Month: June 2026

The common definition of relief is “the removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing” (Merriam Webster).

We all need varying degrees of relief at one time or another.  We may need relief from our hectic schedule; or relief from such things as stress, confusion, grief, or pain.  Relief can be as simple as a glass of water when you’re thirsty or as serious as surgical intervention when you’re sick.  And generally, even a small degree of relief is greatly appreciated. 

Relief is not a one-time occurrence.  Our lives are a continual process.  Taking a drink when you’re thirsty doesn’t mean that you will never be thirsty again.  And because there is evil in the world, our lives can be adversely affected multiple times in various ways, each requiring some kind of relief.  However, relief can be plentiful if you know how and where to find it. 

 The world offers relief in lots of ways.  The medical and pharmaceutical industries promise relief from many physical ailments.  Counsellors are available for relieving mental pressures.  Agencies help with lifestyle stresses.  And there is nothing wrong with seeking the world’s relief.  BUT there is a better source, which offers long-lasting and true relief. 

Of course, I am talking about God. 

The very first thing we must do to receive God’s relief is to believe in Him.  Now, I know that might sound like an unnecessary statement, but without recognizing Who God truly is, we won’t be confident in what He can really do.  We may doubt His ability or His willingness to help us. We may be afraid to ask for His assistance. 

Hebrews 11:6 is very clear about believing God. 

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God IS.  Just think about that for a minute.  Do you agree?  That’s all we really need to believe.  But God reveals so much more about Himself in His Word.  And the more details we know, the more intimate our relationship with Him can be.  The Bible also lists many names for God that depict His qualities and abilities.  My favorite is “El Shaddai”, which translates to “God Almighty”.  Maybe you like Jehovah or Lord or Father – whatever speaks to your heart.  God wants us to know Him and have a personal relationship with Him.

According to this verse in Hebrews, the next thing we need to know is that God rewards us.  He is not in heaven keeping a tally of our mistakes and shortcomings.  He is watching over us with all the love in His heart.  He is our tender, caring Father, Who wants nothing but the best for each of us.  He is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving. 

When we are fully assured that God IS, and that He rewards us, we will have the confidence we need to cast our cares upon Him and receive the relief that only He can provide.  Relief that is not limited by fleshly conditions, worldly circumstances, or evil opposition.  Relief that doesn’t fail when we need it the most.  Relief that doesn’t cost us anything because Jesus Christ already paid for it.  Relief that only the Creator of the heavens and the earth is able to give, and willing to give without hesitation. 

Think about the people you truly love.  Do you ever wish harm on them?  Even if you had a quarrel with them, wouldn’t you run to their aid if they needed you?  Don’t you hurt when they hurt and rejoice when they rejoice?   God loves us more than we can comprehend!  As much love as our hearts can muster toward another person is infinitesimal compared to the amount of love God showers down upon us continually. 

God is always ready, willing and able to relieve us from any hardship – anything that causes us pain, oppression, or distress.  His resources are limitless. His ability is boundless.  His love is unconditional.  God is not waiting for us to be ‘good enough’ to receive His blessings.  He sees us as perfect in Christ Jesus.  Which brings up another point. 

We must recognize that we live in a physical world, but that we are not of this world. 

1 John 4:4

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them (worldly powers): because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

As born-again Christians, we have holy spirit in us, which sets us apart from this world.  All that we see with our eyes is merely temporal. And our spirit allows us to live above it all. The spirit that is in us is perfect and has overcome the evil powers of this world. 

Our perfection is not in our flesh, but in our spirit.  And our spirit makes us sons of God, with a direct connection to Him.  We are able to tap into all of God’s resources because He is our Father. He has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings.  And you know what?  God is delighted when we allow Him to be our sufficiency.  He loves us that much!

So, the next time you need relief, why not see what God can and will do for you?  Go to God in prayer.  Share your heart with Him.  Entrust your situation to Him and allow Him to help you.  Be confident in His ability and assured of His willingness.  Let God surprise you with His solution.  And don’t forget to thank Him for the deliverance that will surely follow. 

Note to my readers:  God makes a way where there is no way!  Thanks for reading. 

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” was one of my mom’s favorite sayings.  I heard her say it a million times for as long as I can remember.  And over the years, this saying has become one of my favorites as well. 

Initially, as a young girl, I considered this saying only in the context of my looks.  Around the age of twelve or thirteen, I started to not like the way I looked. (Until then, it didn’t bother me.)  Suddenly, I didn’t seem to meet the required standard to be considered one of the popular girls. I didn’t look like them, and I wasn’t built like them.   But I would remind myself of my mom’s saying and hope it meant that others might see me differently than my mirror did, and that they might think that I was pretty anyway.  I cannot attest whether that happened or not, but things changed in high school.  I lost a lot of weight and my opinion of myself began to improve.  Not right away, though.  My first longer-term boyfriend told me that he dated me because he wanted to know what it was like to date an ugly girl.  And I wasn’t even offended by that because I held such a low opinion of myself!  But after I gained a little self-respect, I ended that relationship.  And for a while, I was okay with my looks, and fairly confident.

But as the evil in the world often does, circumstances were orchestrated to talk me into not liking myself again.  I began to sink in the quicksand of low self-esteem.  Not only did I think poorly of the way I looked, but I also thought that I was incompetent.  And you know what happened?  I manifested those crippling negatives.  I was in a downward spiral.  I could behold no beauty in myself, nor could I seem to do anything right. 

Then I was confronted with a life-altering situation.  How I would deal with that situation would determine my success or failure in the future.  Which would I choose?  I could not afford to give in to the negatives that haunted me.  I knew that I had to overcome my oppression.  Slowly, I started to climb out of the pit that I had in essence dug for myself. 

My ascent began with prayer.  I knew that God was my only sure way out.  And He came through for me in remarkable ways.  He provided for my every need.  And He showed me who I truly am – His daughter!  He helped me behold the beauty that He made me to be.  Christ in ME!  That is true beauty!  He also showed me that I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I was not incompetent; I had merely succumbed to doubts and fears that held me in bondage.  Once I broke those chains, I excelled at the things that had been defeating me before.  Every success strengthened my resolve to be all that God wanted me to be and to no longer give in to the worldly schemes that had overwhelmed me.

It behooves us to be beholders of our own beauty.  When we do that, our beauty will be displayed on the outside for all (including ourselves) to see.  But if we don’t, our beauty will stay hidden inside – bound up and essentially invisible. 

Women tend to be very critical of their own appearance.  But short of very expensive and seldom necessary surgery, we cannot change our faces.  And what I discovered over the years is that physical beauty is so much more than our physical features.  Of course, there are those who have beautiful symmetrical faces.  And we can appreciate their beauty.  But those pleasing looks could be a thin veil for a mean or selfish heart.  Skin-deep beauty is a shallow version of what true beauty really is. 

I also discovered that I didn’t look at others with the same critical eyes that I looked at myself.  When I looked at my family – I saw only their loveliness.  So, I had to ask myself, “Am I really the only ugly person in my family?”  That is nonsensical!  When I looked at my friends, neighbors and coworkers, I didn’t think that any of them were bad looking.  So, why did I look so disparagingly at myself?  It was because I had allowed my mind to accept the worldly idea that I just didn’t measure up.  I needed to change my thinking and behold myself in the same way that I viewed others – without constant criticism!  And even more so, I needed to look at myself the way God looks at me. 

God’s Word is the master teacher of how to look at ourselves and others in the right way.  The Word taught me that the basis of true beauty is love. It is love in the heart of the beholder that sees real beauty in others.  And it is love living in our own hearts that makes us truly beautiful.  When someone’s heart is flooded with the beauty of God’s love, it shines through their eyes like a brilliant sunrise.  It illuminates the beauty within them, and it is a beautiful thing to behold!

All the wonderful qualities of God’s love that are outlined in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 are not just describing the way we need to love others. They are also the way we need to love ourselves. And when we love ourselves in this manner, we will be free in our hearts to love others more and more.  It is the best win-win of all!  It is a truly beautiful way to live. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.

Think about applying these qualities of love to yourself.  Are you patient and kind to yourself?  Do you get angry with yourself?  Do you keep a record of your wrongs?  Sometimes we may beat ourselves up for things that we would not hold against someone else.  We are often much more critical of ourselves than we are of others.  These things ought not so to be!  Love does not fail even when it’s loving ourselves. 

As we endeavor to treat others according to these scriptures, we cannot forget to treat ourselves the same way.  God chose each one of us to be in His beautiful family.  He beholds our beauty whether we see it or not.  We are always, always, always beautiful in His sight!  Why not see ourselves the same way God does?

Note to my readers:  Try looking at yourself through loving eyes, even when you don’t feel like it.  You’ll be amazed by how beautiful you are!  Thanks for reading.