Daily Hope Devotional

God made you to be you. He didn’t make you to be what your parents want you to be. He didn’t make you to be what your spouse, boss, or friends want you to be. … Continue reading Focus on Pleasing God, Not People

When Timothy joined Paul on his missionary journey, Timothy was still a very young man. Paul sent him to a city called Ephesus to help start and lead a church. Even though Timothy struggled with … Continue reading To Be Your Best, Give God Your Best

It’s never too late to follow God’s calling on your life. After Moses sent 12 spies into the Promised Land, they returned and reported that the land was too hard a place for God’s people … Continue reading It’s Never Too Late to Follow God’s Call

In 1979, I was finishing seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, when I felt God calling me to Southern California to start Saddleback Church. I told a friend who I respected about what I thought God … Continue reading Follow God’s Call, Despite the Naysayers

Discouragement is curable. When I get discouraged, I head straight to the book of Nehemiah. This great leader of ancient Israel understood there were four reasons for discouragement. First, you get fatigued. You simply get … Continue reading How to Overcome Discouragement

If you’re discouraged because of God’s delay in answering your prayers, understand the delay is not a denial. Just because the answer or the miracle hasn’t come yet doesn’t mean God isn’t going to answer—or … Continue reading Why God Sometimes Says “Not Yet”

Instead of always asking God “why” when you don’t understand, start trusting him. For 37 chapters in his book, Job asks: “Why is this happening to me? Why are you allowing this? Why so much … Continue reading What to Do When It Makes No Sense

In his pain and despair, Job asked a lot of legitimate questions: “Why let people go on living in misery? Why give light to those in grief” (Job 3:20 GNT). This “why” question is human … Continue reading God, Why Is This Happening to Me?

When you go through major disappointments in life, it’s natural to want to pull back and isolate yourself. You want to handle it yourself. You want to keep your losses, failures, mistakes, and crises a … Continue reading Let Your Friends Carry You Through Hard Times

Think you’ve had a bad day? Job would understand; he practically had a PhD in pain and loss. In the very first chapter of Job, everything in his life fell apart. His response? “Job stood … Continue reading Don’t Stuff Your Pain; Tell God About It