3-Minute Devotions to Find Hope When Life Hurts

Especially for

From Date

J ean F ischer

ISBN 978-1-63609-811-1

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New Life Version copyright © 1969 and 2003. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio, 44683. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked nlt are taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Hope When Life Hurts. . . for Your Beautiful Heart

These devotions were written especially for those moments when you need a gentle reminder that your heavenly Creator offers all the hope your hurting heart needs—today and every day. Just three short minutes will help to comfort and encourage your spirit.

• Minute 1: Read the day’s Bible verse and reflect on its meaning.

• Minute 2: Read the devotional and think about its application to your life.

• Minute 3: Pray.

Although these devotions aren’t meant as a tool for deep Bible study, they can be a touch point to keep you grounded and focused on God, the one who listens to your every prayer. May every moment you spend with this book be a blessing!

5

Take Hope !

“I have told you these things so you may have peace in Me. In the world you will have much trouble. But take hope! I have power over the world!”

John 16:33

In John 16:33, Jesus is speaking to His disciples. He says they will have trouble in their lives. Their hearts will be filled with sadness. But then Jesus tells them, “Take hope! I have power over the world!” Jesus wasn’t speaking only to His disciples that day. His words were meant for you. In this world you will have trouble. But there is hope when you know Jesus and put your trust in Him. Jesus is alive, and He is always with you. He says He is more powerful than any trouble the world sends your way. In John 16:20–22, Jesus assures His disciples that their sadness will turn to joy. Joy comes from knowing Jesus. You can trust Him to walk with you through the valleys and lead you to brighter days.

Dear Jesus, many things trouble me, but I will do my best to put my hope and trust in You. Amen.

7

What Now?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in your own understanding. Agree with Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5–6

You didn’t see it coming. Yesterday, like every other day, you got up, made breakfast, and left the house to run errands or go to work. . .or maybe you saw your husband and kids off to work and school. You went about your day, and then “it” happened. An unexpected call turned your world upside down. After a restless night, you awoke this morning wondering, Did this really happen? What should I do now? We all face events beyond our understanding. Why did God allow this? We can’t know because His thoughts and plans are greater than our human minds can process. King Solomon, who faced his share of unexpected troubles, tells us in Proverbs 3:5–6 not to trust in our own understanding, but to trust in the Lord. Pray and ask God to guide you. Trust Him to lead you through this mess, one small step at a time.

Father God, I didn’t see this coming, and I need You. Please guide me. Show me what to do next. Amen.

8

Jan’s Story

O Lord my God, I cried to You for help and You healed me. O Lord, You have brought me up from the grave. You have kept me alive. Psalm 30:2–3

Jan and George, missionaries recently retired, were heading to church when their car was struck by another going more than 100 miles per hour. Miraculously, George walked away with minor injuries. Jan’s injuries were critical. Doctors said she would be paralyzed, but Jan and George clung to hope. They had learned to trust God with little things, and they trusted Him with this big, life-changing thing too. Jan was alive. She and George praised God for that miracle. In time, Jan moved her fingers and toes. Praise God! The couple praised God for each small step that defied the doctors’ diagnosis. Eventually Jan walked, cautiously, laboriously—but she walked! Throughout her recovery, Jan’s faith never wavered. She trusted God and praised Him no matter what. Will you praise God in whatever trouble you face today? Trust Him to give you His peace and love as He helps you navigate your circumstances.

Heavenly Father, trust is hard when things seem hopeless. Still, I praise You. Bless me with Your love and peace. Amen.

9

Beyond Irritated

Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. Philippians 4:6

Trouble doesn’t always come in a big package. It doesn’t always cause a big hurt either. Sometimes, little annoyances pile one atop another until we’re ready to shout, “Enough! I’m beyond irritated. I can’t take it anymore!” (And maybe we allow ourselves one good ugly cry.) An ongoing dialogue with God helps keep little irritations little. Talking with Him all day long and surrendering life’s frustrations to Him leads us away from worrying we won’t have enough time, energy, or strength to deal with little things getting in our way. The habit of an ongoing conversation with God is a great way to develop a life of prayer. Bring your grievances to Him today. Ask Him to help you focus on the good things and thank Him for His blessings. Dear Lord, take this mountain of little, irritating things. I surrender them to You. Instead of focusing on what annoys me, I will focus on You and praise You for my blessings. Amen.

10

First Things First

Jesus said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one.” Luke 10:41–42

Jesus was visiting at the home of His friends, sisters Mary and Martha. Martha got busy making supper for them while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, attentively listening to everything He said. This irritated Martha. Frustration built up inside her until, finally, she asked Jesus, “Do You see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me.” Jesus answered gently, “Martha, Martha. . . Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:40–42). Martha had been trying so hard to make things right that she’d lost sight of what was more important, the good thing, the best thing—Jesus. Are you trying too hard? Put Jesus first. Make Him your priority. Make it your first priority to listen to and learn from Him.

Dear Jesus, forgive me for allowing my own wants to get in the way of my relationship with You. I will make You my first priority today and always. Amen.

11

It Takes Time

Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart be strong. Yes, wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Have you ever wished God would hurry and answer your prayers? Maybe you’ve asked, “God, where are You?” or “Why is it taking so long?” Patience is tough when you have a big ask that requires a big answer. When it seems God is too far away to hear your prayers or too slow in answering, remember His timing is always perfect, and so are His answers to prayer. King David says in Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart be strong. Yes, wait for the Lord.” When you have a big want and waiting is hard, shift your focus to being patient while you wait. Ask God to build your endurance and strength. Above all, don’t give up. David didn’t give up. In Psalm 40:1 he says, “I did not give up waiting for the Lord. And He turned to me and heard my cry.”

Father God, make me strong. Help me to wait patiently for Your answer. I know You are good all the time, and in Your own time You will answer me. Amen.

12

Getting Ahead of God

“I will go before you and make the hard places smooth. I will break the brass doors to pieces, and cut through their iron gates.”

Isaiah 45:2

While waiting for God to act, you might be tempted to take matters into your own hands. More often than not, that makes a mess even worse. God goes on ahead of you. If you follow Him, He has a plan to get you out of any mess you are in. You can be sure He will guide you according to His will. But if you run on ahead of Him, you risk traveling a path filled with obstacles, twists, and turns. Before you take that first step on your own—stop. Pray. Ask God what He wants you to do. If you’re not sure, keep asking Him to guide you. You will feel Him nudging you in one direction or another. God knows you are struggling. He is faithful, and He wants to help you.

Heavenly Father, hold me back. Don’t allow me to get ahead of You. Take my hand and guide me in the way You want me to go. Amen.

13

According to His Will

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14–15 niv

You asked God to change the circumstances. You had a specific outcome in mind. You told God what you wanted, but He didn’t provide what you asked for. The result? A heart filled with hurt. The Bible says when we ask according to God’s will, He gives us what we ask for. The problem is we can’t always know God’s will. His ways, His plans, are often incongruent with ours. When we don’t get what we want, we can either react with anger toward God, or we can have faith in His perfect sovereignty. Surprisingly, we grow nearer to Him when we are willing to be understanding and loving toward Him even when we don’t get what we ask for.

Lord God, I’m hurt and disappointed, but still, I trust Your will is perfect and just. I will continue to follow You and love You. Amen.

14

Peace in the Valley

For He [Jesus] Himself is our peace.

Ephesians 2:14 nasb

Twentieth-century jazz musician Thomas A. Dorsey played secular music in vaudeville and clubs. His hectic lifestyle led to a nervous breakdown, resulting in Dorsey examining his faith and drawing nearer to God. He transitioned from secular music to gospel. After the tragic deaths of his wife and son, Dorsey turned to Jesus. To help heal his hurt, he composed “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” It was the first of his gospel hits. Dorsey went on to write more than one thousand other gospel songs, including “Peace in the Valley,” made popular by the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson. The Bible says God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan (Romans 8:28). Thomas A. Dorsey is an example. In a valley of depression and hurt, he found faith. He found peace trusting in Jesus. Thomas A. Dorsey is remembered today as the Father of Gospel Music.

Dear Jesus, help me to find peace in this valley. Take all my troubles and work them out for good. Amen.

15

When Loving Is Hard

“But love those who hate you. Do good to them. Let them use your things and do not expect something back. Your reward will be much. You will be the children of the Most High. He is kind to those who are not thankful and to those who are full of sin.”

Luke 6:35

Ugly actions or hateful words are like stab wounds to the heart. When someone hurts you, would you be able to respond in the ways Jesus commands in Luke 6:35? Jesus hated sin, but He loved sinners. Even when He didn’t receive thanks for His acts of caring and compassion, He still was kind. He loved those who hated Him and expected nothing in return. When someone hurts you, hate their sin but do your best to model Jesus’ behavior. Exchange the pain in your heart for love. This doesn’t mean you accept bad behavior and continue to allow someone to hurt you. Instead, by surrendering your hurt to God, you will find peace and the capacity to love even in the worst of circumstances.

Father God, I surrender my pain to You. Teach me to love those who have hurt me. Amen.

16

Put It Out

If you are angry, do not let it become sin.

Get over your anger before the day is finished. Ephesians 4:26

If your house had a little fire, would you hurry to put it out, or would you allow it to become a raging inferno? You would put it out! Anger is like fire. It starts small. If you allow anger to grow, it becomes a wildfire destroying everything in its path. The Bible tells us, “Get over your anger before the day is finished.” Not doing so often results in sin—words and actions displeasing to God. Learn to let go of anger by addressing it when it happens. Work out the issues you have with others. Find solutions to situations that irritate you. If at day’s end you still feel angry, release your anger to God. Ask Him to help you solve your problems and to forgive those who upset you.

Lord God, forgive me for allowing anger to build up inside me. Help me to be forgiving toward those at the source of my anger and to find solutions to problems that frustrate me. Amen.

17

Your Baby

See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward.

Psalm 127:3

Mothers will attest that they experienced God’s love the moment they held their babies for the first time. Their hearts filled with overflowing joy and a love they had never known. They felt an instant bond with their child that nothing could destroy. But sadly, as children grow into adulthood, they sometimes turn against their parents. The Bible includes many stories of children going their own way and causing their parents hurt. (Read about the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32.) Some of the deepest hurts we experience are caused by our children. If your child has taken a path that is hurtful to you or disappointing, remember this—your child is a gift from God and just as precious a gift today as the day he or she was born. God holds His children forever in His hands. So have hope. Surrender your child to God and trust Him to lead your baby home.

Father God, my child has gone astray. Heal my hurt. Take my baby’s hand and guide him/her back home. Amen.

18

The Prodigal Child

But You, O Lord, are a God full of love and pity. You are slow to anger and rich in loving-kindness and truth.

Psalm 86:15

When children go astray, it can be difficult to know how to love them. You reason and plead with them, but to no avail. Watching your child walk a path of destruction is heart-wrenching and painful. If you find yourself not knowing what to do, the most important things are to be persistent in prayer and to persevere with hope. Even if you don’t see an outward change in your child’s behavior, believe that God’s Holy Spirit is working on your behalf. Shift your thoughts from the problem to God’s power. Focus on His character. You can be sure God views your child with love and pity. God is slow to become angry and rich in loving-kindness. Trust Him with your child’s life. Thank Him for what He is doing right now that you can’t see.

Dear Lord, I trust in Your power to turn my child’s behavior around. Help me to be patient and slow to anger. Lead me to be persistent in prayer and to persevere with hope. Amen.

19

It’s Not Fair!

Do not let sin have power over you. Let good have power over sin!

Romans 12:21

Life isn’t always fair. Sin robs us of goodness. Relationships end. Success turns to failure. Peace to chaos. Joy to sadness. Love to hate. In Romans 8:28 (nasb), the apostle Paul tells us, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We all have a purpose in God’s plan, and for some of us that purpose is born in adversity. We hear stories of people who after tragic and unfair events in their lives choose to become healthcare professionals, first responders, pastors, counselors. . . Charitable organizations are formed because their founders have traveled life’s valleys. When tragedy strikes, empathetic friends show up providing comfort and support to those in need. Paul says in Romans 12:21 that we should not allow sin to overpower us. He reminds us that good overpowers sin. So when you say to yourself, “Life isn’t fair,” turn it around. Do something good.

Father God, when life is unfair, show me how to overpower sin by doing something good. Amen.

20

In a Perfect World

Listen! You who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this city and stay a year and make money.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? It is like fog. You see it and soon it is gone. What you should say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13–15

You’ve heard the phrase “in a perfect world. . .” We all imagine what life should look like. But more often than not, life doesn’t live up to our expectations. Striving for perfection in an imperfect world can be frustrating and heartbreaking. It’s good to work toward achieving a dream, but in today’s scripture reading James says to let the Lord lead you. Lay your dreams at His feet. Ask Him to take you where He wants you to go. You don’t know what tomorrow or the future holds, but He does. Be willing to exchange your dream for His plan. Then trust Him to lead you, one day at a time.

Dear Lord, I surrender to You my hopes and dreams. Lead me where You want me to go. Amen.

21

Beyond Tears

David and his men came to the city and saw that it was burned. Their wives and sons and daughters had been taken away. Then David and the people with him cried out in a loud voice until they had no more strength to cry.

1 Samuel 30:3–4

While the warrior and future king David and his men were away from home, an enemy army, the Amalekites, came, burned the city, and took captive all the women and children. When David and his men discovered what had happened, they cried until they had no more strength to cry. Then David turned to God and said, “What should I do?” David trusted God to lead him beyond his tears. Have you ever cried out to God, “What should I do?” God is always faithful to lead us through our trouble. He dries our tears and gives us strength to go on. David’s story has a good ending. He pursued the enemy army and brought the captives home. You can trust God to give your story a good ending too.

Lord God, I’m sad beyond tears. What should I do? Guide me and give me strength. Amen.

22

Balancing Act

There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

One of the biggest problems women face today is balancing demands of their work with demands of their personal lives. Time becomes the enemy when it seems there isn’t enough of it. The Bible reminds us there is a special time for everything. We get into trouble when we try to compartmentalize our life because life is unpredictable. The key to having balance is making God the center of your life and trusting Him with your time. View life as a whole. Ask God to help you set your priorities in real time—“Lord, what’s most important right now?” Allow yourself time to leave some things undone. Give yourself time to stop what you’re doing, talk with God, and seek His will. Your work is your calling, but it’s not your life. There is a time to push hard, a time to hold steady, and a time to rest.

Father God, help me to be prepared but to live in the moment. Teach me to set my priorities and guide my time according to Your will. Amen.

23

Beyond Understanding

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not flow over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The fire will not destroy you.”

Isaiah 43:2

Dictionaries define empathy as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” Empathetic friends do their best to provide comfort in our trouble. But there are times when our heartbreaking situation is beyond what others are fully able to understand. Job, in the Bible, is an example. All at once, he suffered the sudden deaths of his children and the loss of his health and possessions. Nothing his friends said helped. No one could fully understand the depth of Job’s suffering—no one except God. When heartbreak overwhelms you, remember you are not alone. God is with you. Isaiah 43:2 is His promise to you. No matter what life throws at you, the Lord will guide you through it and lead you to the other side.

Heavenly Father, I’m overwhelmed with sadness. I need You. Stay with me. Walk me through this storm. Amen.

24

Even If He Does Not

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. . .said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar. . . If we are thrown into the fire, our God Whom we serve is able to save us from it. And He will save us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the object of gold that you have set up.”

Daniel 3:16–18

King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge gold statue built and ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship it. When three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, refused to worship anything but the one true God, Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw them into a fiery furnace. Still, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused. Unafraid, they stood up to the most powerful leader in the land. They surrendered their fate to God’s will, not knowing what God would do. That’s what true faith looks like—facing the fire head-on and trusting God with the outcome. Could you do that? Ask God to increase your faith.

Lord God, build my faith. Help me to trust You no matter what. Amen.

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