I recently read a book called Grit. It was written by a former high school teacher and now Psychologist who studies achievement. She concluded that the most important factor in achievement was not talent or intelligence, it was “grit,” and she defined “grit” as a combination of hard work, endurance, and persistence.

I think this grit concept has some applicability to our faith. Many people turn away from God when challenging life experiences occur. They wonder how God could let terrible and tragic things to occur and they let this questioning of God separate them from him. Unfortunately, this is exactly the opposite of “grit” with regard to their faith.

One of the beauties of faith in God is that he can be the source of our “grit” if we let him. By turning to God, rather than away, during times of tragedy and difficulty, he will give us what we need to endure and overcome.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” and in Colossians 1:11 “We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.” and in 1 Timothy 1:12, ” I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work.”

Dear Lord, give us strength, endurance, and persistence so that we have a “gritty” faith to achieve your will, serving and glorifying you in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Many personal development books and coaches emphasize the importance of visualizing what you want to occur in your life. Some also say that if you dwell on your fears they are more likely to occur, and conversely if you focus on the positive, those things are likely to occur.

It is interesting that this idea has its origin in the bible. Proverbs 10:24 says, “The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted.” This ties in also with Jesus’ words in several places including Matthew 8:13, saying “..because you believed, it has happened.”NLT

Dear Lord, help us keep our thoughts on the positive; our hopes, dreams and prayers, and help us avoid negative, self defeating thoughts that lead us to question your power. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Sometimes we get things a bit out of perspective, and think that we can make deals with God, like we might do with a friend. For example, we are getting pulled over for speeding and say, “God, I’ll go to church if you prevent me from getting this ticket,” or “God, if you help me make this sale, I’ll put more in the offering plate.”

We forget the incredible difference there is between us and God. Isaiah writes God’s words in chapter 66:2-3, “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool: What Temple can you build for me as good as that? My hand has made both earth and skies, and they are mine. Yet I will look with pity on the man who has a humble and a contrite heart, who trembles at my word.”

The NET translation finishes this verse like this, “I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.”

We need respect the awesome power of God; Power to destroy as he chooses, but also power to bless those he chooses.

Dear Lord, You are Power and Love. We thank you for loving us enough to save us through Jesus Christ. Help us look to you with humble and contrite hearts and do what you direct us to do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Starting our day with the right mindset and perspective is incredibly important to how the day and thereby the week, month and years go. One of the reasons I started writing these daily devotions and sending them out early each morning is to help myself and others start our days well.

There is no perfect routine for the morning, but we cannot go wrong having some routine to start our day that includes prayer and scripture.

David wrote in Psalms 143:8, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Some people think their lives are too busy to block five or ten minutes for a daily startup routine. The question is; If you don’t have ten minutes to start your day right, do you really have a life?

Dear Lord, help us start our days with the “word of your unfailing love,” and entrust our lives to you. When we do we can know the peace that only you can provide. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Imagine you are hiking in the mountains. Your objective is to reach the top of a peak you can see several miles away. Between you and the objective are a few smaller hills and ridge lines. As you set out on your hike, you can easily see the objective as you go, but as you get closer to the smaller hills and ridges they block out your view of the peak, your objective. However, as you climb up the smaller hills, just as you are reaching the top, you again get sight of the objective.

This illustration parallels our lives on earth, as well as our Christian lives. When we get started, we can see our objective, though far off in the future, we see where we are going, but as we encounter the struggles and obstacles of life, they can block out our view of our real objective. We must keep moving forward even though, temporarily, we cannot see our objective, we know it is on the other side of the obstacle. Just as we are overcoming the obstacle, we remember our objective and see it again a little closer than before.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Dear Lord, we know our ultimate objective is eternity with you. Help us remember to keep our focus on this objective as we overcome the troubles we see day to day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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