Have you ever noticed how quick we are to point out the sins of others, while conveniently ignoring our own? Jesus compares that to a huge plank jutting out of our eye while we fixate on the tiny speck in someone else’s. He calls us to deal honestly with our own sin first, inviting Him to expose and remove our blind spots. Only then will we see clearly enough to help another person. After all, when we stumble, we long for grace, not harsh judgment, so Jesus urges us to treat those who have fallen with that same generous measure. Are you wiling to lay down the gavel and show grace instead?
Finding Hope When Hope is Gone
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As the prophet Jeremiah stood amidst the smoldering ruins of his beloved city, he was overcome with grief and hopelessness. What made it even more painful is that he knew this devastation could have been avoided if the nation had only listened to God. But at his lowest point of despair, he remembered God’s faithfulness, and calling this to mind renewed his faltering hope. When your world seems to be crumbling around you, and you feel overwhelmed by the struggles and pain of life, shift your focus back to God’s goodness, trusting that He is ruling over it all and that your hope should rest in Him alone.
