Two Kinds of Hard Truths

When my parents scolded or corrected me,
it was because they loved me.
As a child, I didn’t see it that way,
but as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to understand.

When God disciplines me,
it’s also out of love.
I may not recognize it when my faith is small,
but as my faith matures,
I start to see His purpose more clearly.

My parents have rebuked me,
and so has God.
But in the world,
people often choose to say only what’s pleasant
to keep relationships smooth.

Only my parents or close friends
have been willing to speak the hard truths to me.
And though such words can be hard to hear
and sometimes even painful,
having someone who will say them
is a deep blessing.

Just as those who truly love me
are willing to tell me what I need to hear,
even when it’s not easy,
God also speaks hard truths
to the children He loves.

“The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth.”
“The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind.”
“At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.”

Deuteronomy 28:25, 28, 29 (NIV)

But there’s one thing to be careful about:
Some people speak hard truths without love.
There are many—both in the world and even in the church—
who rebuke without any self-sacrifice.

God and parents both
speak hard truths to their children,
but they also give of themselves for them.

God gave His one and only Son, Jesus,
and parents give up much of their own lives.

To have a God who loves me,
and parents who love me,
is an immeasurable blessing in my life.

A Fruitless Day

Recently, I thought I had finally found a way to solve a problem I’d been stuck on at work.

To figure out the exact steps, I spent all of yesterday searching online, and today I even went to one of the largest bookstores in the country.

But in the end,
I came home empty-handed.
My body feels drained,
and my heart feels heavy.
I don’t know if this door will ever open or what lies ahead.

Part of me wants to ask,
“Lord, shouldn’t You be helping me right now?”

Yet when I believe that this difficulty
is something God has allowed
to strengthen and refine me,
my frustration begins to turn into gratitude.

Lord,
today feels like I achieved nothing.
I’m afraid,
and sometimes I just want to stop and give up,
wondering if this road will ever open.

But even now,
if I choose to give my best
and take one more step in faith,
that step becomes my confession of trust in You—a small act of worship.

Lord,
let even the smallest drop of sweat I offer today be an offering of worship to You.

Help me walk the rest of the road ahead with faith.

Lord,
guide my steps.
Thank You.