NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Day 14 - Acceptance as a pathway to peace

Scripture focus: So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. Hebrews 10:22-25 The Message

In Hebrews 10, notice what Paul claims as the energy that keeps our motor running. First, he sets before as a task: full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip… on what? …on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.

Note what he's not asking us to have confidence in: our ability to keep ourselves clean inside and out. He doesn't say – get your act together! Instead, he says: believe, and as you believe, hold onto the promises of God. These aren't our promises, these are God's promises. Whew! This is a relief – haven't we made many personal promises that we haven't delivered on? Part of transformation requires that we accept our dusty, human frames. We're not putting our trust in ourselves – but in the one who can and will deliver us from evil.

In Dr. Jampolsky's book, Healing the Addictive Personality, he offers a series of statements that he believes reveal the contrast between trying to live within the confines of Addictive thinking, and the freedom that comes when we color outside the lines of these limiting beliefs. Tomorrow, we'll look at his perspective more closely. In preparation, think about his core belief: that each of us is valuable, and that the abundant life is real. I don't know his spiritual leanings, but I do believe that these two core beliefs align nicely with the word of God.

So think about it: you are valuable, and the abundant life is real.

If we feel ashamed, "less than," believe that the world is never quite good enough, or we never quite acquire enough to satisfy our longings – is the problem with the world, or with our perception?

Recommended reading: Mark 1-3

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