace. Take deep breaths. Pray a lot.

All these things are good, but deepening our relationship with God is crucial to a new perspective and finding gratitude in all circumstances. Don’t give up. If you haven’t yet, take out a “lost and broken” protection plan in the name of Jesus Christ. Your perspective is sure to change. For those of us who have – we still need a reminder, at times, that God is still in control and promises to always be with us (Matt. 28:20).  

The enemy wants us to think otherwise and hopes our fleshly emotions, stress, and anxiety will take over our spiritual truths. This is where intentionality comes in – to keep Christ in our focus – and the devil in our rearview. A battle is only won by placing God first over everything.

Nobody is perfect. Don’t let your mishaps keep you down. Do the best you can with what you have today. As my wonderful husband reminds me almost daily, I should go at the pace of grace and stop being so hard on myself. I am still learning this. Thanks be to God, I am happy to report fewer stressful workdays, even when they present challenges. Being battle-ready doesn’t hurt.

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:29, emphasis added).

U-turns Allowed

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

I recently saw a flock of geese in full-on V formation flying overhead. There were about twenty of them. But, instead of continuing their current path, they managed to do a complete 180 and head in the direction they had just come from; they made a U-turn. I started thinking about the leader. Did he make a mistake in which direction he was taking them? As the rest of the clan followed the leader, how would they know they were on the right path?

This reminded me of my dad. When we went on car rides as a family, we quickly realized that he panicked easily if he thought he missed his turn. The first time we saw this in action, we were headed to the farm after supper, and Mom made a plate for our neighbor, Mr. Hall, something she often did. She told Dad to stop on our way so she could drop off the plate of food.  His house was just around the curve from ours, but Dad had already forgotten. So, just as we began to pass up the driveway, Mom yelled that he missed his turn. Dad slammed on the brakes, and we were rear-ended. This is the first time I recall hearing the term whiplash after my sister Donna’s neck began to hurt.

My siblings and I were sitting in the backseat of our turquoise 1966 Chevy Impala, and with Mom in the front seat, we didn’t get the benefits of her instinctive arm that naturally came across the waists of anyone sitting in the front seat when she was driving. Mr. Hall’s supper ended up all over the inside of the car and us.

After that, Mom learned not to yell when Dad missed turns. The next time we were riding along, and he passed up our turn-off, I remember her calmly turning to him in a monotone voice, saying something like – I think we were supposed to turn there. Panic still ensued, but at least he didn’t slam on the brakes; instead, he began nervously looking for a place to make a U-turn.

As I meandered around the neighborhood, continuing my run that morning, I saw a neighbor walking their dog. When the dog saw me, it wanted to run with me, but the owner, not so much. She guided the dog back to their path with a slight leash tug.

We all go down the wrong path occasionally and make poor decisions, sometimes running off on a whim without consulting God about which direction to take. We may even panic when we realize we are on the wrong path and have made a mess of our lives and caused damage to ourselves and others.

God’s grace not only gives us the space to make a U-turn but helps us clean up the mess and offers complete restoration to heal any damage that occurred while on our hiatus from the path God intended. Thankfully, God is patient with us. We, too, need to be tethered to Christ and let the Holy Spirit guide our hearts instead of allowing our hearts to lead us. The ultimate healing is only found in a relationship with Christ. It is not too late to make a U-turn.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV, emphasis added)

Intentional Connections

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell
It’s not the back of the truck, but another fond memory on the farm with Dad. On the back: my cousin Debbie, sister Donna, and brother David (JD).

One of my fondest childhood memories is riding in the back of my dad’s truck. I remember being a lookout for a crop of tobacco I had spotted earlier that day, thinking Dad would like to see this field of tobacco. So, when he got in from work, I used my super girl skills to convince him to let me show him. The only problem was I couldn’t find it.

At the time, I was disappointed that something I thought I could connect with my dad was gone. But, looking back, I now have fond memories of riding in his truck, looking for the lustrous tobacco crop I could no longer locate. I now see that Dad took time away from resting after a long day’s work to appease my childhood whimsy.

He saw it as a time to spend with his kids.

My dad got up before dawn every day for 30+ years to drive an hour each way to work at IBM in Lexington. When he got home, he went to the farm to feed, water, and count the cows, besides whatever other chores I did not know about, such as mowing or grading the road with his tractor. And if we happened to be living at the farm (we had spent our summers there since I was nine), he still had to haul water down from our other house every evening because we didn’t have running water at the time. (We thought this was a big adventure – not seeing all the work Dad did to make it happen). I spent many days brushing my teeth with a cup of water and spitting off the side of the porch.

He wasn’t the only one who got up that early; for years, Mom got up with him to prepare a full breakfast before he left for work – at least until they changed their diet to heart-healthy oatmeal. I remember waking up many mornings to the sound of their not-so-quiet whispers in the kitchen. Perhaps the smell of homemade biscuits and gravy, sausage, and eggs awoke my senses to their breakfast chatter; either way, I see how they made time to spend a few minutes alone before we got up.

He did not have to get up that early. He could have grabbed something on the go and spent a few extra minutes in slumber, but he chose to connect with Mom during those early mornings, and she chose to get up with him and make breakfast and sip coffee from saucers in the wee hours of the morning. They found time to spend together in a five-room house full of kids. (Talk about tiny house living – we had no idea it would become popular).

It is those precious memories that aren’t soon forgotten.  I think that is the most important thing God asks of us – to spend time with our heavenly Father. All He wants is to spend time with His kids – and we are better off for taking the intentional time to connect. Sometimes, that may mean getting up a little earlier and being still before the hustle and bustle of our day begins. It is allowing His whispers to seep into our heart and mind awakening us to the sweet aroma of the bread of life that feeds our hungry souls.

“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’ ” (John 6:35, NLT, emphasis added).

“Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10, Emphasis added).

Dose of Encouragement

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Everyone can use a dose of encouragement regardless of age or how far we are on our journey.

One morning as I approached the mailboxes on the main street leading into my neighborhood, a gentleman stopped to make a deposit.

As I ran past, he kindly said, “Great job! Keep up the good work.” 

I thanked him and gave a thumbs up. But, as most things do, this reminded me that whether it is running, another sport, or our faith walk with Christ, at the beginning of our training, or a seasoned vet, we can all use inspiration to keep on going, press on, don’t give up.

As I ventured further, I met two other women running in the opposite direction. As my route winds back around, our paths crossed again, only this time they were walking.

As if to justify themselves, one girl said, “It’s hot! We’re from Ohio.”

Oh well, that explains it all…buckeyes. Only kidding. I paid the encouragement forward. But this reminded me of my trip to Austria a while ago. Climate change can make you uncomfortable and disconnected when in unfamiliar territory. I was out of my comfort zone on that trip, so many miles away from home, unable to have my usual quiet time and space. I was trying to find my rhythm on a new route, with new people to meet and work alongside.

Before I left, God gave me a few images: a sundial and Russian nesting dolls. Strange right? It didn’t make sense until I struggled to find peace and saw these images in Vienna. In those moments, I knew God was still with me and that He knew I would need these reminders.

Another time, on a church summer camp excursion with middle school girls, I desperately needed some time away from the chaos to reconnect with God. So, every chance I got, I stole a few minutes away on the other side of the lake to reset, recharge, and refresh my spirit to tackle another night. We all need these times to give us the strength to pour into the lives of others and not get burnt out.

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength” (Is. 30:15, ESV, emphasis added).

“Encourage one another and build one another up” (I Thes. 5:11, emphasis added).

Distinctly Different

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

The platypus swam into my dreams a few years ago, leading me to research the creature. The design itself intrigues me. I decided to dig deeper into this bottom feeder and get insight into this remarkable mammal. Interestingly, according to LiveScience, their characteristics resemble that of many different species. Their bill and feet are like a duck, their tail is like a beaver, their feet, body, and fur resemble an otter, and their lizard legs sprawl out to the side of the body when they walk.

In addition, to this extravagant list, they are amphibious. When they are not using their webbed feet in the water to swim, they can retract the web exposing individual nails that allows them to run on land. They also lay eggs, one of only two mammals that do.

Although they do not have teeth and use their cheek pouches to hold food until they can mash it up and swallow it, they have sharp stingers on the heels of their rear feet to defend themselves, with a toxic venom that is quite effective when needed. They are non-life threatening but powerful enough to damage their victim significantly.

This hodgepodge creature has many features of other animals, but oddly enough, the familiar qualities make it unique and distinctly different from the rest. It can undoubtedly relate to the duck by how it uses its bill and webbed feet and the beaver by using its tail to maneuver through the water gracefully, and the otter and lizard by how it uses its feet to swim and run, awkward as it may be.

As children of God, we are given many distinctive qualities, although we can relate to one another because we are made in the image of our Creator. Each of us has gifts given especially to us. We have many of the same characteristics, and all of us, like sheep, have strayed away (Isaiah 53.6). God made us exactly how we are on purpose and saved us by His grace. We can accept everything just as it is – flaws and all. We see the blemishes through our eyes and want to make changes or compare ourselves with others. But if we could see ourselves as God sees us – through His love –we would be content with ourselves and thank God for each unique quality that makes us stand out from the rest.

Post a reminder on your mirror: God profoundly loves you as you are. No matter how we see ourselves, we can be confident in what God is doing in and through us. Obedience is key. We are protected by the armor of faith and love when we wear salvation’s confidence as our helmet (I Thes. 5:8, ESV).

Jesus’s Triumphal Entry

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

When have you ever seen a king make his royal entrance into a town on a donkey’s colt?

Jesus’ life is marked by humility – He did not exalt Himself and rode in as a humble servant, not a royal king on a warhorse (Osborne 2014, 192). The donkey is a symbol of peace. The crowds submit to Jesus, and it is the only occasion the people accept His true identity as the Messiah. This is Jesus’ final week on earth, and He begins to reverse the Messianic secret (Osborne 2014, 189). He tolerated a brief celebration in His honor to fulfill prophecy (Zech. 9:9, English Standard Version).

The crowds begin to spread palm branches on the road, symbolic of Jewish nationalism and victory (John 11:9). Some spread their cloaks on the road. Everyone shouted, “Hosanna in the highest” (Mark 11:10), which means, please save (Ps. 118:25). It was during the Passover week celebration. They mistakenly hoped that the Messiah would liberate them from Rome’s oppression. Even though they got it wrong, and the mistaken joy of the crowd must give way to the sorrow of death before true joy could come (Osborne 2014, 189), there was no evident tension between Jesus’s Messianic identity, the disciples, and the people that day.

Mark 11:1-11 gives an overview of this triumphal entry. Still, it is in Luke’s writings that we read about an interaction between Jesus and some of the Pharisees, who asked Jesus to rebuke the disciples for shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:38)! Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:37-40 emphasis added). All creation could not have kept silent at this moment in history. I love this image of the stones crying out in praise to Jesus. This is how I imagine our posture will be in heaven one day. It should be that way now as we praise Christ Jesus for what He has done and will do for us.

Jesus humbled Himself for us. He freely chose His fate – a true act of love (Osborne 2014, 189). He came in peace. We can let Jesus triumphantly enter our hearts as we shout Hosanna! His entry on a donkey instead of a warhorse shows us His love for us. All creation can praise His mighty name because He is risen – a victor over Satan, death, and sin. We are holy because He is Holy.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, emphasis added).

Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.

  Osborne, Grant R. Mark / Teach the Text Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, Michigan : Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2014.

Finally!

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

I could only imagine the dancing, laughter, and shouts of joy heard throughout heaven the day I surrendered my life to Christ. But I also thought I heard one of the angels say, “Finally!” I let my stubborn self linger in my old life way too long before I asked for forgiveness and turned the reigns of my life over to the only One who knew how to lead me on the right path and soothe all my hurts.

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines repentance as “the deeply seated and thorough turning from self to God” (Brand, 2015). Furthermore, it is an experience in which we recognize God as the most critical factor in our existence. This came for me when I hit rock bottom in what some might call the worst year of my life, and rightly so. But I can now see the good God brought out of it and am grateful for the wake-up call it ignited inside my soul. It was the worst and best year of my life.

The act of repentance and forgiveness of sins wipes the slate clean to begin afresh. The first time we accept Christ and allow God to take control of our lives, the weight is lifted, and indescribable freedom ensues. Luke tells us there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than the ninety-nine righteous who need no repentance or are best understood as those who think they don’t need to repent (Luke 15:7, ESV). Repentance is not just for unbelievers or a one-time coming to Jesus moment. For believers, it is a daily conformity to the will of God where we must constantly engage in self-examination and allow the Holy Spirit to point out where we need to change to make more room for Him in our hearts.

I believed in God and Jesus; I was baptized when I was nine but didn’t know how to put Christ first in my life or that a relationship was possible. It is not about religion and checking off boxes; it is about an intimate relationship that is only possible by the grace that comes through the blood of Christ Jesus. Through this relationship, I experienced complete healing from all my past hurts and had hope for the first time. When I tried to control my life, it was a complete shamble. But God…

Justification is an act that happens in a moment, but sanctification is the ongoing process and work of God’s free grace. Our goal as saved sinners is to become like Jesus in every way (Romans 8:2, ESV). If we are on this earth, we are still sinners needing repentance. The sanctification process continues until we die; then, we will be made entirely in the image of Christ. The sanctification process begins the moment we receive Christ. If the Holy Spirit is within us, we have the assurance that Christ’s atoning work will continue to intercede for us.

We are forgiven forever by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and He intervenes for us to the Father on our behalf. But this does not mean we can or should continue in sin. As Paul writes, this is not an excuse to continue sinning. We were buried to death in baptism just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so that we too will walk in newness of life, set free from the enslavement of sin (Romans 6:1-4, ESV). It may seem like hard work to give up the things of comfort and our old habits, but our suffering, in this way, produces endurance, which builds character, and character strengthens our confident hope for salvation (Romans 5:4, ESV).

I was a mess when I came to Christ. I didn’t need to wait until I cleaned myself up; there was not enough soap in this world to do that. But once I surrendered everything to God, the Holy Spirit helped me by changing my heart and shaping my character.

This verse has become my daily prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10, ESV emphasis added). I also pray for God to reveal any areas in my life that I need to change so I can walk in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:25, ESV) and align myself with His will. Working on my relationship with God improves all my other relationships and is the best decision I have ever made.

Do you have an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father? What are you waiting for? To conform our lives to Christ and put away our old selves can seem challenging, and we put it off because we aren’t ready for the change that will occur. I know because I put it off, and at one time, I wouldn’t even take the abusive relationship to God in prayer because I wasn’t ready for Him to change it. I was gripping it with white knuckles. That is until I realized God wanted a better life for me. One I couldn’t see for myself. We tend to stay where it is familiar, even if the situation is terrible but take it from me, I am grateful I took that one step of faith towards God. As soon as I did, He scooped me up in His arms like the long-lost sheep and probably said, “Finally! Come home, my daughter; you are safe now.”

If your life is anything like my old life – knowing what I know now – I would run to Him! It is your choice, but know this…God loves you fiercely and wants the very best for you. In my book, Jesus Christ is the very best.

Unplugged

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

I woke yesterday morning at 3 AM to a loud pop followed by no electricity. As I lay in the dark, I thought of everything I couldn’t do when I got up – like making my usual oatmeal in the microwave and mixing my protein drink in the magic bullet. I began to wonder what I was going to eat for breakfast.

We sometimes take for granted things like electricity that make our lives easier every day until it’s not there. My strawberry jam sandwich didn’t quite satisfy like my normal oatmeal. Dressing in the dark can become guesswork in whether you put your shirt on backward until you get in the light.

When we unplug from God’s Word, we don’t realize how far we stray from His presence and light until we awaken in the dark. We can substitute the life-giving manna – the bread of life (John 6:48, ESV) – for our own concoctions that don’t satisfy or sustain us. We don’t always realize our dependency on God until we don’t feel His presence and feel like we are in the dark.

Like dressing in the dark, we can’t see how backward our ways are to God’s until we return to His light and let Him lead us and our hearts. In Isaiah 55:8, the Lord declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” For this reason, we need to abide in Him (John 15:4, ESV) and lean not on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5, ESV). This is a good reason to be still, listen to His voice, and ask for discernment and direction from the Holy Spirit.

At the break of dawn, as I ran through my neighborhood, I realized the power issue was isolated to just a few houses, and others around me had power. When we go out on our own without consulting God, we can feel isolated and alone, but the truth is that God is always with us. We must plug back into His wonder-working power and acknowledge that we need Him every moment.

I had the opportunity to thank the repair crew working to fix the issues – how many times do we remember to thank God for what we have instead of focusing on what we don’t have, which can lead to self-pity or complaining? We will probably not receive more until we are grateful for what we have now—just food for thought.

Jesus’ Letters

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

“I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent” (Rev. 2:5, ESV, emphasis added).

That can’t be a good thing.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Christ to remove the light within me because I did not hear and heed His warnings to repent.

The book of Revelation holds many mysteries and sometimes seems scary to read, but the book begins with the apostle John, who has been exiled to the Island of Patmos, recording letters from Christ to the seven churches.

Each letter has an “I know” statement from Christ, diagnosing the church’s condition, continues with a warning to hear and heed what the Spirit is saying, and then supplies a solution that graciously comes with a promise and blessings for those who persevere.

Christ invites everyone to examine themselves, considering these messages. We should make sure the light we think we have isn’t darkness (Luke 11:35). An excellent way to do that is to ask God to reveal anything in our hearts that is not of Him so we can declutter and make more room for the Spirit.

The repetitive message to each church is to listen to what the Spirit says – in other words, heed the warnings. Ephesus is warned to return to their first love; Smyrna and Philadelphia are only given praises and encouragement to be faithful to death while promised that faith in Jesus assures access to the eternal kingdom, even in the face of persecution; Pergamum and Thyatira are warned about false teachings and immoral deeds; Sardis is told to wake up and complete her works of obedience; and finally, Laodicea is told to turn from self-deception and repent of their lukewarmness.

Each end with a different promise, a blessing for those who conquer. I won’t list them all here, but I encourage you to reread these passages as if they are written to you personally. These letters may have been recorded to address issues in the churches of their time, but they are a single unified message to the church in all times and places. The state of the churches in John’s time is similar to today (Brand, 2015).  

God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed the message will reap God’s promised rewards, and those who fail will be judged. I pray that our lampstand is not removed – I thank God for His mercy and patience. I am grateful for the Holy Spirit’s correction and guidance. In God alone, we can persevere and reap the promised rewards.

Cite:

Brand, C., ed., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Nashville: B & H Publishing, 2015).

Puddles

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Does a puddle still elicit childhood memories of splashing in your rain boots? Small, seemingly insignificant items can trigger these and many other memories throughout our day. But how do we store all those memories and still take on all the new information we receive daily?

Our brains are like sophisticated filing systems, constantly storing, retrieving, and discarding information. We receive a tidal wave of new information daily – and a lot of insufficient data is included.  So, how do we process it? Where do we store it or get rid of it?

We must counteract it with good by intentionally replacing it with God’s Word.

In the Old Testament, we read that God provided manna from heaven each night with the dew to feed the Israelites in the wilderness. Manna is described as a white or pale-yellow gum resin that resembled a tiny coriander seed and tasted like honey wafers (Numbers 11:7; Ex. 16:31, NLT). It is labeled as bread from heaven (Ps. 105:40, ESV) and was ground and baked into cakes (Ex. 16:13-36).

Manna foreshadowed Christ, the authentic Bread from Heaven (Brand, 2015). Jesus assured the Jews that He, not the wilderness food, was the true Bread of Life from heaven that brings eternal life to those who eat it (John 6:30-58). Jesus Christ nourishes people spiritually and is the only satisfaction for our souls. The Word was with God (interpersonal relationship between Christ and God). The Word was God (Jesus is the same God who created the universe) (John 1:1). The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Jesus speaks words of eternal life. The Holy Spirit works powerfully in and through the words that Jesus says (John 6:53). The Triune – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three in one.

Like fabricated memories, our lies can become real if not discarded. They need to be replaced with God’s truth daily to give us spiritual food. It can become toxic and overwhelming if we don’t substitute lies for truth regularly. That is why it is so important to intentionally carve out time to spend in God’s Word, to seek Him above all else, and allow the Holy Spirit to awaken your spiritual life.

After proclaiming Himself as the Bread of Life, Jesus promises never to reject those who come to Him and trust Him for salvation (John 6:35-37). This is manna – food for our souls – a hope to cling to that replaces the magnitude of insufficient data we consume daily.

Cite:

Brand, Chad., ed. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, B & H Publishing, 2015.