Daily Devotion – The Root that Divides – I had a wedding shower for a friend once. You know, the kind of party with fine cakes, pretty pink cookies, and mysterious looking cheese balls? Everything was in place including the guests. All we needed was for the bride-to-be to walk through the door.
And, she did, but not quite the way we expected.
“The wedding is off!” she said in a huff, as she stomped through the door.
Instead of wearing a smile, she carried the pain of an unrestrained temper and an unbridled tongue.
Without a doubt that was the most awkward party I’ve ever been to, not to mention the fact that I was the host. Did they ever get married? Yes, but they had a bit of growing up to do first, as do we all.
That’s what happens when the root of bitterness springs up. It has the potential to destroy and divide. It can happen to families, it can happen to friends, it can happen to couples who have been married for years.
And so, the Bible tells us to pursue peace with all holiness, as we look out for this root. Guarding our heart like a garden, we nurture those thoughts which are good, while weeding out those which are bad.
Subscribe so you don’t miss a post:
Tilling the Soil
Take time to search your heart in prayer today. Consider the thoughts that you carry, weeding out any that may not be pleasing to God.
Planting Hope
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. (Hebrews 12:14-15, KJV)
Darlene Schacht and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve come to learn that relationships aren’t always easy, but that marriage, the way God intended it to be, is a treasure worth fighting for.
She began her publishing journey about twelve years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.
It was also during this transition that she worked alongside actress Candace Cameron Bure to write the NYT Best-Selling book, Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness. Reshaping it All was the winner of both the 2011 USA Best Book Awards and the 2012 Christian Reading Retailers Choice Awards.
Author of more than 15 books, Darlene continues to write and to minister to her readers through her blog at TimeWarpWife.com.
Connect with Darlene:
Facebook: @timewarpwife
Instagram: @timewarpwife
Pinterest: @timewarpwife
Twitter: @timewarpwife
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife