Day 21

13 Feb Day 21

We all know that one kid that falls all the time right? Whether there is something that caused them to trip, or for no reason at all, they always just seem to fall. That was me as a child. Sometimes the result was only a scraped knee, but other times I’d find myself flat on my face! Then, try to act like nothing happened. One time when I was around seven years old and at my brother’s baseball game, I was playing catch with other kids to see who could catch the ball first. It ended with all of us colliding. Of course I was at the bottom of that pile, on my face, severely scraped up. That cut remained on my face for months but eventually went away with minimal scarring.

While most of us may not be constantly physically falling on our faces, there may be times when we feel like we are falling in an emotional, or spiritual way. Have you ever felt that way? Like nothing is going your way and we cannot even come up for a breath of air? Maybe it’s work that is overwhelming you. Maybe it’s school. Maybe it’s your marriage or kids. Maybe it feels as though all the relationships are crumbling. In the middle of all your circumstances, if you feel like you are falling, God is there every single time to pick us up again and again. Everytime I feel this way, the following verse always encourages me: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” 

Something I have found to be true in my life is that I thrive when I am around people. Now that may not be the case for everyone; however, whether we are introverts, extroverts, or even a little bit of both, we are all designed for connection by God. When we connect with God’s people, we can strengthen our relationship with him by practicing humility and honesty. Eventually, that will lead to surrender, confession, and forgiveness. It is so important to be surrounded by God’s greatness through relationships with other people, in his word, and when we get connected with other believers. 

Surrendering fully to Jesus Christ means completely giving up our old way of living and starting our new life in Christ. Confessing to Jesus is the process of revealing our insecurities and failures to God, and finding freedom in letting them go. Forgiveness is when we find hope and love in our own relationship with God, so we can have the strength and love for others to forgive any wrongdoing. 

I want to encourage you, do not stop here! Continue to practice a Slot and Spot every day, which allows you to connect with God. Here is a YouVersion Devotional based on prayer and perseverance that can help us stay focused and motivated on what truly matters, every single day. Even if we do not like being in a large group of people, we all need connection with a few other people. One of the best ways to find true and meaningful connections is by joining a J-Group. Even though the semester has begun, it is not too late! Take it from someone who spent six years at The Journey without joining a J-Group; even if you still feel unsure about which group is for you, check out all of the J-Groups we have! As we move into the rest of the year, I encourage you to gather, connect, and serve. We hope you enjoyed this devotional over the past several weeks, and we hope it filled you up so you can pour the love of Jesus back out to others.

Olivia Fraser/Toddler Room Team Leader, Journey Kids

Olivia has been attending The Journey since the summer of 2015. She serves in Journey Kids and Journey Students by investing in the next generation. She is just beginning her journey in the JLI Evening Program as well!