Everyday Matters by Debbie Griffith

7/30/2021

Jesus Carrys You

Friday Matters-July 30, 2021
Everyday Hard Places

Ya know how sometimes you get physically sick, like the flu and it's not because you're not reading the Bible enough or doing enough acts of service, you just get sick. Well sometimes you get emotionally sick and it’s not because you’re a “bad Christian.” There can be all kinds of factors that play into all kindness of sicknesses like lack of sleep, an infection, a damaged relationship and sometimes we need medication to get well. It’s okay.

Remember that no matter what emotional or physical state you’re in, God loves you as you are. We’ll go through challenging seasons where it doesn't make sense but it’s in the hard places where we grow. God tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that, “His strength is perfected in our weakness.” Sometimes the hardest thing to do is just let go and let God take care of us or by asking someone for help or taking medication. He works in many different ways and through many different people. In every place and time, He wants you to know how much He loves and values you…everyday.

7/29/2021

God’s Strength

Thursday Matters- July 29, 2021
Everyday Stuck

Okay there’s this kind of Christians who is “stuck” outside the tension between law and grace – and specifically I’m talking about those who don’t know they need grace. I have been that girl at various times myself.

When you don’t know you need grace you come to the counseling room in righteous indignation. You come with your “rights” and “it’s not fair because there’s a sinner worse than you. This may include the spouse who drags their partner along to get fixed, the partner who doesn’t think they need fixing, the person angry with God for failing to fulfill their dreams and the one who simply cannot forgive. These people are not letting God in to mold and teach them. They know they’re right and they want you to know it too. Accepting Christ means acknowledging deep sin and a need we have, in all areas of our lives for a lifetime. Jesus desires to confront the blackness of our hearts and change us. PRAY for yourself and others who need to KNOW and SEE how much we need His grace, because without it we can’t really love others…everyday.

7/28/2021

True Friendships

Wednesday Matters- July 28, 2021
Everyday Dead Body Friend

I have a dead body friend. You know… a friend you can call at 2:00am and say, “I’ve got a dead body at my house. Come help me.” And that person will come over and help you-no questions asked.

It’s great to have friends who encourage and help us carry our burdens through difficult times and it’s especially great to have at least one “dead body friend.” How interesting to understand the Greek translation when living out Galatians 6:2, “When someone is burdened by worries and difficult circumstances that are too much for one person to carry all alone, crawl up under that burden and help carry it.” The point Paul is making to the Galatians here is this; when someone is under a crushing weight and under pressure like they’re gonna break, reach out and help them. Help them carry it. They need your help not necessarily your words or another scripture verse. When we do help someone with their load, we’re actually following the rest of the verse by obeying the law of Christ…everyday.

7/27/2021

The Bible is Alive

Tuesday Matters- July 27, 2021
Everyday God and His Word

Lazarus was dead; that was a fact but when Jesus who is the Truth walked up to the tomb and spoke; that truth changed the facts. Throughout the Gospels we repeatedly read of people who were sick and demon possessed who went to Jesus. When He spoke, their facts changed. They were healed, delivered, and set free. We must never magnify the facts of our circumstances above God and the power of His Word. When God speaks things change.

Read Isiah 55:11 and you see that God’s Word does not return to Him empty but always accomplish its purpose. When we learn to speak God’s Word instead of rehearsing how we feel or declaring what we think, we are also releasing God’s power. The Word God spoken in faith from a believer’s mouth can change circumstances. WE may experience negative facts in our lives, but God’s Word is truth, and truth is more powerful than facts. Honestly it’s gonna help if you say the truth out loud, “I am loved, as I am, right now,”…everyday.

7/26/2021

The Thoughts of God

Monday Matters-July 26, 2021
Everyday His Thoughts

Well, what in the world are you up to God. I. Can’t. Even. We can’t know the mind of God. Isaiah 55:8 says; “His thoughts are nothing like our thoughts.” But we can know the heart of God. We can TRUST and hope in His promises. I know it should be obvious to us that His ways are past finding out. He wouldn't be a very big God if we could fully comprehend Him with our finite minds. Walter Wangerin wrote, "We chirp theories because we can't stand the silence." I guess that’s how it is when we try to fully understand the purposes of suffering. It’s better to admit, "We don't understand, but we believe that God loves us and, that 'our Redeemer Lives'."

Someone has suggested that in the margins beside many of our life's experiences is simply written: "to be explained later." Success for each day is not waiting for an answer to our whys but walking in the hope that He is making a way and there’s a purpose for it all…everyday.

7/23/2021

God IS Greater than ANYTHING

Friday Matters-July 23, 2021
Everyday God is Bigger

God is bigger. We may know this in our heart but it’s acting it out like we believe it that makes the difference. One of the hardest things to do is to forgive someone who isn’t’ sorry for what they’ve done cuz “it’s so not fair!” And because it’s not fair we want them to know how wrong they are. What does God want? Go to 1 Peter 3:9 and read; “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That’s what God asks and He’ll bless you for it.”

Do you think God tells us to be good to those who’ve hurt us just because He wants to watch us suffer? No. The enemy works through people to hurt us and if we end up hating that person because they’ve hurt us then Satan’s job has been accomplished two times over. But if we respond with love then we’ve gotten Satan back and he’ll wish he never laid a finger on our lives…everyday.

7/22/2021

Emotions

Thursday Matters- July 22, 2021
Everyday Feelings

Lately life’s been hard so I have been saying to myself once again; “Debbie your feelings are indicators, don’t let them be dictators. I get it. My feelings are valid and they indicate good and bad things happening in my life but I shouldn’t let them lead me, especially when I feel afraid.

I read this post on Instagram which said; “And then I realized that to be more alive I had to be less afraid so I did it, I lost my fear and gained my whole life. We may feel fear but the way to lose “it” is to go forward in courage despite what we feel. The only way I can do that and leave my fear behind is by leaning into the grace, hope and strength God gives. I think a lot on what God says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous.
Don’t fear or tremble before them, because the Lord your God will be the one who keeps on walking with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you” …everyday.

7/21/2021

There’s Always Hope

Wednesday Matters- July 21, 2021
Everyday Hope Always

I’m trying to focus on God but just can’t seem to do it while I’m in the pit,” someone wrote me. “I wish my spouse would give up this other person and want to reconcile, but they have no desire. Yuck. I’m so sorry if that’s person is you. There’s ALWAYS HOPE. I clung to the words from Micah 7:8 when I was in a dark place. Listen. “As for me I will wait on the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch. I will wait with hope and expectancy in the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. So rejoice not against me, oh my enemy! When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me.”
Powerful…I know…right? There is light up ahead. Do what you can do while you wait and focus on helping someone who needs it. You’ll end up helping yourself. Never give up. Always hope. God knows and He’s got you…everyday.

7/20/2021

Love like Jesus

Tuesday Matters- July 20, 2021
Everyday Like Him

"How do we love and accept difficult people?” Someone asked me that question. I know…right? God loves us ALL and we are all created in His image. The ONLY way to love others genuinely is by the love God gives to us. 2 Peter 1:9 really made me think, “For whoever lacks the genuine quality of love is blind to what they have been given from accepting Christ. Jesus has wiped off, erased from the books, our own sinful lives.” He has cleared us. We’re free.

I KNOW it’s hard. You’re hurt. It’s unfair. The “other person” has the problem and not you. BUT love covers. God covers you; He sees and knows all the stuff you shouldn’t have done and the things you should’ve done and He still loves you. He wants you to show that love to others. Forgive others just like He loves and forgive you. You can do it with Him; the power of the Holy Spirit…everyday.

7/19/2021

Jesus Sees All of You

Monday Matters-July 19, 2021
Everyday Exposed

The message of Jesus is to LOVE and forgive others, which you can only do once you have seen your bad self and accepted His forgiveness. There’s this past so many people carry around that they cover because it’s filled with shame from harming themselves through “cutting,” an eating disorders, an affair, alcohol, abuse suffered, it’s all yuck. I read that 80% of memories are shame based. People carry shame because they think once they’re fully exposed or discovered they won’t ever be accepted or loved. But when their identity is solid, they’re stable.

Psalm 91:1 is my 911 verse. It reads; “She who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will remain stable.” It means that when I can stand still and let myself be exposed. God covers me, my shame, my fear and replaces all that I’m not with all that He is. God can see the real you and He loves you as you are no matter what…everyday.