Everyday Matters by Debbie Griffith

9/12/2024

God’s Knowledge

Thursday Matters- September 12, 2024
Everyday God Thoughts

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 and hope in His promises. 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. Author Walter Wangerin wrote in his book, “The Ragman” concerning some things that are hard to understand, "We chirp theories because we can't stand the silence." I guess that is how it is when we try to fully understand the purposes of suffering. It is better to admit, "We don't understand, but we believe that God loves us and, yes, 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 with a way from Him…everyday.

9/5/2024

Grace

Thursday Matters- September 5, 2024
Everyday Kidney

It’s been thirteen years since Brenda’s best friend, Susan, became ill and needed a kidney transplant. Brenda was a fitting donor and chose to donate one of her healthy kidneys to Susan even after doctors said her chance of survival was only 30%, and that there would be inherent risks to Brenda’s health as well. So, imagine the joy of Brenda getting ready to drive to her best friend’s wedding where she would be her maid of honor as Susan married the love of her life. Susan happened to meet her Prince at the hospital ten years ago when she received her transplant.

Proverbs 13 tells us that when a longing is fulfilled, we have life. The “what ifs” never gets us anywhere. It’s like one of my favorite posters which reads; “Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.” What gets us somewhere is living life with a transplant of hope in believing there’s something good coming…everyday.

8/29/2024

Emotions

Thursday Matters- August 29, 2024
Everyday Crazy Emotions

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 kinds 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.

8/22/2024

Purpose

Thursday Matters- August 22, 2024
Everyday Called to Love

I am thankful for the opportunity to share God’s love with others. He hasn’t called me to hand out a rulebook or a list of “you should” and “you should nots,” which means He hasn’t called on me to point out the sins of others. He knows I have enough of my own stuff to cleanup, and with His grace, how can I afford not to extend this gift to others?

I love people. I want to have fun, be real, love God and love others. So, in love I need to remind myself and others that God is holy. So, because God is holy, do we then must deny our own sinful desires and surrender to Him. Our feelings, our flesh wants what it wants and more of it. It’s only by God’s Holy Spirit in us that we can deny the flesh and be set free from the entanglement of sin. I know the message of “sin is not in” and love always wins, but true love involves compassion with truth to share God’s love and holiness…everyday.

8/15/2024

Jesus

Thursday Matters- August 15, 2024
Everyday Invisible Shepherd

My friend Pastor Dave has gone to be with Jesus. But when his cancer returned, he told me how he felt a precious sense of the Lord’s presence.

He shared from the book he was reading, “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” by Dr. Timothy Laniak who reminds us that many of us have experienced the desperate isolation and cold darkness that Job describes in his memoir. Dr. Laniak and his wife had seasons in their life without the light of understanding or any sense of God's presence which tested their faith in an invisible Shepherd. For several years when their children were young and faced with disabilities and a shift in their life's direction, they entered tsalmavet [deadly darkness]. The light they longed for did not dawn as they expected. But slowly they did reemerge from the valley humbled and sobered because of John 1:5; “The Light shines through the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it” …everyday.

8/8/2024

Recovery

Thursday Matters- August 8, 2024
Everyday Recovering Addict

As a recovering “self-addict” I try and focus on what God needs to change in me rather than asking Him to change everyone else and my circumstances that bother me. You see the self-involved person is always seeking a way to avoid pain whereas the God involved person embraces pain and they actually go to the Word of God to guide them through life. Instead of becoming bitter they become better.

1 Peter 5:10 really offers us hope and encouragement because it tells us that after we’ve suffered a little while, the God of all grace Who imparts all blessings and favor, Who has called us to His eternal glory will complete and make us what we ought to be. He’ll ground us securely, and strengthen, and settle us. That’s a great promise. And I want it! So ever so slowly I’m able to praise Him in the pain. I know God doesn’t ask to do something difficult without providing grace and strength to follow through. There are blessings and favor from Him in our trials…everyday.

8/1/2024

Emotional Health

Thursday Matters- August 1, 2024
Everyday Thought Life

We live in some dark times and a lot of that darkness is in our own thought life. The best way to overcome the enemy and his dark lies is to think on truth and light. We choose what we think on. I chose to memorize Ephesians 3:16 and every morning now, it’s part of my prayer, “God grant me out of the rich treasury of Your glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power. by the Holy Spirit Himself indwelling my innermost being and personality,” I think of that verse as a “sign-me-up” verse. Don’t you want that in your life too?

God gives us His Holy Spirit to make His home in us by the relationship we have with Christ. When the Spirit is stirred in us then there is no place for dark and destructive thoughts. God is good, with good truth and promises. Let Him direct your thoughts. Choose what you think on…everyday.

7/25/2024

Authenticity

Thursday Matters- July 25, 2024
Everyday Performing

I am a theater major. I get how to portray characters on stage. I also know how to perform as if the world was the stage but it’s not the way I want to be. Who really wants to be around pretenders or performers? Don’t we all want REAL sincerity, honesty? The more I live life I see no benefits to performing or pretending like everything is okay when it isn’t. It doesn’t mean to walk around with a bad attitude if life is hard but being transparent in your hard place will help someone more than your sing-song performance that life is all butterflies and bunnies.

Oh look how God loves you in it all. He’s not mad at you. He may be heartbroken over your choices in sin but with confession He takes your sin, offers forgiveness and frees you. No more pretending or hiding. His grace is always there. Look up. Be honest. Let go. Surrender and let the risen Christ live in you so you’re a new creation, the old life is gone and you’re made new…everyday.

7/18/2024

Breakthrough

Thursday Matters- July 18, 2024
Everyday Breakthrough

I get to share Cindy’s breakthrough in giving real forgiveness. I had been mentoring Cindy and even though she said she’d forgiven her father she continued negatively talking about him and avoided him. “I did forgive him,” said Cindy, “but you don’t know how much he hurt me.” She had become bitter. So, I shared; “Based on what the Bible says it doesn’t matter how great the offense was. We serve a God Who is greater and if we will handle the offense in the right way, He’ll bring justice and recompense when we allow Him to.”

God says in Isaiah 61:7, “Instead of your former shame you shall have a twofold recompense.” A recompense is a reward. It’s payback for past hurts. Think of it like worker’s compensation. You work and serve God and if you get hurt on the job, HE WILL PAY YOU BACK! It was a process, but Cindy finally let go and forgave her dad. She’s set boundaries but they’ve reconciled. Let God be your comfort and your Vindicator…everyday.

7/11/2024

Hope in Trials

Thursday Matters- July 11, 2024
Everyday Water and Fire

Sometimes when I find myself in a difficult place, I just wanna cry out, “God, get me out of here!” But if I want to fulfill the purpose God has for me, I have to be prepared to go through trials; that means facing difficult people; difficult circumstances.

God uses difficult challenges in our lives to strengthen us and develop our character. Through trials we are taught the unique lessons of suffering and the benefits of discipline and sacrifice, making us better individuals. Our third son of four, Joey, is in a challenging season and I said to him, “God has allowed this trial in your life and should you be surprised? As a follower of Christ, He promise us that we will go through trials. But He also tells us in Isaiah 43:2 that He’ll be with us as we pass through the waters and go through the fires and we’ll not be overwhelmed or will we be burned. Godly character is developed most often when we are tested by the waters and the fire. Acknowledge the trial and the pain and then acknowledge that God is walking and with you through it all…everyday.