Theme: A Biblical Example | Peter
Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World - Matt Redman, God Is With Us - Michael Olson, Oh You Bring - Hillsong, Your Love Never Fails - Jesus Culture
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Acts 15:11
Think: Everybody has a story and like any good story, there's a setting, conflict and a solution but it's usually in the conflict where we experience pain and sadness. Conflict is typically not a place in life we thrive for but it's inevitable, whether it's finances, unhealthy relationships, loss, or failure.
Believe it or not, experiencing conflict in life doesn't have to go to waste. You can use it to help others, no wonder they say that the best way to minister to others is through our woundedness. Maybe it's because you are able to understand and identify with the other person's pain and when there is a mutual understanding- there's a connection- a camaraderie.
When we have God in our lives, we're able to endure the conflicts in our lives with hope. God doesn't always remove us from difficult situations but He gives us the strength to go through it and when you come out of it, you're able to share that story to bring healing towards others.
Do: Write down a time in your life when you were going through pain and hurt. Then, write down how God met you and brought healing to you. Try and memorize what you wrote down because there will be a time when you will have the chance to share this in order to help others.
Pray: God, please help me to use my past hurts to help others rather than just think of it as a time I'd rather forget.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.