Author: Travail and Transform Ministry

Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Philippians 3:12 (KJV): “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after.”

Well we have made it to Day 5, the final day of Crucify It 3.0. The devotional is ending, but the discipline is not. If God gives you another morning, there will still be another opportunity to surrender, another decision to make, and another moment to choose the Spirit over the flesh. This week we learned to pick up the cross again. We learned that discipline becomes necessary when our feelings do not agree with obedience. We learned not to give old things new permission simply because they try to rise again, and we confronted our will with the prayer of Jesus: “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Now we return to the word that has carried this entire journey, daily.

Jesus did not tell us to take up our cross for five days. He said to take it up daily and follow Him. There is no graduation from surrender while you are following Jesus. As long as God gives you breath, you will need His Grace, His correction, His Word, and His Spirit. Yesterday’s surrender mattered, but today requires its own yes, and if God gives you another tomorrow, you will meet Him there with another one.

Paul’s words in Philippians 3 are powerful because he had already experienced much with God. He had encountered Christ, preached the gospel, planted churches, endured persecution, and witnessed the power of God, yet he refused to speak as though he had reached a place where there was nothing left for God to do in him. Philippians 3:12 says, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after.” Then in verses 13–14, Paul explains that he is forgetting those things which are behind, reaching toward what is before him, and pressing toward the mark.

Paul was still following, and that gives us a healthy picture of spiritual maturity. Maturity is not reaching a place where you no longer need surrender, correction, or growth. You can acknowledge what God has already done while still allowing Him to continue His work. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God is still working, and we are still following.

Sometimes you want one powerful moment with God to settle everything forever. You want to forgive once and never feel the memory again. You want to surrender control and never feel the urge to take it back. You want to overcome fear and never hear its voice again. But Jesus gave you a word that prepares you for the process, daily. Daily means you continue bringing ourselves under His authority. Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Walking requires continued movement. Some days you will walk well, and on other days the Holy Spirit may show you that our flesh got ahead of you. When that happens, you repent, make whatever correction is necessary, receive God’s Grace, and continue walking.

First John 1:9 reminds you that when you confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you. Yesterday’s victory should not make you prideful, and today’s mistake should not make you quit. You are not trying to become people who never need God again. you are becoming people who know how quickly to return to Him.

Throughout the Crucify It journeys, we have confronted attitudes, habits, reactions, pride, fear, unforgiveness, control, and our own will. But the goal was never simply to spend the rest of our lives searching for something wrong with ourselves. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” There is life on the other side of surrender. When pride loses authority, humility has room to grow. When bitterness loses authority, love has room to grow. When fear stops governing every decision, faith has room to grow and when your need for control begins to loosen, trust has room to grow.

Galatians 5:22–23 describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. You have not been crucifying the flesh merely to become good at saying no, you are learning to say yes to Jesus, and the more your flesh loses authority, the more your life will reflect Him, so look at Jesus and keep walking, as this the place where you examine yourself in the word, Psalm 139:23 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” You become so focused on what you are trying to crucify that you forget where your eyes ultimately belong.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us, but verse 2 immediately tells us to be “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” We lay something down so we can continue moving. Do not spend the rest of your life standing over what you surrendered to see whether it is still dead. Keep your eyes on Jesus. You confronted offense so bitterness would not continue governing you. You confronted fear so it would stop determining where you were willing to go. You surrendered control so you could trust God with what you cannot manage. You confronted pride so you could remain teachable. The purpose of crucifying the flesh is not lifelong preoccupation with the flesh. The purpose is a life increasingly surrendered to Christ until He calls you home.

Sunshine, give God the day you have. If today requires patience, ask Him for patience. If today requires forgiveness, surrender the offense. If today requires courage, ask Him for courage. If today requires waiting, wait with Him. If today requires an apology, humble yourself and make it right. Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us that God’s compassions are “new every morning.” Every morning brings new mercy and another opportunity to choose Him. You do not have to promise God that you will never struggle again, you just simply continue coming under His authority.

Romans 12:2 tells us to “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” As God renews your minds, your responses begin changing. Things that once controlled us may no longer have the same authority. Something that once took months to recognize may now take days, hours, or minutes. That is growth. Do not demand perfection from yourself where God is developing maturity, but do not use “I am still growing” as permission to remain where He is calling you to change. So remember until He calls you home, you are to continue surrendering, learning, growing, and following Jesus.

As we close Crucify It 3.0, look back for a moment, not merely at what you surrendered but at what God has done through your surrender. What do you recognize now that you did not recognize before? Where are you responding differently? What no longer controls you the way it once did? Where are you quicker to repent, slower to react, more willing to forgive, more patient in waiting, or more willing to release your own way? Then ask God, “What still needs my continued surrender?” Bring it before Him without shame. But do not stop there. Ask, “Lord, what has grown in me because I finally let that go?” You should have more peace, wisdom, patience, discernment, trust, and self-control. Do not only look at what died. Look at what God has brought to life in you.

Heavenly Father, Thank You, Thank You and Thank You for carrying me through this journey. Thank You for every truth You revealed, every place You corrected me, and every opportunity You gave me to surrender more fully to You. Sometimes I become so focused on how far I still have to go that I forget how far You have already brought me, so today I stop and thank You for Your work in me. Thank You for the prayers You answered and the ones You answered differently than I expected. Thank You for the doors You opened and the doors You would not allow me to force. Thank You for every time Your Spirit checked my mouth, helped me forgive, taught me to wait, gave me courage to apologize, showed me where I needed a boundary, or reminded me to trust You when I did not understand. Forgive me for the times I resisted Your work, tried to pick back up what I surrendered, or wanted Your blessing more than I wanted Your direction. Continue Your work in me. When old things try to rise, help me recognize them sooner. When my feelings pull me away from obedience, strengthen my discipline. When my way competes with Yours, bring me back to the prayer, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Holy Spirit, continue producing Your fruit in me. Let love become stronger than bitterness, peace stronger than anxiety, patience stronger than impatience, faith stronger than fear, humility stronger than pride, and self-control stronger than impulse. Help me never become so focused on what I am crucifying that I forget to look at Jesus. Father, this devotional is ending, but my surrender is not. If You give me tomorrow, I will need You tomorrow. Until the day You call me home, help me deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Jesus. Today I give You another yes, and I thank You for what You have already done, what You are doing now, and what You will continue to do in me. In the Mighty and Matchless Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: As this devotional series comes to an end remember that you need to continue flowing in discipline. Yesterday’s surrender mattered, but today requires its own yes, and if God gives you tomorrow, tomorrow will bring another opportunity to choose Him. Keep surrendering, keep growing, and keep your eyes on Jesus. Do not only look at what had to die; look at what God has brought to life in you.

We are moving from Crucify It to seeing what you really know! This is going to become your personal declaration.

Before we leave Crucify It, I want you to do something different. Instead of looking inward for one more thing that needs to change, turn around for just a moment and look at where the Lord has brought you. Do not go backward and do not pick anything back up. Just look long enough to recognize His hand. Look at what the Lord has done.

Look at what does not hurt the way it used to. Look at what no longer controls you the way it once did. Look at the prayers He answered, the doors He opened, and even the doors you cried over that you can now thank Him for closing. Look at the things you thought would destroy you but did not. Look at the seasons when you did not know how you were going to make it, yet somehow God kept you. You surrendered, cried, wrestled, repented, forgave, released, and learned to crucify the flesh when your flesh wanted its own way. Yet when you look back, your testimony cannot simply be about what you surrendered. Your testimony must also be about what God did.

That brings us to Job 19:25 (KJV): “For I know that my redeemer liveth.” Job did not say, “I understand everything that has happened to me.” He made a declaration about what he knew in the middle of what he could not understand.

Maybe that is exactly where Crucify It has been bringing us. After everything that you have survived, surrendered, released, forgiven, and trusted God through, there ought to be some things you know now that you did not know before. You know He kept you. You know He carried you. You know His grace was sufficient. You know some closed doors were mercy, some delays developed you, and some endings made room for something different. Most importantly, you know that when everything around you changed, God did not!

So, you are moving from Crucify It into For I Know. You are moving from examining what had to die to declaring what the journey taught you about God. The question is shifting from “What do I still need to crucify?” to “What do I know about God because of what I have lived through?” Now, look at where you started, and then look at where God has brought you. Look at what He healed, what He delivered you from, what He taught you, what He prevented, what He restored, and what He changed in you. You may not understand every chapter, and everything may not have happened the way you planned, but there are some things experience has settled in your spirit. Now your testimony has a voice, and you can say with assurance, look at what the Lord has done in me, For I know that my Redeemer liveth. See you Monday!

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Have A Blessed Weekend…

Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Luke 22:42 (KJV): “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.”

Today’s surrender comes even closer because you must confront your will. It is easy to say, “Lord, have Your way,” when His way looks like what you already wanted. It is easy to celebrate God’s direction when the door opens, the answer comes quickly, the relationship works, and the plan unfolds exactly as you imagined. But what happens when God’s way costs you yours?

What happens when you pray for direction and His direction requires waiting? What happens when you ask Him to open a door and it remains closed? What happens when obedience requires you to be quiet when you want to speak, forgive when you still feel hurt, apologize when you believe the other person was more wrong, or release something you desperately wanted to keep? This is where the cross confronts more than your behavior. It confronts your right to have your own way.

Now, I just want to say that there is nothing wrong with having desires, plans, hopes, or dreams. The question is what happens when what you want and what God requires are no longer traveling in the same direction. It is at that moment; somebody’s will must yield. And Jesus gave you the words for that moment; “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

Luke 22 brings us into one of the most intense moments before the crucifixion. Jesus is in the Mount of Olives, knowing what is before Him. He is not approaching the cross unaware of its suffering. Luke 22:41–42 says that Jesus “kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Matthew’s account tells us that Jesus said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matthew 26:38). His surrender did not mean the absence of anguish. Jesus honestly expressed the weight of what was before Him while remaining submitted to the Father’s will. That is important for you because surrender does not require pretending that something is easy when it is difficult. It does not require pretending you do not want something when you do. It does not mean you cannot tell God, “Father, this is what I hoped for. This is what I wanted. This hurts and I do not understand.” Surrender is what happens after the honesty, Jesus said, “Nevertheless.”

Luke 9:23 helps us understand why this matters to discipleship. Jesus said that anyone who comes after Him must “deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Self-denial eventually brings you to the issue of lordship. If Jesus is Lord, there will be moments when His direction challenges your preference. Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Trust becomes especially meaningful when our understanding cannot explain God’s direction. You are not called to understand everything before you obey, but you are called to follow.

There was a woman who had been praying for a particular opportunity for months. She had researched it, prepared for it, talked about it, and imagined what life would look like once it happened. The opportunity was good. There was nothing obviously wrong with wanting it, and because it made sense to her, she assumed it must also be God’s plan. So she prayed, “Lord, open this door.” But the door did not open. She prayed harder. She looked for another way in. She contacted people who might be able to help. Every obstacle became something she thought she needed to overcome. One day, after another disappointment, she sat quietly before God. This time her prayer changed. Instead of asking, “Lord, why won’t You open this door?” she asked, “Lord, am I even supposed to go through it?”

That question exposed something in her heart. She realized that she had spent months asking God to approve the direction she had already chosen. She had prayed for God’s will, but only as long as His will agreed with hers. So, she prayed again. “Father, I still want this. I am not going to pretend that I don’t. But if this is not what You have for me, help me stop pulling on a door You are not telling me to enter.” The door did not suddenly open. Another opportunity did not immediately appear. What changed that day was her posture. She stopped trying to make God agree with her plan and became willing to let God direct her path.

Sometimes the hardest thing to surrender is not something bad. Sometimes it is something good that you have wanted so badly that you stopped leaving room for God to answer differently. So, are you asking God for directions or approval? You do know that there is a difference between asking God for direction and asking God to approve a decision that you have already made. For you can say, “Lord, order my steps,” while quietly telling Him where you expect those steps to go. You say, “Your will be done,” but become angry when His will does not look like your plan. Psalm 25:4–5 says, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me.” David’s prayer was not, “God, bless my path.” It was, “Teach me Your path.” So, instead of only praying, “Lord, make this work,”  you need to ask, “Lord, should I be doing this?” Or instead of only asking, “Lord, change them,” you need to ask, “Lord, what are You changing in me?” Instead of repeatedly praying, “Lord, open this door,” you need the courage to pray, “Lord, if this door is not for me, give me the discipline to stop pulling on the handle.”

This does not mean every obstacle is automatically a divine “no,” nor does every easy path automatically mean God’s approval. That is why you need Scripture, prayer, wisdom, discernment, and godly counsel. But true surrender leaves room for God’s answer to be different from yours. I know sometimes, your way is for the need to be right, because our will does not show itself only in major decisions, it can appear in a conversation. You want the last word. You want somebody to understand why you think that you were right. You want to defend yourself and you want them to apologize first; you want everyone to hear your side. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” James 1:19 tells us to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

But my sister and brother, discipline requires you to ask, “Even if I am right about what happened, is the way I am handling it right?” You can have a valid point and communicate it in an ungodly way. You can tell the truth and still use truth as a weapon. Or you can establish a necessary boundary without becoming cruel. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak “the truth in love.” Both matter. Sometimes what needs to be crucified is not your voice. It is your need to win.

There will also be seasons when surrender looks like waiting. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.” Waiting exposes how much you want control, and just to let you know, you cannot control the timing, it is in that moment that you have to decide whether you trust the One who can. Biblical waiting is not always passive it means waiting faithfully while doing what God has already placed before you without trying to manufacture the next step. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Something can be good and still not belong to this season. A desire can be legitimate and still require patience. Do not let impatience become permission to move outside of wisdom. Your  surrender should sound like, this “Lord, I still want it, but I refuse to force it.”

There will also be moments when your way wants revenge while God’s way calls you toward forgiveness. Romans 12:19 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves.” Ephesians 4:32 tells us to forgive one another “even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Forgiveness does not mean pretending what happened was acceptable. It does not automatically restore someone to the same level of access they previously had. Forgiveness does not remove the need for healthy boundaries, accountability, truth, or appropriate consequences. Forgiveness means revenge is no longer your assignment. When you choose to keep it on the Cross, the cross releases your personal need to make somebody pay. You can seek accountability without allowing bitterness to govern you. You can establish boundaries without hatred becoming your identity. Again, His way will cost you yours.

Listen to this, perhaps one of the most powerful words you can learn in surrender is nevertheless. “Father, this is what I wanted; nevertheless, Your will be done.” “I thought it would happen differently; nevertheless, I trust You.” “I do not understand why I have to wait; nevertheless, I will not run ahead of You.” “This hurts;  nevertheless, I will not allow hurt to determine how I obey You.” Nevertheless does not deny what you feel. It decides who has final authority. Psalm 143:10 says, “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God.” Notice that David did not merely ask God to teach him what His will was. He asked God to teach him to do it. Sometimes knowing is easier said than doing.

James 1:22 says, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” There comes a point when another sermon, Scripture, conversation, or confirmation cannot replace obedience to what we already know. Jesus asked in Luke 6:46, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Lordship eventually reaches your will. Yesterday you refused to give old things new permission. Today you got to go deeper and say, “God, even when Your way costs me mine, I still choose You.”

Ask yourself one question today; Is there an area where I am asking God for His will while secretly requiring His will to agree with mine? Then ask, “If God’s answer is different from the one I want, will I still trust Him?” Do not answer quickly. Sit with it. Maybe your prayer today needs to change from “Lord, make this happen” to “Lord, show me what You want.” As your prayer simply needs to be what Jesus prayed: “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

Let’s Pray, Father, Thank You for another day and another opportunity to surrender myself to You. You have been teaching me that the cross is not only about what I say no to; it is also about who I say yes to. Today I bring You my will. Father, forgive me for the times I have prayed for Your will while secretly expecting You to agree with mine. Forgive me when I have asked You to order my steps after I already decided where I wanted to go. Forgive me for pulling on doors, forcing situations, rehearsing outcomes, and trying to control things that I said I had placed in Your hands. Teach me to trust You with all my heart and not lean entirely upon my own understanding. I acknowledge that I cannot see everything You see. Give me wisdom not to call every obstacle a closed door or every easy opportunity an open one. Teach me to seek Your Word, Your wisdom, Your peace, and Your direction rather than allowing impatience or emotion to make decisions for me. Father, when my need to be right becomes stronger than my desire to represent You well, humble me. When I need to apologize, give me courage. When I need to listen, quiet me. When I need to speak truth, help me speak it in love. When I need a boundary, give me wisdom to establish it without hatred. When I need to forgive, help me release revenge without confusing forgiveness with permission for continued harm. Teach me how to wait. When I become impatient, keep me from manufacturing what You have not released. Help me remain faithful with what You have already placed in my hands instead of becoming consumed with what has not happened yet. Father, I surrender my plans, expectations, timetable, need to understand, and desire to control the outcome. I surrender the picture I created in my mind of how I thought everything was supposed to happen. Father, teach me the discipline of nevertheless and when what I want and what You desire are different, teach my heart to say, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” When Your direction requires waiting, help me wait. When it requires movement, help me move. When it requires release, help me open my hands. When it requires courage, strengthen me. Lord, I do not want to call Jesus Lord with my mouth while resisting His authority with my life. Let my private decisions agree with my public confession. Yesterday’s surrender belonged to yesterday. Today I surrender my will again. Even when Your way costs me mine, help me choose You. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.

Nugget: Today surrender becomes real when God’s way and your way are no longer the same and you still choose to follow Him. You do not have to pretend you wanted something different. Bring your desires honestly before God but leave room for His answer. Sometimes the greatest evidence of surrender is one word: nevertheless. Yesterday required a yes; today may require you to say, “Not my will, but Thine.”

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Galatians 5:24–25 (KJV): “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Romans 6:12 (KJV): “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

Whew! We have made it to Day 3. On Day 1, you learned to pick up the cross again. On Day 2, you learned that discipline becomes necessary when your feelings do not agree with obedience. Today you will deal with something that can easily discourage you; what happens when something you thought you surrendered tries to rise again?

Maybe you thought you were finished with that attitude until somebody said the wrong thing. Maybe you believed you had surrendered control until something happened outside of your plans. Maybe you thought comparison was no longer an issue until somebody received what you have been praying for. Maybe you believed you had forgiven until a name, picture, place, or conversation brought the memory back. When that happens, you can immediately think, “I thought I was past this. I thought I gave this to God. Why am I feeling this again?” I need you to hear me clearly, just because something is trying to resurface does not automatically mean it has regained authority. Just because an old thing tries to get back up does not mean you have to give it its old seat. (Read these scriptures, Matthew 12:43-45, about the danger of a house being empty, you must feel your space with the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23), and then you can pray Ephesians 4:22-24 and reinforce it with Galatians 5:24-25). You can recognize anger without allowing anger to control your mouth. You can acknowledge fear without allowing fear to make the decision. You can notice jealousy without feeding comparison. You can remember what happened without rebuilding the offense. You can experience temptation without surrendering to it. Some things do not need another funeral. They need continued surrender.

Galatians 5 gives us important context for understanding what it means to crucify the flesh. Paul was writing to believers who were being pressured to place themselves under requirements of the Mosaic law, particularly circumcision, as necessary for belonging to God’s covenant people. Paul strongly defended the freedom believers have in Christ, but he also made it clear that Christian freedom was never permission for sinful living. Galatians 5:13 says, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.” Then in verse 16, Paul says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Verse 17 explains that the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another.

Paul does not describe Christian growth as though believers never experience competing desires again. Instead, he points believers toward a Spirit-led life. After describing the works of the flesh, he contrasts them with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Then Galatians 5:24–25 says, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Notice the movement from crucifying to walking. God is not only showing us what needs to lose authority; through His Spirit, He is developing something different within us.

If anger has governed you, He develops patience and self-control. If jealousy has governed you, He develops love and gratitude. If fear has governed you, He deepens trust. If pride has governed you, He teaches humility. The goal is not merely an empty place where the flesh used to sit. The goal is a life increasingly governed by the Spirit. So, that thing can show up without taking over. Romans 6:12 says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.” That word reign gives you a picture of rulership. Paul is addressing what you allow to exercise governing authority in your life. Because sometimes you confuse the presence of temptation with the rule of temptation. Don’t confuse having a thought with agreeing with the thought; because you confuse feeling an emotion with being required to obey that emotion. Something can show up without taking over.

Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you.” This does not mean believers never experience temptation. It means sin is not to be allowed the same governing mastery. The thought may knock, but you do not have to invite it in and feed it. The old reaction may rise, but you do not have to release it through your mouth. The memory may return, but you do not have to spend the next hour replaying the offense. Fear may whisper about everything that could go wrong, but fear does not have to write the plan.

Second Corinthians 10:5 speaks of “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Everything that enters our minds does not deserve our agreement. Sometimes discipline requires us to stop and ask, “Where is this thought taking me? Does it agree with God’s truth, or is it feeding fear, pride, offense, lust, comparison, or condemnation?” Your flesh can learn a new language through discipline. Old patterns do not always return looking exactly the way they looked before. Pride may no longer say, “I will never apologize.” It may say, “I will apologize when they apologize first.” Control may say, “I prayed about it, but I still need to make sure everything happens the way I think it should.” Unforgiveness may say, “I forgave them, but I need to keep telling everybody what they did.” Comparison may say, “I am happy for her, but I just do not understand why God has not done that for me.” The language may change while the root remains.

That is why David prayed in Psalm 139:23–24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.” (You need to make this a part of your daily prayer.) Sometimes you need God to show you why a particular comment bothered you  so deeply, why somebody else’s success made you feel threatened, why correction immediately made you feel so defensive, or why you keep returning mentally to something you say you have released. You see the issue is not only what happened, but God is trying to reveal to you what the situation touched inside of you. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Paying attention to our hearts is part of spiritual discipline. We are not examining ourselves so we can condemn ourselves. We are allowing God to reveal what still needs His transforming work.

There comes a point when recognizing a pattern is not enough, as you can become very skilled at explaining yourself without ever changing. You will say, “That is just how I am,” “I have always had a temper,” “I overthink everything,” or “I have trust issues because of what happened to me.” Understanding where a pattern came from can be important but understanding it is not the same as surrendering it. (Whew!) Ephesians 4:22–24 speaks of putting off “the old man,” being “renewed in the spirit of your mind,” and putting on “the new man.” Scripture does not stop with what must be put off. There is also something to put on. If pride rises, practice humility. If comparison rises, practice gratitude. If anger rises, slow down before speaking. James 1:19 tells us to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” If fear rises, pray before trying to control the outcome. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Recognition says, “There it is again.” But discipline says, “But I do not have to respond the way I used to.” Sometimes you think growth means something will never bother you again. But growth means recognizing something faster and giving it less room. Has there ever been a time when you could stay offended for months. Then months became weeks, weeks became days, and now you can recognize the offense while it is forming and pray before it settles into your heart. That is growth. Or did fear once controlled your decisions. Now fear may still speak, but you recognize it sooner and bring it to God before changing your plans. That is growth. Maybe you used to react immediately when you were angry. Now you can feel the anger rising and say, “I need a moment before I respond.” That is growth. Do not despise your growth because it does not look like perfection. Philippians 1:6 reminds you that the One who began the good work will continue performing it.

There is one more thing that you should not confuse crucifying the flesh with suppressing every legitimate emotion. Anger can alert you that something is wrong. Grief needs room to be experienced. Fear can sometimes alert you to actual danger. Healthy boundaries may be necessary. Difficult conversations may be necessary. Forgiveness does not always mean restored access. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be ye angry, and sin not.” Scripture acknowledges the emotion while placing responsibility on your response. The issue is not simply whether you feel something. The question is whether what you feel becomes your ruler.

Just remember these five words, Keep It on the Cross! Because something may try to rise today, but when it does, do not immediately assume you have failed. Recognize it, name it honestly before God, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond differently. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” Some things easily entangle us because they are familiar, but familiar does not mean necessary, and familiar does not mean authorized. You do not have to answer every thought. You do not have to replay every memory. You do not have to defend yourself in every conversation. You do not have to prove yourself to everybody. You do not have to control every outcome, respond to every irritation, or reopen everything God has helped you close.

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” The word set requires intention. Sometimes we must intentionally redirect our minds because they naturally want to return to what is familiar. Yesterday you surrendered it. Today it presented itself again and today you have another opportunity to choose differently. If it presents itself tomorrow, tomorrow will bring another opportunity to choose Jesus again. That is not starting over. That is walking. Today, pray Psalm 139:23–24 and allow God to search beneath the surface. Ask Him not only to show you what is happening but also what may be underneath it. Then do not use what He reveals to condemn yourself. Use it as an opportunity to surrender more quickly. Sunshine, you do not have to give an old thing its old seat simply because it remembers where the chair is.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for continuing to work in me. Thank You for loving me enough to show me what needs to change and for giving me Your Spirit to help me walk differently. Father, there are things I have surrendered before that sometimes try to rise again. When that happens, keep me from immediately believing that I have made no progress. Help me understand the difference between something presenting itself and something ruling me. When an old thought returns, help me recognize it without automatically agreeing with it. When anger rises, help me slow down before my mouth gives it a voice. When fear rises, help me pray before trying to control everything. When comparison appears, turn my heart toward gratitude. When pride becomes defensive, give me humility. When an old offense returns to my mind, remind me that remembering what happened does not require me to rebuild what I released. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Show me where pride may have learned new language, where control may be hiding behind concern, where fear may be presenting itself as wisdom, or where unforgiveness may be hiding behind repeated conversations about what someone did to me. Forgive me for the times I have recognized unhealthy patterns but continued giving them permission. Help me stop saying, “That is just how I am,” about things You are trying to transform. My history may help explain some of my responses, but it does not have to determine how I respond today. Holy Spirit, help me walk in You. Produce Your fruit in me so that love becomes stronger than offense, peace stronger than anxiety, patience stronger than impatience, gentleness stronger than harshness, faith stronger than fear, humility stronger than pride, and self-control stronger than impulse. Give me wisdom to know when I need to speak and when I need to remain quiet, when I need a boundary and when I need to extend grace, when I need to confront something and when I need to release it. Teach me to bring my emotions beneath Your wisdom rather than allowing them to govern me. Father, let the time between recognition and surrender become shorter. Let the time between conviction and repentance become shorter. When I recognize an unhealthy response, help me correct it sooner. Make me increasingly sensitive to Your Spirit so that I notice what is happening within me before it grows into something larger. Thank You for reminding me that growth does not always mean I will never struggle again. Sometimes growth means I recognize the struggle sooner, give it less room, respond differently, repent more quickly, and return my attention to You. Yesterday’s surrender belonged to yesterday. Today I choose not to give old things new permission. Let Your Spirit have authority over my flesh, Your truth over my excuses, Your wisdom over my reactions, Your peace over my anxiety, and Your love over my offense. If something tries to rise again tomorrow, remind me that tomorrow will bring another opportunity to choose You. Help me keep surrendering, keep growing, and keep walking. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: just because an old thing tries to get back up does not mean you have to give it its old seat. Growth is not always the absence of struggle; sometimes it is recognizing the struggle sooner and refusing to let it rule you again. Some things do not need another funeral; they need continued surrender. Recognize it, surrender it, and keep walking.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

1 Corinthians 15:31 (KJV): “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

Yesterday, we began Crucify It 3.0 with the words, “Pick It Up Again.” We established that daily surrender does not mean starting over every morning. It means continuing what God has already begun in us. Today we go a little deeper because there will be days when you know exactly what obedience requires, but you simply do not feel like doing it.

Think about these questions before you blurt out an answer. What happens when you know you should forgive, but you are still hurt? What happens when you know you need to wait, but you are tired of waiting? What happens when you know you should guard your mouth, but someone has said the one thing that makes you want to respond? What happens when you know God is asking you to trust Him, but fear feels stronger than faith? This is where your discipline becomes necessary.

Discipline does not mean denying what you feel or pretending something does not hurt. It means learning that your feelings can be acknowledged without being given final authority. There will be days when your emotions agree with obedience and days when they do not. If you only follow God when you feel like following Him, then your feelings are still determining how far you are willing to go. So, do you really know Jesus, or do you just know how to do church? Yesterday you picked up the cross and today you are learning how to keep walking with it.

You must die daily! First Corinthians 15 is Paul’s great defense of the resurrection. Some among the Corinthians were questioning the resurrection of the dead, and Paul explains that the resurrection is essential to the gospel. He reminds them that Christ died, was buried, rose again, and was seen by witnesses. He then makes the point that if there is no resurrection, Christian preaching and faith are empty. Within that discussion, Paul speaks about the dangers he faced because of the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15:30–31, he asks, “And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?” and then says, “I die daily.” In its immediate context, Paul is speaking about his repeated exposure to danger and the possibility of physical death because of his commitment to Christ. You should honor that context.

At the same time, Paul’s willingness to remain faithful despite repeated cost gives us a strong picture of consistency, while Luke 9:23 gives you the direct command concerning daily self-denial. Jesus says to deny yourself, take up the cross daily, and follow Him. Together, these Scriptures remind us that faithful living cannot be built only on convenience. Paul gives us another helpful picture in 1 Corinthians 9:25–27. He compares disciplined Christian living to an athlete training with purpose. In verse 27 he says, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.” An athlete does not train only when motivated. Training requires repetition, restraint, consistency, and focus.

The same is true spiritually. Prayer cannot depend entirely on your mood. Forgiveness cannot depend entirely on your emotion. Trust cannot depend entirely on whether your circumstances are going well. Obedience has to become deeper than how you feel in the moment. So, what happens when your feelings and faith disagree? Because yes your feelings are real, but they are not always reliable leaders. You can love God and still feel discouraged. You can trust Him and still have moments of fear. You can forgive someone and still feel hurt when you remember what happened. You can know God called you and still have moments when you wonder whether you have the strength to continue. The presence of a feeling does not automatically determine the condition of your faith. What matters is what you do with that feeling once you recognize it.

Psalm 42:5 (KJV) says, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God.” The psalmist does not pretend he is not troubled. He acknowledges his condition and then reminds himself where his hope belongs. Your discipline looks exactly like that. You may have to say, “Yes, I am hurt, but my hurt will not determine everything I do today. Yes, I am frustrated, but frustration will not control my mouth. Yes, I am disappointed, but disappointment will not cause me to abandon what God told me. Yes, I am afraid, but fear does not get to make this decision.” Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Walking is continued movement. You should just take another step and then another. Every step gives you another opportunity to follow the Holy Spirit instead of allowing the flesh to determine your response.

Your discipline is built in your ordinary decisions. Much of spiritual discipline is developed in ordinary moments. It is built when you pause before responding to a message that upset you. It is built when you choose not to repeat gossip, even though you know the entire story. It is built when you apologize without adding an excuse designed to make yourself look less responsible. It is built when you pray instead of immediately panicking, when you wait instead of forcing a door, and when you refuse to rehearse an offense simply because your mind has given you another opportunity to revisit it.

Luke 16:10 (KJV) says, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” Faithfulness is often formed in what appears small. The way you handle a thought matters. The way you respond when irritated matters. The way you behave when nobody is watching matters. Hebrews 12:11 says that discipline does not always feel pleasant in the moment, but afterward it can produce “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” There are things God develops in you that are not built through comfort alone. So do not assume that difficulty means surrendering is not working, because sometimes it is the difficulty that is revealing exactly where discipline is being formed in you.

If there was ever a thing that you needed to do, it is this, stop negotiating with what God has already made clear! There are times when you already know what God’s Word requires of you, but as soon as obedience becomes uncomfortable, you begin trying negotiating with it. You know exactly what you should be doing, but you start listing reasons why your situation should be the exception. You know that you should be watching your words, (go read Matthew 12:36 about the words that you speak) but you convince yourself that the other person deserves everything that you are about to say. You know you should wait, but because waiting is uncomfortable, you start looking for ways to make something happen on your own. James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Eventually, what you know has become what you practice.

Jesus said in John 8:31, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” That word continue belongs in Crucify It 3.0. It is one thing to begin. It is another thing to continue when the excitement of beginning is gone. Some of you are strong starters. You start praying, start setting boundaries, start forgiving, start changing habits, and start doing what God has been telling you to do. But discipleship is not measured only by how passionately you begin; there must also be a willingness to continue. Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to become weary in well doing. Paul acknowledges something very human: you can become tired while doing the right thing. Weariness does not automatically mean you are on the wrong path. Sometimes you are simply tired, and that is when you need God’s strength, wisdom, and grace so that temporary weariness does not make permanent decisions for you.

Grace and discipline belong together because discipline does not mean perfection. There will be days when you get it wrong. You may speak too quickly, let fear influence a decision, entertain an offense longer than you should, or recognize that impatience has taken over. But when the Holy Spirit reveals it, the answer is not to hide from God, the answer is to return to Him. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” Grace gives you room to repent and continue growing. Grace is not permission to remain unchanged, but it keeps failure from becoming the place where you stop. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (this is one of my favorite scriptures) Spiritual discipline is not about fixing yourself without God,  it is about cooperating with the work He is already doing within you. So, sometimes the most disciplined thing you can do is simply stop, pray, and ask, “Holy Spirit, help me respond in a way that honors God.”

Today’s Yes, Requires Today’s Discipline! I know yesterday may have been a strong day. You may have prayed, studied, controlled your tongue, trusted God, and handled situations with wisdom. Thank God for yesterday. But today has its own choices. Matthew 6:34 reminds us not to become consumed with tomorrow. You do not have to carry tomorrow’s cross today. You need grace for the day that is actually in front of you. So, if you do not feel like forgiving today, ask God for the grace to move toward forgiveness today. If you do not feel like waiting, ask Him for patience today. If your emotions are strong, ask the Holy Spirit to govern your response today. If you are tired, ask God for wisdom concerning what needs rest and what still requires obedience. You do not have to promise that you will never struggle again.

Give God your yes for today. That is discipline. That is consistency. That is daily surrender. Do not condemn yourself for what you feel. Bring it before God honestly. Let Him show you where discipline needs to grow and then make the next obedient decision.  You do not have to solve your entire life today. You only have to be faithful with today.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for another morning and another opportunity to follow You. Thank You for reminding me that this journey is not built upon one emotional moment, one prayer, one devotional, or one decision. You are teaching me how to walk with You consistently, and I acknowledge that consistency requires discipline. Father, there are days when obedience feels easier than others. There are days when I feel full of faith and days when my emotions feel heavy. There are moments when I want to forgive and moments when the hurt still feels fresh. There are times when waiting feels peaceful and times when waiting frustrates me. Help me remember that my feelings are real, but they do not have to become the final authority over my decisions. Holy Spirit, teach me to acknowledge what I feel without allowing every feeling to lead me. When I am angry, give me wisdom before I speak. When I am hurt, help me respond from healing rather than retaliation. When fear rises, remind me of what is true. When impatience rises, keep me from moving ahead of Your wisdom. When pride appears, give me humility to listen, receive corrections, and apologize when necessary. Father, develop discipline in the ordinary places of my life. Teach me to pause before responding, pray before panicking, listen before defending myself, and seek Your direction before assuming that my way is best. Help me stop negotiating with what Your Word has already made clear simply because obedience has become uncomfortable. Lord, give me grace when I fall short. Keep me from using grace as an excuse to remain the same but also keep me from using my mistakes as a reason to condemn myself. When I miss it, help me confess it, correct what needs to be corrected, learn from it, and keep walking. Father, I do not want my commitment to You to depend upon my mood. I want to follow You when I feel strong and when I feel weak, when I understand and when I have questions, when obedience feels easy and when obedience costs me something. Yesterday’s surrender mattered but today requires today’s discipline. So, I bring You this day. I bring You my thoughts, emotions, reactions, conversations, decisions, and desires. Let Your Spirit govern what my flesh wants to control. Let Your Word correct what my feelings may distort. Let Your wisdom guide me when I am tempted to move according to impulse. Father, help me carry today’s cross, make today’s decisions, practice today’s obedience, and give You today’s yes. If You give me tomorrow, I will need You again, but right now I choose to follow You today. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: Discipline is choosing what honors God even when your feelings are pulling in another direction. You do not have to carry tomorrow today, and you do not have to pretend every step is easy. Ask God for the grace to be faithful with the day in front of you, because yesterday’s surrender was necessary, but today requires today’s discipline.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Good Morning Sunshine! We are still dealing with Crucify It! And this is just for you, make it personal, your Yesterday’s Surrender Is Not your Today’s Yes!

God will not turn this loose, and apparently, neither can I! I keep trying to move on, and He keeps adding. But I believe it is because He does not want us to miss this; crucifying the flesh is daily, and picking up our cross is daily. Yesterday’s surrender cannot replace today’s obedience. As long as God gives us breath, we must continue bringing our flesh under submission, picking up our cross, and following Jesus. This is not a one-time decision; it is the daily discipline of a surrendered life. There comes a point in our walk with God when we have to move beyond simply knowing what needs to be crucified and begin developing the discipline necessary to keep choosing the cross. This is where Crucify It 3.0 begins.

The original Crucify It confronted the flesh. It caused us to look at the desires, attitudes, habits, reactions, and behaviors that compete with the Spirit of God operating in our lives. It challenged us to stop excusing what God was calling us to surrender.

Crucify It 2.0 took us deeper. It made us examine ourselves again because sometimes we can surrender something in one season only to discover another layer of it in another. God continued revealing what was beneath the surface. We began understanding that crucifying the flesh is not simply about changing outward behavior; God is concerned about the condition of the heart producing the behavior.

But now we have arrived at Crucify It 3.0, and the question has changed. We are no longer simply asking, “What needs to be crucified?” Now we are asking, Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” “Do I have the discipline to pick up my cross again today?” Because Jesus did not say, “Take up your cross once.” He said, “Take up his cross daily.” That one-word changes everything. Daily.

Daily means yesterday counted but yesterday is finished. Daily means the surrender you made last week was necessary but today has its own decisions. Daily means there may be mornings when you wake up feeling strong and mornings when you wake up tired. There will be days when obedience feels easy and days when everything in your flesh wants something different. There will be days when you feel close to God and days when you must obey what you know even when you do not feel anything extraordinary.

This is where discipline enters the journey. Discipline says, “I am not waiting until I feel like surrendering.” Discipline says, “I made this decision yesterday, and I am making it again today.” Discipline says, “My emotions changed, but my commitment has not.” Discipline says, “I know what my flesh wants, but I also know whom I have chosen to follow.” Crucify It 3.0 is about learning how to live the surrendered life after the emotional moment of surrender has passed.

It is the morning after the altar. It is the decision after prayer that you prayed. It is the response when the same person presses the same button. It is what happens when the temptation you thought was gone knocks again. It is choosing obedience when nobody is watching. It is learning that following Jesus requires more than a moment of surrender; it requires a lifestyle of surrender.

And perhaps this is where we sometimes become frustrated with ourselves. We think, “But I prayed about this already.” We say, “I gave this to God.” We wonder, “Why am I dealing with this again?” Maybe you did surrender it. Maybe yesterday’s surrender was completely sincere. But Sunshine, yesterday’s surrender belongs to yesterday. Today requires another yes. This does not mean we start our relationship with God over every morning. It does not mean yesterday’s growth disappeared overnight. It means discipleship continues.

Think about physical discipline. You cannot exercise one day and expect that one workout to sustain your body for the remainder of your life. You cannot eat one healthy meal and declare that nourishment will never again be necessary. You cannot sleep eight hours one night and decide you will never need rest again. Some things must become rhythms because they are necessary for continued health.

Jesus describes discipleship with that same kind of continuation: daily. So, Crucify It 3.0 is not simply another call to the cross. It is a call to consistency at the cross.

Let’s Begin Day 1

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s Time To Pick It Up Again, The Discipline Of Daily Surrender!

Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Here we are again! If you walked with me through Crucify It 1.0 and Crucify It 2.0, you may be wondering what else there could possibly be to say about crucifying the flesh. We have already talked about surrender. We have looked honestly at attitudes, desires, habits, reactions, thoughts, and behaviors that must come under the authority of Jesus Christ. We have prayed, cried, repented, released, forgiven, confronted, and allowed God to show us things about ourselves that we could no longer blame on somebody else.

But Crucify It 3.0 brings us to another place. The first Crucify It helped us recognize what needed to die. Crucify It 2.0 showed us that surrender has deeper layers. Now Crucify It 3.0 asks a different question, can we develop the discipline to live surrendered every day?

Can I choose Jesus when nobody is preaching to me? Can I guard my mouth outside of church? Can I forgive when there is no apology? Can I wait when I am tired of waiting? Can I trust God when His timing does not agree with mine? Can I deny myself when what I want may not be sinful, but it is not God’s direction for me? This is where surrender moves beyond a moment and becomes a way of life.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” That word daily is where we are going to live throughout Crucify It 3.0. Yesterday’s surrender mattered. Yesterday’s obedience mattered. Yesterday’s repentance, forgiveness, restraint, and decision to trust God mattered. But yesterday has ended, and today has arrived with its own thoughts, conversations, temptations, emotions, and decisions. So, here is the truth we are carrying with us every day, what you crucified yesterday belongs to yesterday, and what you do today belongs to today. Yesterday’s surrender was necessary but today requires its own yes.

To understand the weight of Luke 9:23, we have to look at what was happening around it. In Luke 9:18–20, Jesus asked His disciples who the people said He was. Then He made the question personal: “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” Immediately afterward, Jesus told them in Luke 9:22 that the Son of Man would suffer, be rejected, be slain, and rise again. Then He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

For us, the cross is immediately associated with Christianity. For those hearing Jesus, however, the cross was an instrument of Roman execution. It represented suffering, shame, death, and loss of control. Jesus was making it clear that discipleship would require surrender. Notice also that Jesus first says, “Let him deny himself.” Self-denial does not mean self-hatred, neglecting legitimate needs, remaining in abusive situations, refusing healthy boundaries, or believing every personal desire is sinful. It is about lordship. My feelings matter. My plans matter. My desires matter. My opinions matter. But none of them are Lord. Jesus is Lord.

That is why the order matters, deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. We cannot genuinely follow Jesus while continually insisting that Jesus follow us. Daily surrender does not mean we start our relationship with God over every morning. We are not getting saved again, erasing yesterday’s progress, or pretending God has not already done anything within us. We are continuing. Philippians 1:6 (KJV) says, “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God is continuing His work in us, and we continue responding to Him.

Think about the rhythms necessary for everyday life. One glass of water cannot sustain you forever. One night’s sleep does not eliminate your future need for rest. One healthy meal does not provide permanent nourishment. In the same way, prayer, trust, obedience, forgiveness, and time in God’s Word must become rhythms in your spiritual lives.

Lamentations 3:22–23 says that God’s compassions “are new every morning.” Every new morning is another reminder that God has given us mercy for another day and another opportunity to respond to Him. Perhaps one of your first prayers should simply be, “Lord, You gave me another day. Help me give this day back to You.” I know that sometimes surrendering feels different the morning after. You may have had a powerful moment with God. You prayed sincerely, cried, released something, forgave somebody, or made a decision that you knew was necessary. Then life happened.

The person who irritated you says something else. The situation you surrendered still has not changed. The temptation returns. The person you forgave comes back to mind. The door remains closed. The thing you said you would stop worrying about is suddenly back in your thoughts. You may find yourself saying, “God, I thought I gave this to You.” But what you surrender on yesterday does not mean you will never again experience an emotion, thought, memory, temptation, or circumstance connected to it. This is where discipline begins. Discipline says, “I remember what I surrendered, and today I am going to live according to that surrender.”

Romans 12:1 calls us to present our bodies as “a living sacrifice,” and Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. A living sacrifice keeps encountering real life. Your renewed thinking will eventually meet an old trigger. Your new response will meet an old situation. Your discipline will meet an old temptation. That is where growth becomes visible.

Just so you know that on some days the cross looks like you being obedient. There will be days when you know the right response but do not necessarily want to give it. You know you should pray before reacting, forgive while you are still hurting, wait when you are tired of waiting, or apologize while pride is telling you why the other person should apologize first. This is where you begin to see the difference between desire and discipline. Desire often moves when it feels like moving. Discipline learns to obey even while the feelings are catching up. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” When our emotions are giving us poor directions, God’s Word becomes our lamp. James 1:22 tells us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Eventually, what we know has to become what we practice.

Sometimes picking up your cross will look very ordinary. It may mean not sending the angry text, pausing before answering, admitting you were wrong, listening instead of immediately defending yourself, praying when you are tired, opening your Bible when your mind is crowded, or refusing to revisit something God has already helped you release. Some days the cross will not look dramatic at all. It will simply look like obedience, and  I know that you just read that line, “it will simply look like obedience on your part.” So, stop waiting until you feel like it.

Sometimes you can tell yourself that you will obey when you feel stronger, forgive when you feel completely healed, move when you stop being afraid, or trust God when you finally understand what He is doing. But if you always wait for your feelings to agree before you obey, then your feelings are still governing you. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Proverbs 3:5–6 tells us to trust in the Lord rather than leaning entirely upon our own understanding. Faith sometimes requires movement while questions remain. Jesus demonstrated this in Gethsemane when He prayed in Luke 22:42, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” He did not pretend that what was before Him was easy. He honestly acknowledged the weight of it and still submitted to the Father’s will.

Sometimes your daily cross will be found in your own nevertheless. “Lord, this hurts; nevertheless, I trust You. This is not what I wanted; nevertheless, I will follow You. I do not understand; nevertheless, I will obey what You have shown me.” And these are the moments when discipline simply sounds like nevertheless but pick it up again anyway.

Maybe you have been discouraged because you thought you should be farther along by now. You thought you would never struggle with that thought again or that the flesh would never try to pull you back toward an old response. But Jesus already gave us language for this journey: daily. Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Walking is continued movement. We take one step and then another. Proverbs 24:16 reminds us that “a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark.”

That is the heart of Crucify It 3.0, you are not starting over every morning, you are continuing, you are continuing to surrender, continuing to learn, continuing to receive correction, continuing to recognize the flesh sooner, and continuing to respond to the Holy Spirit more quickly. If God gives you tomorrow, you will continue tomorrow. But right now, He has given you today.

I want you to ask yourself one simple question today, what does picking up my cross look like right now? And then ask yourself whether you are waiting until you feel like obeying or whether you are developing the discipline to follow Jesus regardless of how you feel. Hebrews 12:1–2 tells us to lay aside every weight and sin that easily besets us, run with patience the race set before us, and keep looking to Jesus. You cannot run today’s race staring backward at yesterday. Today has its own grace, its own decisions, and its own cross, so pick it up.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, thank You for allowing me to see another day. Yesterday is finished, and I thank You for every victory, every lesson, every correction, and every act of surrender that took place. But today You have given me another opportunity to follow You, so I give this day back to You. Teach me what it means to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Jesus. Forgive me for the times I have wanted the benefits of following You without the discipline of surrender. Forgive me when I have called Jesus Lord with my mouth while allowing my emotions, preferences, pride, fear, or desires to have the final authority in my decisions. Holy Spirit, help me in the ordinary moments today. Help me when I am irritated, disappointed, overlooked, afraid, impatient, or tempted to control something that belongs in Your hands. When pride tells me I do not need correction, humble me. When offense tells me I have a right to hold on to what happened, remind me of the freedom of forgiveness. When fear tells me I need to control everything, remind me that You are trustworthy. Teach me to acknowledge my emotions without allowing them to become my authority. Let my thoughts be examined by Your truth, my desires submitted to Your wisdom, and my plans surrendered to Your will. When I do not feel like praying, help me pray. When I do not feel like forgiving, help me move toward forgiveness. When I do not feel like waiting, give me patience. When I need to apologize, break the pride that makes being right more important than making things right. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Show me where something is competing with Your authority. Reveal the excuses I have become comfortable making and the places where my mouth says yes while my actions are still saying no. Father, when I stumble, help me get back up. When I miss it, help me repent. When I hurt someone, give me humility to make it right. Do not allow shame to keep me on the ground when Your grace is calling me to continue walking. I thank You for yesterday’s surrender, but I will not attempt to live today on yesterday’s yes. Today I choose Your will over mine, Your Word over my feelings, Your Spirit over my flesh, Your timing over my impatience, Your truth over my thoughts, and Your purpose over my preferences. Lord, do not merely teach me how to have a surrendered moment. Teach me how to live a surrendered life. Today I pick up my cross again, and today I give You another yes. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: Hello Sunshine, you are not starting over; you are continuing. Yesterday’s surrender mattered but yesterday cannot carry today’s cross. God gave you another morning and another opportunity to choose Him. Do not wait until you feel like it. Pick up your cross again, give God today’s yes, and keep following Jesus!

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Romans 8:12–14 (NKJV) ~ “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Romans 8, Paul explains what it means to belong to Jesus Christ and live through the power of the Holy Spirit. He begins by declaring that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He then explains that the Spirit brings life and that believers are no longer obligated to live according to the flesh. When Paul says, “We are debtors—not to the flesh,” he is reminding believers that their former way of living no longer has a rightful claim over them. They do not owe their desires unquestioned obedience. They are not required to follow every impulse, repeat every old pattern, or allow their former way of thinking to determine their future.

But notice what Paul says in verse 13: “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” He does not present spiritual growth as something you accomplish through determination alone. The Holy Spirit empowers you to turn away from what opposes God and to live in a way that reflects your new life in Christ. Then Paul makes the declaration that brings this entire journey together: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” In the verses that follow, Paul explains that believers have received the Spirit of adoption, through whom they cry out, “Abba, Father.” (When is the last time you cried out “Abba Father?”) Being led by the Spirit is therefore not merely about receiving instructions. It is part of living in a relationship with God as His child. You are not trying to earn a place in His family by making perfect decisions. You are learning to live as someone who belongs to Him. And this is where this journey reaches its central peak. You have been examining what has power over you, growing in maturity, exercising discernment, and renewing your mind. But now you must ask yourself, Who is actually leading the life you are living?

Imagine preparing for a long journey through unfamiliar territory. You have asked someone who knows the route to take you to your destination. You settle into the passenger seat and say, “I trust you. You know where we are going.” But the moment the driver makes a turn you do not recognize, you become uncomfortable. You begin questioning the route, pointing toward the road you would have chosen, and wondering why the journey is taking longer than you expected. Before long, you find yourself reaching toward the steering wheel because you are convinced that your way would be better. And there you are, asking someone else to lead while still trying to control every turn. Now, think about your relationship with God. How often do you pray, “Lord, lead me,” but become uncomfortable when His direction does not agree with your plans? How often do you ask Him to order your steps, only to become impatient when the journey requires you to wait, change direction, or release something you thought you needed?

You cannot fully follow the One you have asked to lead while continually insisting on choosing every turn yourself. There comes a moment in your spiritual journey when you have to stop asking only what needs to change and begin asking who is directing the life you are living. You may have recognized some old habits, acknowledged some familiar patterns, and begun making different choices. You may have learned to pause before responding, examine what you allow to influence you, and recognize when a thought is leading you somewhere you no longer want to go. But what happens after you recognize those things? What happens when you have to make the next decision, enter the next conversation, accept or decline the next opportunity, or respond to the next unexpected change? You still need someone to lead you. And this is why this journey could not end with simply crucifying your flesh.

You can stop doing something without knowing what to do next. You can walk away from an old pattern and still feel uncertain when you encounter a new situation. You can establish a boundary and still need wisdom about how to maintain it. You can recognize that a familiar response is unhelpful and still need the Holy Spirit to teach you a better way. Crucifying the flesh was never meant to leave you standing still, afraid to make another decision. It was meant to help you stop allowing your flesh to govern the direction of your life so that you could become more attentive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Notice that Paul does not say you are led by every feeling you experience, every opportunity presented to you, or every desire that seems reasonable. He points you toward the Spirit of God. And that means you have to become willing to follow even when His direction challenges what you would have chosen for yourself.

For it is one thing to say, “Lord, lead me,” while everything is going according to your plan. It is another thing all together to continue trusting Him when you have to wait, when a door does not open, when an opportunity requires more responsibility than you expected, or when the next step involves a conversation you have been avoiding.  Sometimes you ask God for direction, but what you really want is confirmation that the direction you have already chosen is the right one. You have thought about what you want, considered how you want it to happen, and decided when you believe it should take place. Then you come before Him and ask Him to bless the plan. But what if His answer is different? What if the Holy Spirit leads you to wait when you are ready to move? What if He leads you to speak when you would rather remain silent? What if He leads you to apologize when you have been concentrating on what the other person did wrong? What if He leads you to establish a boundary when you would rather keep everybody comfortable?

Will you still follow when following requires you to release your preferred way of doing things? Proverbs 3:5–6 tells you to trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, and acknowledge Him in all your ways. That instruction does not mean you should stop thinking, planning, asking questions, or taking responsibility for your decisions. It means your understanding must remain submitted to God rather than becoming the final authority over your life. Sometimes,  the hardest thing to surrender is not an obviously harmful desire; but it is a plan you have worked hard to develop, an opportunity you have been hoping for, or a direction that makes perfect sense to you. You may even be able to explain why you want it. You may have the qualifications, resources, and opportunity to pursue it. But before you move, you still need to ask whether it agrees with God’s Word, whether it is wise for your present responsibilities, and whether you are remaining attentive to the Holy Spirit rather than simply following your enthusiasm.

Remember the question that began this new series, just because you can, does that mean you should? And this is where discernment becomes more than recognizing what is wrong. It helps you examine what is before you so that you can respond faithfully. My sister and brother, being led by Spirit, does not mean that every decision will come with an extraordinary sign or an unmistakable feeling. Sometimes His leadership is expressed through the clear teaching of Scripture. Sometimes you recognize that a decision would require you to compromise a principle you already know God has established. Sometimes you need to pray, gather information, seek wise counsel, and consider your responsibilities before moving forward. You do not have to manufacture certainty where you do not yet have it. James 1:5 reminds you that if you lack wisdom, you can ask God for it. And when you seek His wisdom, remain willing to receive instructions that may challenge your original preference, that willingness is part of surrender.

Sunshine, think again about that passenger reaching for the wheel. She trusted the driver as long as the road looked familiar. But when the journey took an unexpected turn, she wanted to take control. Sometimes you respond to God in a similar way because you are more comfortable with a familiar struggle than an unfamiliar act of obedience. You know how to respond when someone disappoints you because you have practiced that response for years. You know how to avoid a difficult conversation because avoidance has become familiar. You know how to take control when circumstances become uncertain because controlling the situation has been your way of managing discomfort. But now the Holy Spirit is teaching you another way to live. He may lead you to listen before defending yourself. He may lead you to address an issue instead of pretending it does not exist. He may lead you to allow someone else to carry a responsibility that does not belong to you. He may lead you to rest when you have become accustomed to measuring your worth by how much you accomplish. And because those responses are unfamiliar, you may feel tempted to reach for the wheel again. Do not confuse an unfamiliar response with a wrong response simply because it requires you to grow.

There is a difference between being uncomfortable because something is unwise and being uncomfortable because something requires you to change. That is why you need the discernment you have been developing. You must examine what is happening rather than allowing discomfort alone to determine your decision. Romans 8:5 says that those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Your attention matters. What you repeatedly entertain matters. The assumptions you make, the conclusions you reach, and the thoughts you continue rehearsing can influence whether you respond from wisdom or simply return to what is familiar. Perhaps you have been telling yourself that if you do not handle everything, nothing will get done. But the Holy Spirit may be teaching you how to delegate, communicate, and trust others with appropriate responsibilities. Perhaps you have been telling yourself that setting a boundary means you are being unkind. But He may be teaching you that you can be loving without agreeing to every request.

Perhaps you have been telling yourself that you must have every answer before taking a step. But He may be teaching you how to act faithfully with the understanding you have while trusting Him with what remains uncertain. Your thoughts do not have to agree with every old fear before you can begin walking in a new direction. And let us be clear about something else: being led by the Spirit does not mean that you will never experience another struggle with your flesh. Galatians 5:17 describes the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. You may still experience the urge to respond harshly, avoid a responsibility, satisfy an appetite, or return to a familiar habit. The presence of temptation does not mean you have failed to grow. What matters is that you are learning not to give every desire the authority to direct your choices.

Romans 8:13 says that “by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body.” You are not being instructed to rely solely on your willpower. You are called to depend on the Holy Spirit as you turn away from what opposes God and practice a different way of living. That dependence is not weakness. It is part of your new life in Christ. And Sunshine, you may discover that some of the clearest evidence of spiritual growth appears in ordinary situations that nobody else considers remarkable. Think about this, you receive a message that frustrates you, but instead of immediately sending the response you have already prepared, you pause and consider your words. You recognize that you are tired and becoming impatient, so you choose to rest rather than allowing your exhaustion to become an excuse for mistreating someone. You notice that you have begun comparing your progress with someone else’s, and you return your attention to the work God has placed before you.

You recognize that a conversation needs to happen, and instead of postponing it again, you pray, prepare, and approach it with honesty and love and those moments may not look impressive from the outside, but they matter. As the evidence that the Holy Spirit is leading you is that you handle an old situation in a new way. Galatians 5:22–23 describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities are not merely words to admire. They are evidence of the Spirit’s work becoming visible in the way you live. Think about what that could mean in your everyday life. Your family may begin experiencing greater patience from you. Your coworkers may notice that you can address a difficult issue without allowing frustration to control your tone. Your relationships may become healthier because you are learning to communicate honestly and establish appropriate boundaries. Your responsibilities may receive more consistent attention because you are no longer waiting until you feel motivated to do what needs to be done.

And this is when you begin experiencing a deeper sense of peace, not because every circumstance has changed, but because you are learning that every circumstance does not have to govern you. Romans 8:6 says, “To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” God’s peace does not always mean the absence of a difficult decision. Sometimes peace is the ability to remain grounded in Him while you make one. It is knowing that you can seek His wisdom, act faithfully, and trust Him with the parts of the outcome that are beyond your control. Now, as this series comes to a close, think about the journey that brought you here. You thought the conversation was finished when you completed Crucify It. You had spent time examining your flesh, recognizing what needed to be surrendered, and learning that new territory requires new discipline. But then you encountered 1 Corinthians 6:12, and the question became deeper: “What still has power over me?”

Hebrews 5:11–14 challenged you to grow beyond spiritual infancy and exercise your discernment. Romans 8 directed your attention to the mind and the life that comes through the Holy Spirit. And now you have reached the question that has been waiting at the center of it all; “Who is leading you?” Because you can recognize a problem without surrendering it. You can learn a lesson without practicing it. You can develop discernment and still choose to ignore what you recognize. You can understand the importance of renewing your mind and still spend your days entertaining thoughts that keep you on an old path. At some point, what you have learned must become part of how you live. And that is where transition comes with a cost. Remember that sometimes the cost is releasing your need to control the outcome. Sometimes it is accepting that your preferred timing may not be the wisest timing. Sometimes it is choosing obedience when the easier option is available. Sometimes it is admitting that you were wrong, asking for help, changing a habit, or following through on a responsibility you have been postponing.

But do not measure the value of surrender only by what you have to release. Consider what God is developing in you as you learn to follow Him: greater maturity, stronger discernment, healthier responses, deeper trust, and the ability to recognize when your flesh is trying to regain authority over your decisions. For the greater is not what you receive next, but it is who you are becoming while you learn to follow God. You can remain dependent on God while taking responsibility for the next faithful step. If you make a mistake, do not use it as a reason to abandon everything you have been learning. Acknowledge what happened, seek forgiveness where needed, receive correction, and return your attention to the way God is teaching you to live. Philippians 1:6 reminds you that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God is continuing His work in you. You are not expected to complete the entire journey in five days, but you can choose to keep growing beyond these five days.

So, when you wake up tomorrow, do not treat this series as something you have finished and can now put away. Take what you have learned into your next conversation, your next responsibility, your next opportunity, and your next decision. Before you respond, ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond wisely. Before you commit, consider whether the opportunity is beneficial and appropriate for your responsibilities. When you recognize an old pattern, exercise your discernment. When your mind begins traveling a familiar path that no longer serves you, bring your thoughts back to what is true. And when you find yourself reaching for the wheel because the road ahead is unfamiliar, remember the One you have asked to lead you. You do not have to control every turn to follow God faithfully.

And the goal was never simply to stop doing what your flesh wanted. The goal is to become increasingly willing to live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. You crucified it. You examined it. You began growing beyond it. You exercised your discernment and learned to renew your mind. Now keep walking. Let the Spirit take the lead, not only when His direction agrees with your plans, but also when following Him requires you to surrender the plans you would have chosen for yourself.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me to the end of this journey and for showing me that the work You are doing in me does not end when a devotional series ends. Thank You for every lesson You have taught me about crucifying my flesh, examining what has power over me, growing in spiritual maturity, exercising discernment, and renewing my mind. Today, I come before You with a simple but sincere request: Holy Spirit, take the lead in my life. Father, forgive me for the times I have asked You to lead me while continuing to insist that everything happen according to my own plans. Forgive me for the moments when I have wanted Your approval more than Your direction, when I have asked You to bless a decision I had already made, or when I have become impatient because the journey was taking longer than I expected. Help me surrender my need to control every outcome and teach me to trust You with the parts of my life that I cannot fully understand. Holy Spirit, lead me in my thoughts before they become words, in my emotions before they become reactions, and in my desires before they become decisions. When I am frustrated, teach me to respond with patience. When I am offended, help me pursue truth and love rather than allowing bitterness to take root. When I am uncertain, remind me to seek wisdom instead of making a rushed decision simply because I am uncomfortable waiting. When I recognize an old pattern, give me the strength to choose a different response. Lord, I invite Your leadership into every area of my life. Lead me in my family, my relationships, my responsibilities, my work, my ministry, my finances, my conversations, and the decisions I make when nobody else is watching. Help me recognize when an opportunity is beneficial and when it would require me to neglect something You have already placed in my hands. Teach me to distinguish between what I am capable of doing and what I should responsibly commit myself to doing. Father, continue developing my discernment. I do not want to make decisions based only on my feelings, my fears, or my desire to be accepted. Teach me to examine what is before me through Your Word, to seek wise counsel when needed, and to remain humble enough to acknowledge when I do not have all the information. Help me recognize the difference between a necessary warning and an old fear, between a wise boundary and an attempt to avoid a difficult conversation, and between an opportunity I should embrace and one I should prayerfully decline. Holy Spirit, continue renewing my mind. When I begin rehearsing an argument, remind me to seek a wise and loving response. When I begin imagining the worst possible outcome, help me return to what I actually know and trust You with what remains uncertain. When I am tempted to compare my journey with someone else’s, refocus me on the responsibilities and opportunities You have given me. When I begin believing that I cannot change, remind me that You are continuing Your work in me. Father, help me accept the cost of transition without becoming resentful of what I need to release. If I must surrender an old habit, give me the discipline to establish a healthier one. If I must have a difficult conversation, give me the courage to speak truth in love. If I must establish a boundary, help me do so with clarity and kindness. If I must wait, develop my patience. And if You are leading me to move forward, help me take the next faithful step without demanding that I understand every part of the journey. Lord, let the fruit of Your Spirit become increasingly visible in my life. Develop love in the way I treat people, joy that is not dependent on every circumstance going my way, and peace that keeps me grounded when I face uncertainty. Strengthen my patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Let the people who interact with me experience the difference Your Spirit is making in the way I listen, speak, serve, forgive, and respond. God, Thank You that I belong to You. I do not have to earn Your love through perfect decisions, and I do not have to hide from You when I struggle. When I stumble, help me acknowledge it and return to You. When I need correction, help me receive it. When I need support, give me the humility to ask for it. And when I become distracted by an old desire or familiar way of thinking, remind me that I do not have to give it authority over my next decision. Father, I have asked You for greater, but today I also ask You to make me ready for the responsibilities that greater may bring. Give me wisdom to recognize what belongs in my life, maturity to handle what You entrust to me, and humility to remain dependent on You. Do not allow new opportunities, increased responsibilities, or growing confidence to replace my need for Your presence and guidance. As I move beyond these five days, help me continue practicing what You have taught me. Let this not become another series I have read and enjoyed without allowing it to influence the way I live. Teach me to carry these lessons into ordinary moments, private decisions, difficult conversations, and unfamiliar circumstances. Let my desire to follow You become stronger than my desire to have everything my own way. And Lord, when I find myself reaching for the wheel again, gently remind me that I have asked You to lead. Help me loosen my grip on what I cannot control, take responsibility for what You have placed before me, and trust You with the road ahead. My prayer is no longer simply, “God, take me somewhere greater.” My prayer is, “God, continue making me more mature, more discerning, more surrendered, and more attentive to Your Spirit as You lead me forward.” In the Matchless, Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Nugget: You cannot ask the Holy Spirit to lead while insisting on choosing every turn. Crucifying your flesh makes room for a different way of living, but you must continue choosing to follow. Release your grip on what you cannot control, exercise the wisdom God is developing in you, and let the Spirit take the lead, one faithful decision at a time.

Consider what you know from scripture, what responsibilities are already before you, and whether you need additional information or wise counsel. Then identify one practical way to surrender control while taking the next faithful step.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Have A Great Weekend

Romans 8:5–6 (NKJV) ~ “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

In the book of Romans 8, Paul explains what life looks like for those who belong to Jesus Christ and are learning to walk according to the Spirit. He begins with a powerful declaration in verse 1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Paul is not telling believers that they will never struggle again. He is reminding them that through Jesus Christ, they are no longer condemned, and through the Holy Spirit, they are no longer left to face the struggle against the flesh in their own strength. In Romans 7, Paul has described the conflict between wanting to do what is right and finding himself struggling to carry it out. Romans 8 answers that struggle by directing our attention to the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that the flesh and the Spirit lead in different directions because they operate from different priorities. Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, while those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Notice that Paul connects the way you live with the direction of your mind. Your mind is not separate from your spiritual walk. What you continually entertain, dwell upon, agree with, and allow to influence your thinking can shape the decisions you make and the responses you give. When Paul speaks about being carnally minded, he is describing a mind governed by the flesh rather than submitted to God. He is not saying that every ordinary human thought, emotion, or desire is sinful. He is showing the difference between a life directed by self-centered desires that resist God’s leadership and a life increasingly shaped by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:6 says that to be spiritually minded is “life and peace.” This is more than a promise that every circumstance will become easy. It describes the life that comes through belonging to Christ and living under the leadership of His Spirit, even while you face difficult circumstances. And that brings you to an important part of your journey. You have been learning to examine what controls you and to exercise discernment. But what happens when you recognize that something needs to change, yet your mind keeps returning to the very thing you are trying to leave behind?

Read this story slowly: The Path Through the Grass ~ Imagine a woman who moves into a home with a beautiful backyard. When she first walks outside, she notices that there is a narrow dirt path cutting straight through the grass. It is not the path she would have chosen, and it does not lead where she wants to go, but it is already there. Day after day, she takes that familiar route because it is easy to follow. Eventually, she realizes that the path leads through an area that becomes muddy whenever it rains. Her shoes get dirty, she slips more than once, and she grows frustrated because every time she goes outside, she ends up dealing with the same mess.

One morning, she decides to create a different path. She chooses a route that goes around the muddy area and leads directly to the place she wants to reach. But the new route is covered with grass. It takes more effort to walk through it, and because the old dirt path is so visible, she keeps finding herself turning toward it without even thinking. Sometimes she catches herself halfway down the old path and has to turn around. Other times, she remembers before taking the first step. For several days, the new route feels unfamiliar. She has to pay attention to where she is going. She has to make an intentional decision each time she steps outside. But as she continues walking the new path, the grass begins to give way beneath her feet. The route becomes easier to recognize, and eventually, she notices something else: the old path is beginning to grow over because she is no longer walking on it every day.

Think about that for a moment. The old path did not disappear simply because she decided she wanted a different one. She had to stop traveling the familiar route and begin walking the new one. And sometimes, that is exactly what happens with your thinking. You can decide that you want to respond differently, live differently, and follow the Holy Spirit more consistently, but the familiar thoughts and reactions may still present themselves. You may have spent years rehearsing certain fears, expecting certain outcomes, or responding to certain situations in the same way. A different path becomes more familiar as you intentionally choose to walk it.

Have you ever noticed how quickly your mind can take you somewhere you never intended to go? You may begin your morning feeling peaceful, and then one conversation, one memory, one unexpected message, or one disappointing moment changes the direction of your thoughts. Before you realize what has happened, you are rehearsing an argument that has not taken place, imagining an outcome you do not know will happen, or revisiting something that hurt you years ago. You may not have said anything or taken any action, but inwardly, you have already spent a great deal of time responding to something.  And sometimes, your mind can keep you engaged in a situation long after the situation itself has ended.

You may have walked away from the conversation, but you are still arguing in your thoughts. You may have forgiven someone, but you keep returning to the details of what happened and imagining what you wish you had said. You may have decided to trust God with an uncertain situation, but every time you think about it, you begin rehearsing the worst possible outcome. Now, having a difficult thought does not mean you have failed spiritually. A painful memory can return without your permission. An anxious thought can arise before you have had an opportunity to examine it. You may experience sadness, frustration, or disappointment while sincerely seeking to follow God. The question is not whether an unwanted thought ever enters your mind. The question is what you do when you recognize where that thought is trying to lead you.

Romans 8:5 tells you that those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. That means you have to become intentional about what you allow to guide your thinking. You may not control every thought that appears, but you can learn to examine it, refuse to agree with what is false or destructive, and redirect your attention toward what is true. Second Corinthians 10:5 speaks about “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (Every single day I read this scripture; I need God’s help with my thought life!) Think about what that requires. You cannot bring a thought into obedience if you never stop to examine it. You have to recognize what you are thinking, consider whether it agrees with God’s truth, and decide whether it deserves to influence your response. Because for some of you, the thoughts you need to examine may sound so familiar that you no longer recognize them as something you have been agreeing with, that is not agreeing with God for you.

Perhaps you repeatedly tell yourself, “Nothing ever works out for me.” Maybe you assume that someone is upset with you because they have not responded to your message. Perhaps you have begun believing that you must handle everything yourself because nobody else will do it correctly. Maybe you tell yourself that you cannot change because you have always been this way. Those thoughts may feel convincing because you have repeated them so often. But familiarity does not make a thought true, and repetition does not give it authority over your life. But before you allow a thought to determine your next decision, ask yourself whether you actually know it to be true. Are you responding to what happened, or are you responding to what you fear might happen? Are you remembering a real experience, or are you assuming that every future experience will end the same way? Are you considering the situation before you, or are you allowing an old disappointment to interpret it for you? Proverbs 18:13 warns against answering a matter before hearing it. That principle is important not only in your conversations with others but also in the conclusions you reach within yourself. Sometimes you need to stop and admit, “I do not have enough information to decide what this means.” That is not weakness. That is wisdom.

And this is where the discernment you have been developing becomes necessary. You cannot allow every thought to become a conclusion, every conclusion to become a decision, and every decision to become an action without first examining what is influencing you. Think about the path through the grass. If you have spent years responding to criticism by immediately becoming defensive, that familiar response may present itself before you have fully heard what someone is saying. If you have spent years avoiding difficult conversations, your mind may begin preparing reasons to postpone the conversation before you have even considered how to approach it. If you have spent years saying yes because you are afraid of disappointing people, you may feel guilty the moment you consider establishing a necessary boundary. The familiar path is still visible, but you do not have to keep walking it simply because you know where it is.

Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Notice that Paul speaks of transformation through renewal. God is not merely interested in changing your outward behavior while leaving the thinking behind that behavior untouched. He is inviting you to allow His truth to reshape the way you understand yourself, your circumstances, your responsibilities, and your choices. That renewal takes place as you continue bringing your thinking before Him. You read His Word, reflect on what it teaches, pray for understanding, receive correction, and begin practicing responses that agree with His truth. You may have to pause before speaking. You may have to remind yourself that another person’s disappointment does not automatically mean you have done something wrong. You may have to acknowledge that a delay is not necessarily a denial, that an unfamiliar opportunity is not automatically a threat, or that one difficult experience does not determine the outcome of every experience that follows.

Don’t pressure yourself, as you are learning how to distinguish between what is happening and what your mind has been telling you about what is happening. And sometimes the change begins with something as simple as refusing to continue an argument in your head. You may have every reason to address an issue with someone, but mentally rehearsing the argument all day will not necessarily prepare you to handle it wisely. It may only increase your frustration. Instead, you can acknowledge that the conversation needs to happen, pray about your words, consider the facts, and choose an appropriate time to speak. Philippians 4:8 encourages you to meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. That does not mean pretending that painful or difficult circumstances do not exist. It means refusing to let your mind become a place where fear, offense, resentment, and imagined outcomes receive unlimited attention.

You can acknowledge what is difficult without allowing it to become the only thing you think about. (Read this line again and then just sit in it for a moment.) Just consider how much of your day can be influenced by what you repeatedly feed your mind. You may begin with a genuine desire to spend time with God, but before you know it, you have spent an hour scrolling through other people’s lives. You may intend to rest, but you keep consuming information that leaves you more agitated than you were before. You may want to develop greater contentment, but you repeatedly compare your progress, appearance, possessions, relationships, or opportunities with what someone else has shared. And then you wonder why your mind feels unsettled.

Not everything you encounter is harmful, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying entertainment, learning from others, or staying informed. But you need to pay attention to what your habits are producing in you. Are they helping you think clearly and live faithfully, or are they continually stirring up comparison, dissatisfaction, distraction, or fear? Remember the question from 1 Corinthians 6:12: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.” That principle applies to what you repeatedly allow into your mind. Something may be available to you without being beneficial for you to consume in unlimited amounts. You do not have to watch every video, follow every conversation, respond to every notification, or remain informed about every detail of everybody else’s life. Sometimes exercising your freedom means deciding, “I do not need to give this any more of my attention.”

And this is not simply about avoiding negative information; but your mind needs to be nourished by what strengthens your faith and you cannot continually feed your thoughts with fear and comparison while expecting your thinking to become grounded in God’s promises without intentionally making room for His Word, (that was a devotional a couple of weeks back.) Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” As you spend time in Scripture, you begin developing a foundation of truth that you can return to when your thoughts become unsettled. When you are tempted to believe that you must control everything, you can remember Proverbs 3:5–6 and acknowledge God in your ways. When you feel that you cannot face what is ahead, you can remember that God invites you to ask Him for wisdom, as James 1:5 teaches.

You are not using Scripture to deny your circumstances, but you are allowing God’s truth to guide the way you respond to them. And sometimes, the mind you need to renew is the mind that has become accustomed to expecting the worst of yourself. Perhaps you made a poor decision, and you have been replaying it ever since. You have acknowledged what happened, taken responsibility, and tried to make things right, but you still speak to yourself as though that mistake is the only thing that defines you. Romans 8:1 declares that there is “now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” That does not mean your choices have no consequences or that you should avoid responsibility. It means that condemnation does not have to become the foundation of your identity.

You can acknowledge that you were wrong without declaring that you are incapable of growing. You can recognize that you need to change without agreeing with the thought that you will never change. You can receive correction without treating every correction as proof that you have no value.

Conviction can lead you toward repentance and growth. Condemnation tries to convince you that growth is no longer possible. And as you continue this journey, you must learn to recognize the difference. Now, let us talk about the cost of transition, because renewing your mind requires you to become willing to release some familiar ways of thinking. You cannot keep asking God for greater peace while continually entertaining every thought that steals your peace. You cannot keep asking Him to develop your confidence in His leadership while insisting that you must understand and control every detail before you obey. You cannot keep asking for healthier relationships while allowing old assumptions to determine what you believe about every new person you meet. And you cannot keep asking for new territory while allowing your mind to convince you that the old path is the only path you know how to walk.

Sometimes the cost of transition is no longer giving an old thought the same amount of attention you once gave it. You may have to stop rehearsing what someone said and begin preparing for the conversation you actually need to have. You may have to stop comparing your progress with someone else’s and return your attention to the responsibility God has placed before you. You may have to stop imagining every possible outcome and begin taking the next wise step with the information you have. That is not always easy. The familiar path may still be the first one you notice.

But every time you recognize an old pattern and intentionally choose a different response, you are practicing the maturity you have been learning about. But I want you to remember that renewing your mind does not mean you must maintain a cheerful thought every moment of the day. You are human. You may experience grief, exhaustion, uncertainty, or frustration. You may need rest, support, or time to process something difficult. Being spiritually minded does not require you to deny those experiences. But what it does mean is that even in those moments, you can bring your thoughts and feelings before God rather than allowing them to become your only source of direction.

Romans 8:26 reminds you that the Spirit helps you in your weaknesses. You are not expected to navigate every struggle through your own determination. You can ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize what is true, what needs your attention, and what you need to release. For you cannot change an entire pattern today, but you can begin by recognizing it. You can pause before following it. You can choose one thought to examine, one response to change, or one source of unnecessary distraction to limit. You do not have to clear the entire path in one morning. You do have to begin walking in the direction you want to grow. So today, pay attention to where your mind goes when you are disappointed, pressured, offended, afraid, or simply left alone with your thoughts. Notice the familiar stories you tell yourself and the conclusions you reach before you have all the facts. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize which thoughts need to be examined, which need to be released, and which truths from His Word you need to remember. And when you recognize that your mind has started down an old path, do not spend the rest of the day condemning yourself for noticing it late. Turn around. Bring your attention back to what is true. Make the next wise decision.

Because the purpose of renewing your mind is not to prove that you never have another difficult thought. It is to learn that a familiar thought does not have to determine the direction of your life. You have been learning to crucify your flesh. You have been examining what still has power over you. You have been challenged to grow beyond spiritual infancy and exercise your discernment. Now allow the Holy Spirit to address the thinking that influences the choices you make. You cannot consistently walk in a new direction while continually allowing an old way of thinking to choose your path. Let your mind be renewed, and as your thinking becomes increasingly shaped by God’s truth, allow your decisions, words, and actions to follow suit.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me to another day of this journey. Thank You for the work You have already begun in me and for continuing to show me that following You involves more than changing my outward behavior. Today, I invite You to examine my thoughts, my assumptions, my attitudes, and the familiar ways of thinking that influence my decisions. Help me recognize where my mind has been returning to patterns that no longer agree with the life You are teaching me to live. Holy Spirit, teach me to set my mind on the things of the Spirit. When an unwanted thought enters my mind, help me not to become discouraged or condemn myself. Give me the wisdom to examine what I am thinking and the strength to refuse agreement with what is false, destructive, or contrary to Your Word. Where my thoughts have been shaped by fear, help me seek what is true. Where they have been shaped by offense, help me pursue wisdom and forgiveness without ignoring what needs to be addressed. Where they have been shaped by comparison, remind me to remain faithful to the responsibilities and opportunities You have placed before me. Father, forgive me for the times I have allowed my thoughts to move ahead of the facts. When I have assumed that someone intended to hurt me without first seeking understanding, help me become slower to judge and quicker to listen. When I have imagined the worst possible outcome and responded as though it had already happened, teach me to pause and acknowledge what I do and do not know. When I have allowed a difficult experience from my past to determine how I approach every new situation, help me recognize the difference between a lesson I need to remember and a fear I no longer need to follow. Lord, renew my mind concerning myself. Help me take responsibility when I am wrong without allowing condemnation to define me. When I am tempted to believe that I cannot grow, remind me that You are continuing Your work in me. When I make a mistake, give me the humility to acknowledge it, the courage to make things right where possible, and the willingness to learn from it. Father, teach me to receive Your correction as an invitation to grow rather than a reason to give up. Help me become more intentional about what I allow to occupy my attention. Give me discernment concerning the conversations I participate in, the information I consume, and the habits that shape my thinking. Show me when I need to put down my phone, step away from a conversation, take time to rest, or return my attention to something You have already asked me to do. Let me enjoy the good gifts You have given me without allowing distractions, comparison, or the need to know everything to govern my day. Father, as I continue transitioning into the life You are calling me to live, help me release the old ways of thinking that have kept me walking familiar paths. If I have been responding to uncertainty by trying to control everything, teach me to prepare wisely while trusting You with what is beyond my control. If I have been responding to disappointment by withdrawing or becoming defensive, teach me to communicate with honesty and love. If I have been allowing fear to make decisions for me, give me the wisdom to recognize when caution is appropriate and the courage to take the next faithful step when You are leading me forward. Holy Spirit, help me remember Your Word when my thoughts become unsettled. Bring Scripture to my remembrance and help me understand how to apply it faithfully. Teach me to distinguish between what I feel, what I assume, and what I know to be true. Where I need more information, help me seek it. Where I need wise counsel, give me the humility to receive it. Where I need to wait, develop my patience. And where I already know the next step You are asking me to take, help me obey. Lord, I do not ask for a life in which I never experience another difficult thought or challenging emotion. I ask for a life in which those thoughts and emotions no longer have unquestioned authority over my decisions. When I notice myself returning to an old pattern, help me turn toward You without shame. When I become tired, strengthen me. When I become distracted, refocus me. When I become uncertain, remind me that Your Spirit is present to help me in my weakness. God, Thank You that I do not have to remain on the same familiar path simply because I have walked it for years. Continue renewing my mind, developing my discernment, and teaching me to follow Your Spirit. Let my thoughts increasingly agree with Your truth and let my choices reflect the life and peace that come from walking with You. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: A familiar thought does not have to become your next decision. Stop allowing an old way of thinking to choose the path you are trying to leave behind. Examine what you are entertaining, renew your mind with God’s truth, and let the Holy Spirit lead you toward life and peace. Today, choose one recurring thought to examine. Consider what you know to be true, what you may be assuming, and what God’s Word teaches. Then practice one different response. You may need to pause before speaking, seek clarification, limit a distraction, pray before making a decision, or redirect your attention toward a responsibility you have been avoiding.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) ~ “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

In Hebrews 5, the writer pauses while teaching about Jesus Christ as our great High Priest to address the spiritual growth of the believers receiving the message. They have become dull of hearing and still need foundational instruction when they should be ready to receive deeper teaching. The writer compares their condition to that of an infant who still needs milk, then explains that solid food belongs to those who have matured. But notice how Hebrews 5:14 describes maturity. It does not simply say that mature believers have heard more teaching or memorized more Scripture. It says that “by reason of use” they have exercised their senses to discern both good and evil. Their ability to recognize and respond to what is right has developed through practice.

The word exercised gives us a picture of training. Just as your physical abilities become more developed through repeated use, your spiritual discernment grows as you receive God’s Word, apply it, and learn to recognize the difference between what agrees with His truth and what leads you away from it.

Discernment is not merely having a strong feeling about something. It is not assuming that every uncomfortable situation is a warning from God or that every pleasant opportunity is His approval. Spiritual discernment requires you to examine what is before you in the light of God’s Word, seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and respond with wisdom. And this is where today’s conversation begins. You have been learning what needs to be crucified, what should no longer have power over you, and why you cannot remain spiritually immature. Now you must begin exercising what you have learned.

I have a question for you; have you ever walked into a situation and almost immediately thought, “Something about this feels familiar”? Maybe it was the way a conversation began, the pressure you felt to make a quick decision, or the familiar urge to respond before you had all the information. Perhaps you noticed yourself becoming frustrated over something you thought you had already learned to handle differently. You recognized the pattern, but you were not quite ready to admit what recognizing it might require you to do. And there you stood, with an opportunity to make a different choice, while everything familiar inside you was encouraging you to respond the way you always had. You need to know that sometimes the challenge is not that you do not recognize what is happening, you recognize it, but you do not want to respond to what you recognize. You see the familiar pattern beginning again and you notice how a particular conversation is affecting your attitude; and you can recognize that an opportunity is going to require more time and energy than you have available. You can hear yourself preparing to say something you know will cause unnecessary hurt. You notice that a habit you thought you had brought under control is slowly beginning to take up more room in your life.

But instead of pausing to consider what you already see, you convince yourself that this time will be different. You tell yourself that you can handle it, that it is not serious enough to address, or that you will deal with it later. Deep down, however, you recognize that something is not right. Before long, you find yourself praying for God to bring you out of a situation that had already shown you signs to pay attention to. You need to know that not every hardship comes from a poor decision, and you cannot anticipate every difficulty. But there are times when God has given you the wisdom to recognize that something needs to change. The question is not whether you saw the warning signs. The question is what you chose to do with what you saw. Proverbs 22:3 says, “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.” The prudent person does not have to experience every possible consequence before taking a warning seriously. Wisdom teaches you to recognize danger and respond appropriately.

You just need to know that you do not have to keep walking into what you have already learned to recognize. Think about a conversation that has repeatedly ended in frustration. You may already know which subjects need to be approached carefully, what causes you to become defensive, and when your emotions are beginning to take over. Discernment helps you recognize those moments before you say something you will later regret. It gives you an opportunity to pause, pray, listen, and choose a different response. That does not mean you should avoid every difficult conversation. Remember, during Crucify It, you were reminded that some conversations are hard to have, but they still must be had. Discernment helps you distinguish between a conversation that is necessary and a conversation that is simply feeding an argument. It helps you recognize when to speak, when to listen, when to establish a boundary, and when to allow everyone involved time to settle before continuing.

James 1:19 tells you to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Those instructions give you something practical to exercise. When you feel the urge to interrupt, you can choose to listen. When you want to respond immediately, you can choose to pause. When your anger begins rising, you can recognize it without allowing it to take control of your words. Each time you practice that response, you are learning to handle a familiar situation with greater maturity. And know this important fact; discernment is not the same as suspicion. God wants you to have discernment, but the world calls it suspicion, know and learn the difference. You can become so focused on looking for what is wrong that you begin questioning everybody’s intentions, interpreting every delay as rejection, or treating every unfamiliar situation as a threat. That is not the purpose of spiritual discernment. God is not calling you to live in fear of people or opportunities. He is teaching you to examine what is before you with a mind grounded in His truth.

First Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” Notice that you are not instructed to reject everything. You are instructed to test it and hold on to what is good. That means you do not have to make an immediate decision simply because an opportunity has been presented to you. You can ask questions. You can seek wise counsel. You can examine whether the opportunity agrees with Scripture, whether you have the capacity to fulfill its responsibilities, and whether accepting it would require you to neglect commitments God has already placed in your hands. You can also recognize something good and receive it with gratitude. Not every new relationship is a distraction. Not every opportunity is a trap. Not every change is a warning. Discernment helps you distinguish between what you should embrace, what you should approach carefully, and what you should decline.

And that brings us back to an important question: Just because you can, does that mean you should? You may be qualified for an opportunity, but is it appropriate for this season? You may have the resources to make a purchase, but is it wise stewardship right now? You may have the right to express your disappointment, but will the way you are preparing to express it bring clarity or simply create more hurt?

Sometimes the answer will be yes. Sometimes it will be no. Sometimes you will need to wait until you have more information. The goal is not to develop a habit of saying no to everything. The goal is to stop allowing your immediate desire to make a decision that requires spiritual wisdom. Discernment requires you to examine yourself. It is easy to ask God to reveal the intentions of everybody around you while avoiding the question of what is happening in your own heart. You need to make this a part of your daily prayer, Psalm 139:23–24 gives you a different starting point: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” David did not begin by asking God to search everybody else. He invited God to examine him.

What if you began doing the same thing before making a difficult decision? Instead of asking only, “What is wrong with this situation?” you could also ask, “Lord, what is influencing the way I am seeing this situation?” Are you responding from wisdom or from a previous hurt? Are you saying yes because you believe God is leading you, or because you are afraid of disappointing someone? Are you saying no because the opportunity is not right for you, or because you are afraid of trying something unfamiliar? Are you seeking clarity, or are you looking for someone to agree with a decision you have already made? Those questions may be uncomfortable, but they help you examine your motives rather than assuming that every strong feeling is spiritual direction.

Jeremiah 17:9 reminds you that the heart can be deceitful. That is one reason you cannot depend on your feelings alone to determine what is right. Your feelings can alert you that something deserves attention, but they still need to be examined alongside God’s Word, the facts of the situation, and wise counsel. And remember, you can be sincere and still be mistaken. You can genuinely believe that you understand a situation and later discover that you did not have all the information. Spiritual maturity gives you the humility to acknowledge that possibility. It allows you to ask questions without becoming defensive and to change your understanding when new information reveals that you were wrong. Proverbs 18:13 says, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.” Discernment requires you to listen before reaching conclusions. Sometimes the wisest thing you can do is admit that you do not yet know enough to make a decision.

Now, think about how this applies to your relationships. You may notice that a relationship has become one-sided, that certain interactions repeatedly leave you exhausted, or that you have begun compromising an important boundary to keep someone else comfortable. Discernment helps you recognize that the pattern needs attention, but it does not automatically tell you to end the relationship. You may need to have an honest conversation, clarify expectations, establish a boundary, seek support, or recognize that the relationship needs to change. The appropriate response depends on what is actually happening. This is why you need both truth and love. Ephesians 4:15 calls you to speak “the truth in love.” Truth helps you acknowledge what is happening. Love helps you respond without unnecessary cruelty, retaliation, or a desire to punish someone. And sometimes the person you need to have a difficult conversation with is yourself. (Please read that last sentence again!) You may need to admit that you have been ignoring your responsibilities. You may need to acknowledge that you keep saying you want peace while repeatedly participating in conversations that disturb it. You may need to recognize that you have been asking God for direction while resisting the instruction He has already given you through His Word.

Listen up you cannot develop discernment while continually refusing to examine the patterns that are already visible in your life. And this is where the cost of transition becomes personal. You have been asking God to lead you into new territory. You have been praying for greater wisdom, greater discipline, healthier relationships, and the ability to carry what He is preparing for you. But you cannot take every familiar pattern into a new season simply because it has become comfortable.

New territory requires you to recognize when an old response no longer belongs in the life you are learning to live. You have responded to disappointment with silence for years. Now God is teaching you how to communicate honestly. You may have responded to uncertainty by trying to control everything. Now God is teaching you how to prepare responsibly while trusting Him with what you cannot control. You may have said yes to every request because you did not want anyone to be upset with you; but now He is teaching you that a loving no can be more faithful than an exhausted yes.

Those changes do not happen simply because you have heard a devotional about them. They happen as you begin practicing a different response when the opportunity presents itself. That is what Hebrews 5:14 means when it says your senses are exercised “by reason of use.” You develop discernment when you take the truth you have learned and apply it to the decisions right in front of you. You still need to pause. You still need to pray. You still need wise counsel. But you are learning not to ignore what God has already taught you; do not confuse discernment with the ability to predict everything that will happen. You will not always know how a situation will unfold. You will not always recognize every challenge before it arrives. You may make a thoughtful, prayerful decision and still encounter difficulty. Discernment does not give you control over the future. It helps you make faithful decisions with the understanding you have today.

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” You are invited to ask for wisdom. You do not have to pretend that you know what to do when you are uncertain. But when you ask, remain willing to receive an answer that challenges your preference. Sometimes you want God to confirm the decision you have already made. You want Him to bless the direction you have chosen, approve the response you have prepared, or remove the discomfort you feel about something you do not want to release. But Spirit-led living requires a different posture: “Lord, I am willing to be corrected. I am willing to wait. I am willing to change direction. Show me what is true and help me respond faithfully.” That is how discernment and surrender work together.

As you prepare your mind for today, begin paying attention to the thoughts that influence your decisions. Notice what you repeatedly rehearse, what you assume before you have all the facts, and what you tell yourself when you are trying to justify a choice. Your mind plays an important role in how you interpret what is happening around you. Romans 12:2 calls you to be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may discern the will of God. The more your thinking is shaped by His Word, the better prepared you become to recognize when your desires, assumptions, and responses need to change. As you have already learned too much to keep ignoring every familiar warning sign. You have heard the Word. You have been challenged to crucify your flesh. You have examined what still has power over you. You have been reminded that spiritual maturity requires practice. Now it is time to exercise your discernment. Remember, before you respond, pause. Before you commit, consider. Before you assume, listen. Before you follow a familiar desire, examine where it is leading you. And before you ask God to show you what is wrong with somebody else, invite Him to search your own heart. You do not have to know everything to make a wise decision, but you do need to be willing to use what God has already taught you.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me to another day of this journey. Thank You for the lessons You have already taught me about crucifying my flesh, examining what has power over me, and growing beyond spiritual infancy. Today, I ask You to develop my discernment. Help me become more attentive to Your Word and more willing to apply it when I face decisions, difficult conversations, unfamiliar opportunities, and familiar patterns. Holy Spirit, show me where I have been ignoring what I already recognize. If there are habits I keep excusing, conversations I keep avoiding, or choices I keep making without considering their consequences, help me examine them honestly. Give me the courage to acknowledge what needs to change without becoming discouraged or defensive. Teach me to respond to Your correction with humility and obedience. Father, guard me against confusing discernment with fear, suspicion, or the need to control everything around me. I do not want to assume the worst about people or reject every opportunity simply because I do not understand it. Teach me to test what is before me in the light of Your Word, to seek wise counsel, to ask thoughtful questions, and to wait when I do not yet have enough understanding to make a decision. God, help me recognize the difference between my feelings and Your direction. When I am hurt, keep me from allowing that hurt to determine every conclusion I reach. When I am excited, help me not to mistake my enthusiasm for Your approval. When I am afraid, give me the courage to examine whether You are warning me or inviting me to trust You through something unfamiliar. Let my emotions bring me to You rather than become the final authority over my choices. Lord, search my heart as David prayed. Reveal the motives I have overlooked, the assumptions I have treated as facts, and the familiar responses I have continued to justify. Help me recognize when pride is making me defensive, when fear is making me avoid what needs to be addressed, and when my desire for approval is causing me to agree to something I should prayerfully reconsider. Teach me to exercise discernment in my relationships. Give me wisdom to recognize when a conversation is necessary, when a boundary needs to be established, when I need to listen more carefully, and when I need to acknowledge that I have been wrong. Help me speak truth in love without becoming harsh, and help me show love without refusing to address what is true. Where a relationship needs healing, give me wisdom and humility. Where a situation requires distance or additional support, help me respond with clarity and courage. Father, as You lead me into new territory, help me recognize the old patterns that cannot continue governing my life. I do not want to carry yesterday’s reactions into tomorrow’s responsibilities. I do not want to ask You for greater opportunities while refusing to develop the judgment needed to handle them. Teach me to practice what I have learned in the small decisions so that I become more prepared for the greater responsibilities ahead. And Lord, when I do not know what to do, remind me that I can ask You for wisdom. Keep me from pretending to have answers I do not have or forcing a decision simply because I am uncomfortable waiting. Give me the humility to seek counsel, the patience to gather understanding, and the willingness to change direction when Your Word reveals that I need to do so. Let my discernment grow through consistent prayer, study, obedience, and practice. Help me recognize what is good and hold fast to it. Help me identify what is harmful and respond wisely. Above all, keep my heart surrendered to You so that I do not use discernment to elevate my own judgment above Your truth. I want to become more mature in the way I think, speak, listen, decide, and respond. Let my life reflect the work You are doing within me and teach me to follow Your Spirit one faithful decision at a time. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.

Nugget: Discernment is not simply recognizing what is happening; it is learning how to respond wisely to what you recognize. Stop ignoring the lessons God has already taught you. Pause, pray, examine what is true, and exercise your discernment before your familiar patterns make another decision for you. Today Ask yourself: “What do I already recognize about this situation, what do I still need to understand, and what would a wise, loving, Spirit-led response look like?” Before taking action, spend time in prayer, consider what Scripture teaches, and seek wise counsel if needed. Then choose one practical step that puts what you have learned into practice.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…

Hebrews 5:11–14 (NKJV) ~ “Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

You Cannot Remain Where You Began, in Hebrews 5, the writer is explaining the priesthood of Jesus Christ and His role as our great High Priest. But before continuing into a deeper explanation, the writer pauses to address the spiritual condition of the people receiving the message. There is more to teach them, but they have become “dull of hearing.” They are not progressing in their understanding and application of God’s Word as they should. The writer uses the picture of milk and solid food to explain the difference between spiritual infancy and maturity. Milk is appropriate for a baby. A baby needs nourishment, care, patience, and time to develop. There is nothing wrong with beginning there. But as a child grows, their ability to receive and digest food must grow too. What was sufficient at one stage of development cannot remain their only source of nourishment forever.

The concern in Hebrews is not that these believers once needed milk. It is that, after having time to grow, they still needed to be taught the foundational truths again. They had not developed the understanding and discernment that should come from consistently receiving and applying God’s Word. Hebrews 5:14 tells us that mature believers have their senses “exercised to discern both good and evil.” Spiritual maturity is not simply knowing more Scripture or having been a believer for many years. It involves putting God’s Word into practice until your judgment, responses, and decisions increasingly reflect what He has taught you. And that brings us to today’s question: Are you growing in what God has taught you, or are you still waiting for someone to teach you the same lesson again?

Yesterday, you were challenged to examine what still has power over you. You were asked to look beyond whether something is permissible and consider whether it is beneficial. You were reminded that just because you can do something does not mean you should, and that the freedom Christ has given you should not be surrendered to another desire, habit, emotion, or influence. But today, the conversation moves a little deeper. Because once you recognize what has been influencing you, you have to decide whether you are willing to grow beyond it, for growth requires more than recognizing what needs to change.

You can recognize that you need to become more patient and still refuse to practice patience. You can acknowledge that your words sometimes cause unnecessary hurt and still insist that people should simply accept the way you speak. You can identify a habit that is interfering with your responsibilities and continue making room for it. You can know that God is calling you to greater discipline and still wait for somebody else to motivate you every time you need to follow through.

At some point, what you know must begin changing how you live. That is the challenge in Hebrews 5. The writer is not telling these believers that they need to become perfect. He is confronting the fact that they have had opportunities to grow, yet they are not progressing as they should. They still need someone to return to the beginning and explain what they should already be learning to practice.

Now, think about your own journey. How many times has the Holy Spirit brought you back to a lesson you thought you had already learned? How many times have you prayed about the same pattern, recognized the same warning signs, or received the same correction, only to find yourself standing in a familiar situation making a familiar choice? Sometimes you find yourself revisiting a lesson because there is something more God wants to teach you. But sometimes you are revisiting it because you have not yet put into practice what He has already shown you and there is a difference.

And this is where you have to be willing to have an honest conversation with yourself. You cannot keep measuring your spiritual growth only by how long you have been saved, how many sermons you have heard, how many Bible studies you have attended, or how many Scriptures you can quote. Those things can contribute to your growth, but the evidence of maturity is also found in how you respond when the Word you have heard is tested in your everyday life. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” You can hear a message about forgiveness and agree with every word, but what happens when you have an opportunity to forgive? You can hear a teaching about controlling your tongue and even encourage someone else to apply it, but what happens when you are frustrated and have something sharp to say? You can study the importance of trusting God, but what happens when His direction requires you to wait longer than you wanted? That is where the Word moves from something you have heard into something you are learning to live.

Do you remember what we discussed during Crucify It? That your flesh does not get the final say. You have to stop feeding what you are trying to crucify. Denying yourself is not denying your destiny, and new territory requires new discipline. But now the question is whether those truths are becoming part of the way you live or whether they remain words that encouraged you for a moment.

You cannot keep celebrating a lesson while refusing to live it. Perhaps you have learned that every feeling does not require an action, but when someone disappoints you, do you still allow that feeling to determine your entire response? Perhaps you have learned that you need healthier boundaries. But when the opportunity comes to establish one, do you abandon it because you are afraid someone may be upset with you? Perhaps you have learned that some conversations are difficult but necessary. Yet when the time comes, do you still avoid the conversation and hope the situation will somehow resolve itself?

This is not about condemning yourself for the areas where you are still growing. It is about recognizing that the next stage of growth requires you to exercise what you have already learned.

Hebrews 5:14 says that mature believers have their senses exercised “by reason of use.” Notice those words: by reason of use. Discernment develops through practice. You do not develop stronger spiritual judgment merely by wishing you had it. You grow as you study the Word, seek God’s wisdom, apply what He teaches you, and learn from the choices you make. Think about someone learning to walk. At first, they need support. They may stumble, fall, and reach for a steady hand. But as they continue practicing, their balance develops. Eventually, they can take steps that once seemed impossible. They do not become stronger by remaining seated and talking about walking. They become stronger as they begin to use what they are developing and your spiritual growth requires that same willingness to practice.

You may not handle every situation perfectly, but you can begin handling familiar situations differently. You can pause before responding. You can pray before making a decision. You can recognize when your emotions are rising and choose not to allow them to govern your words. You can establish a boundary and maintain it with kindness. You can acknowledge when you are wrong without immediately explaining why somebody else was wrong too, it may appear to be small choices, but they are opportunities to exercise what God has been teaching you. So, don’t overlook the importance of being teachable. Sometimes you can become so familiar with a scripture, a sermon, or a spiritual principle that you stop allowing it to challenge you. You may know the words so well that you assume you have mastered the lesson. But familiarity with a truth is not the same as maturity in that truth.

The writer of Hebrews says the people had become “dull of hearing.” That should cause you to examine not only whether you are hearing God’s Word, but how you are receiving it. Are you still allowing the Word to correct you? Can you receive instruction without immediately becoming defensive? When the Holy Spirit reveals something uncomfortable, are you willing to consider it, or do you quickly explain why it does not apply to you? Here is something for you to think about, sometimes the evidence that you are growing is not that you have stopped needing correction, but it is that you have become more willing to receive it and respond to it. Proverbs 12:1 says, “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” The language is direct because correction matters. If you want to grow in wisdom, you cannot continually reject the very instruction that would help you develop it.

Are you praying for greater responsibility, a deeper assignment, healthier relationships, and greater influence, in your life; then you must know that growth is going to require you to develop the maturity needed to carry what you are asking God to place in your hands. You cannot keep asking for greater while insisting that you should never have to change. Remember, the cost of transition is letting go of the excuse you have used for years, it is accepting responsibility for a decision without blaming the circumstances surrounding it. It is learning to receive a no without allowing disappointment to become rebellion. It is choosing consistency when nobody is watching or allowing God to develop your character before you receive the opportunity you have been praying for. And it is admitting, “I should be further along in this area, and I am ready to do the work required to grow.” That admission does not have to come from shame, it comes from hope. Because the fact that you recognize an area where you need to grow means you have an opportunity to begin responding differently today.

Philippians 1:6 reminds you that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God is not finished with you. But as He continues His work, you are called to participate through faith, obedience, and a willingness to be taught. And remember, Sunshine, spiritual maturity is not the same as spiritual independence. Getting off the milk does not mean you no longer need encouragement, teaching, prayer, or the support of other believers. It does not mean you have reached a point where you can no longer stumble or where you should be ashamed to ask for help. Mature believers continue learning, receiving correction, and depending on God. The difference is that you are no longer content to remain unchanged.

Now you have begun taking responsibility for applying what you have learned. You recognize when you need help and seek it rather than pretending everything is fine. You stop treating every difficult situation as though you have never encountered God’s truth before. Instead, you ask, “What has God already taught me that I need to put into practice right here?” And as you grow, your discernment begins to develop. You start recognizing patterns earlier. You become more attentive to the difference between what your flesh wants and what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. You begin noticing when an opportunity is drawing you away from your priorities, when a conversation is moving toward unnecessary conflict, or when a familiar desire is trying to regain influence over you.

You may still feel the pull of an old pattern, but you are learning that you do not have to follow it.

That is growth. You may still have moments when you want to respond the way you once did, but now you recognize that you have another choice. That is growth. You may still need to have a difficult conversation, but instead of avoiding it for weeks, you pray, prepare, and approach it with truth and love. That is growth. You may still be learning how to discern God’s direction, but you are becoming more willing to seek Him before making a decision rather than asking Him to approve one you have already made. That is growth. Please do not despise the beginning of your journey, and do not become discouraged because there are areas where you still need to mature. But do not make a permanent home in a stage God is calling you to grow beyond.

Milk was meant to nourish you at the beginning, not become an excuse to refuse the solid food that will strengthen you for what comes next. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area where you have been hearing the lesson but have not consistently practiced it. Do not begin by examining everybody else’s maturity. Begin with your own heart. Ask God what you already know but need to start doing. Because the next step in your journey may not require another explanation. It may require you to exercise what God has already taught you.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for continuing to teach me and for loving me enough not to leave me where I began. Thank You for every lesson, every correction, every opportunity to grow, and every moment when Your Word has challenged the way I think and live. As I come before You today, I ask You to search my heart and show me where I have become comfortable with hearing Your Word without consistently applying it. Help me recognize the areas where I have been revisiting the same lesson because I have not yet responded to what You have already shown me. Father, forgive me for the times I have confused knowing Your Word with living Your Word. Forgive me for the moments when I have been quick to recognize what someone else needs to change but slow to acknowledge what You are addressing in me. Remove pride, defensiveness, and the need to justify every response. Give me a teachable spirit and a heart that welcomes Your correction, even when it challenges something I have grown accustomed to doing. Holy Spirit help me move beyond spiritual infancy. Teach me to receive the deeper truths of Your Word and give me the courage to practice them. When I am frustrated, remind me of what You have taught me about patience. When I am offended, help me remember what You have taught me about forgiveness and self-control. When I face a difficult conversation, give me the maturity to speak truth in love rather than allowing fear, anger, or avoidance to determine my response. When I am tempted to return to an old pattern, remind me that I have already learned another way to walk. Lord, I do not want to keep asking You to take me into new territory while refusing to develop the discipline and maturity that new territory requires. Help me accept responsibility for my choices. Teach me to stop making excuses for what I need to address and to stop postponing the obedience You are asking of me today. Where I need wisdom, help me seek it. Where I need correction, help me receive it. Where I need support, give me the humility to ask for it. And where I already know what is right, give me the strength to follow through. Father, develop my discernment as I exercise what You have taught me. Help me recognize the difference between what is familiar and what is beneficial, between what my flesh desires and what Your Spirit is directing me to do. Let my spiritual senses become more attentive through prayer, study, obedience, and practice. Teach me to recognize the warning signs I once ignored and to respond to Your direction before a small compromise becomes a familiar pattern. Thank You that You are not finished with me. I do not have to become everything You are developing in me overnight, but I do need to remain willing to grow. Help me be faithful in the small decisions, consistent in the private moments, and obedient when the lesson I have learned is tested in real life. Let my words, attitudes, relationships, responsibilities, and daily choices begin reflecting the maturity You are producing in me.  Lord, I do not want to remain where I began simply because it is comfortable. I want to grow in Your Word, become stronger in discernment, and learn to follow the Holy Spirit with greater consistency. Let my desire for greater be matched by my willingness to mature. Continue the good work You have begun in me and help me become a doer of Your Word and not a hearer only. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: Spiritual maturity is not measured only by how much of God’s Word you know, but by how willing you are to live what He has taught you. Don’t keep returning to the beginning because you refuse to practice the lesson. Get off the milk, exercise your discernment, and let your daily choices show that you are growing. Think about a lesson God has brought to your attention more than once. It may involve patience, forgiveness, discipline, boundaries, stewardship, communication, or trusting Him with something you cannot control. Ask yourself: “What do I already know God is asking me to do, and what has kept me from consistently putting it into practice?” Choose one specific way to exercise that lesson today. Do not wait until you feel completely ready. Begin with the opportunity already in front of you.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean….

Who’s Leading You? We are going from Crucifying the Flesh to Walking in the Spirit. I so thought that we were finished with this, but God.

We spent the last five days talking about crucifying the flesh. We dealt with the hard stuff. We talked about how your flesh does not get the final say, how you have to stop feeding what you are trying to crucify, how denying yourself is not denying your destiny, and how new territory requires new discipline. We even talked about those difficult conversations that sometimes have to be had whether we want to have them or not. By the time we reached Day Five, I thought, “Okay, Lord, we got it. Crucify it, surrender it, and let the Holy Spirit lead.” But sometimes you can think God has finished speaking simply because He has finished one part of the conversation. And that is what happened to me during this season.

So, after re-reading Monday’s devotional and another devotional that I read, this scripture came front and center. All I can say, ole my God after I read 1 Corinthians 6:12, and the words would not leave me alone; “I will not be brought under the power of any.” I stopped right there. We had just spent an entire week talking about crucifying our flesh, and now the Lord was causing me to look at something deeper. It was almost as though He was asking, “Now that you have identified what needs to die, have you examined what still has power over you?” Did you know that there is a difference between putting something down and no longer being controlled by it.

You can put something down temporarily and still want it. You can walk away and still keep looking backward. You can stop doing something outwardly while continuing to entertain it inwardly. You can even call something surrendered while secretly leaving the door cracked in case you decide you want to return. That is why Paul’s words struck me differently: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.” In other words, maturity cannot always be measured by the question, “Am I allowed to do this?” Sometimes maturity asks, “Is this helping me become who God is calling me to be?”

And that is where transition comes with a cost. We love to talk about transition when we are talking about going somewhere greater. We celebrate new seasons, new territory, new opportunities, new relationships, new assignments, and new doors. But we do not always talk about what transition requires you to leave behind. You cannot transition while insisting on carrying everything from the previous season with you. There is a cost to becoming.

Sometimes the cost is a habit. Sometimes it is your comfort. Sometimes it is your need to be understood. Sometimes it is a relationship that continually pulls you backward. Sometimes it is an attitude, an appetite, an old way of thinking, your need to control everything, or the version of yourself that learned how to survive one season but cannot lead you effectively into the next one. Jesus said in Luke 14:28, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost?” There is a cost associated with building. And if God is building something different in you, there will be a cost associated with becoming the person who can carry it and crucifying your flesh was part of that cost. I am truly beginning to understand that crucifying something is not always the end of the process. Sometimes crucifixion creates space for transition. God removes what has been governing you so that He can teach you how to live under a different kind of leadership.

Then, as I read Tuesday’s devotional from Hebrews 5:11–14, the conversation shifted from the need for control to the importance of spiritual maturity. The writer essentially says, By now, you should be further along. There were people who should have been able to handle solid food, but they still needed milk. And verse 14 says that mature believers have their senses exercised “to discern both good and evil.” And that made me ask another question: What if some of the things God is requiring me(you) to leave behind are not punishment at all? What if they are evidence that He expects me to mature? There are things you may have needed in one season that you cannot continue needing forever. There are reactions God may have tolerated while He was developing you that He is now confronting. The excuses that may have explained your yesterday cannot continue to govern your tomorrow. At some point, you must choose to grow, and growth will require something of you.

It will cost you the comfort of always doing what you have always done. It may cost you the luxury of blaming everybody else. It may cost you some conversations you have been avoiding. It may cost you the need to always have the last word. It may cost you immediate gratification because you finally understand that what feels good right now can interfere with what God is developing for later.

Then Wednesday came, and I read Romans 8 and this was the icing on the cake, so here we are again in this week, for all the scriptures began to come together. First Corinthians asked, “What has power over you?” Hebrews asked, “Are you mature enough to discern?” And Romans 8 essentially asked, “Who is leading you?” Romans 8:5 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Then Romans 8:14 declares, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

I realized that Crucify It was not the end. It was preparation for transition. God was not simply teaching us what needed to die. He is preparing us to recognize what should live. He is not simply saying, “Stop letting your flesh lead you.” He is preparing us for the next question: “Will you now allow My Spirit to lead you?” And this my sister and brother is where the cost of transition lives.

You cannot ask the Holy Spirit to lead while reserving the right to overrule Him whenever His direction becomes uncomfortable. You cannot say, “Lead me,” and then only follow when His direction agrees with your preference. Spirit-led living means sometimes He will tell you no when your flesh wants yes. Sometimes He will tell you wait when you are ready to move. Sometimes He will tell you move when you would rather remain comfortable. Sometimes He will tell you be quiet when you have the perfect response prepared. Sometimes He will tell you to have the conversation you have been avoiding and sometimes He will tell you to release it when everything inside you wants to hold on.

Now I don’t want you to misunderstand the cost of what is being asked of you. What God is asking you to surrender is not greater than what surrender produces in you. Romans 8:6 says, “To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” There is something on the other side of surrender. There is life. There is peace. There is maturity. There is discernment. There is freedom from things that once controlled you. So, the question is no longer simply, “What do I have to give up?” The question becomes, “What is God trying to grow in me that requires me to release this?” And this changes the conversation. Now we are going for another five days. Not because Crucify It did not work; but because God apparently was not finished with the conversation. We crucified it, now we are going to count the cost of transition, examine what still has power, get off the milk, exercise our discernment, renew our minds, and learn to live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Because after everything we have surrendered, everything we have learned, and everything God has been showing us, this one question still remains, who’s leading you now?

Let’s Begin Day 1: Good Morning Sunshine! Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should!

1 Corinthians 6:12 (NKJV) ~ “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul is addressing believers in Corinth who were learning what it meant to belong to Christ while living in a culture where many behaviors were treated as normal and acceptable. Some had begun using their freedom as a reason to justify their choices. Paul responds by making an important distinction: something may be permissible, but that does not automatically make it beneficial. And even when you have the freedom to do something, you must not allow it to become your master.

Paul’s words were not an invitation to do whatever you wanted. In the surrounding verses, he specifically addresses sexual immorality and reminds believers that their bodies belong to the Lord. His larger point is that your freedom in Christ is not permission to live without regard for God’s purpose. You have been given freedom so that you can live for Him and not so that another desire can take control of you. And that brings us to today’s question: Just because you can, does that mean you should?

So, let’s get started, you just finished learning what and how to crucify your flesh. You examined your desires, your habits, your reactions, your discipline, and even those difficult conversations you would sometimes rather avoid. You were challenged to stop feeding what you are trying to crucify and to stop allowing your flesh to have the final say. But now you are standing at another point in the journey, and the Holy Spirit is asking you to look a little deeper. You may have stopped doing something, but has it stopped having power over you? Now this is not a question that you should rush to answer, (sit in this and write the question and the answer down.)

Sometimes you can put something down without truly releasing its hold on you. You can stop responding to a particular person but still spend hours rehearsing what you wish you had said. You can decide to change a habit but continue arranging your day around the opportunity to return to it. You can walk away from something outwardly while still allowing it to occupy your thoughts, direct your emotions, and influence your decisions. This is why Paul’s declaration matters: “I will not be brought under the power of any.” He is not merely asking whether he has permission. He is refusing to surrender his freedom to something that would control him. You see the things that had been controlling you are not the things you immediately recognize as wrong. Think about it, it could be your phone, your schedule, your spending, your appetite, your desire to be noticed, or your need to know what everybody thinks about you.

Or it may be your need to respond immediately when someone says something you do not like. It may be your desire to have the last word, your need to fix everybody else’s problems, or your inability to rest because you feel that everything depends on you. None of these things should be examined only by how they look from the outside. The deeper question is, “What happens inside me when I cannot have it, cannot do it, cannot control it, or cannot get the response I want?” You see if you become consumed by the thought of it, if your peace disappears when it is unavailable, or if you repeatedly set aside what you know God is asking of you to satisfy that desire, it may be time to examine how much influence you have given it.

Now, this is where the conversation becomes personal. You may be able to explain why you do what you do. You may have a reason for your response, a history behind your habit, or a justification for the decision you want to make. But having an explanation does not always mean you should continue allowing that thing to govern you. Sometimes spiritual maturity requires you to acknowledge, “I understand why I developed this pattern, but I cannot keep allowing it to lead me.”

Think about how often you ask, “What’s wrong with it?” You may ask that question about what you watch, what you say, what you purchase, where you go, whom you spend time with, or how you choose to respond. But what if the Holy Spirit is inviting you to ask a different question? “Is this helping me become who God is calling me to be?” Something may be enjoyable without being helpful in every circumstance. Something may be available without being appropriate for this season. Something may have served a purpose in your life before but no longer deserves the amount of time, attention, or influence you are giving it now.

You do not have to call everything bad in order to recognize that it is not beneficial for you. Consider your time, and I know that I have mentioned your phone earlier, but you need to see this again; yes, you have the freedom to spend an evening scrolling through your phone, watching television, or doing something you enjoy; but you need to know that rest and recreation have their place in your life also. But if you continually tell yourself that you do not have time to pray, study the Word, complete an important responsibility, or have a needed conversation, you may need to examine what has been receiving your attention. The question is not whether you are allowed to enjoy your evening. The question is whether your choices are supporting or working against the life you say you want to live.

Consider your words, you may have every opportunity to respond when someone offends you and you may even have a valid point to make. But Proverbs 15:1 reminds you that “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Just because you can say something does not mean it needs to be said in that moment, in that tone, or in that way. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will lead you to speak truth in love. Other times, He will lead you to pause, listen, and allow your emotions to settle before you speak. And remember those difficult conversations we discussed during Crucify It. You cannot use today’s message as an excuse to avoid them. There is a difference between being led to remain silent for a moment and using silence to escape a conversation you know needs to happen. Discernment requires you to seek God’s wisdom about what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. Your flesh may want to attack, withdraw, defend itself, or avoid the issue altogether. The Holy Spirit can lead you toward a response that is truthful, loving, and mature.

Consider your desire to be in control. You may be capable of managing a situation, solving a problem, or stepping in when someone else is struggling. But does every situation require your involvement? Are you helping because God is leading you to help, or because you are uncomfortable when things happen without your input? Sometimes the most difficult thing for you to surrender is not a bad habit. It is your belief that you must be the one who makes everything work. Proverbs 3:5–6 calls you to trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding. That means you can acknowledge what you know and what you are capable of doing while still asking God whether He wants you to act. Your ability to do something does not automatically make it your assignment.

You have been praying about the next season of your life. You have been asking God for greater wisdom, greater opportunities, healthier relationships, deeper spiritual understanding, and the discipline to carry what He places in your hands. But you cannot keep asking God to lead you into something new while insisting that every old desire must be accommodated along the way. For the cost of transition is the ability to give up something that you are perfectly capable of doing because you recognize that it is no longer helping you grow. Sometimes it is choosing not to purchase something because wisdom is calling you to steward your resources differently. Sometimes it is declining an opportunity because you recognize that an open door is not automatically your assignment. Sometimes it is refusing to participate in a conversation that feeds offense, comparison, or gossip, even when you have something you could contribute. And sometimes the cost is admitting that you have been allowing something to control you while continuing to call it a preference.

You see the purpose of this examination is not to make you fearful of every choice or convince you that enjoying life is wrong. The Holy Spirit is not leading you into a life of constant suspicion and condemnation. He is teaching you to recognize the difference between enjoying something and being governed by it, between making a free choice and responding to an appetite that you have stopped questioning. Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” You have been given freedom in Christ. Do not voluntarily hand that freedom back to something that cannot give you life.

So today, take a close look at the things you routinely say yes to. Not only the obvious temptations, but the familiar patterns you rarely stop to question. Examine what receives your time, what shapes your thoughts, what triggers your reactions, and what influences your decisions. Ask yourself whether you can willingly set something aside when the Holy Spirit directs you to do so. You do not need to prove your freedom by participating in everything available to you. Sometimes your freedom is most clearly demonstrated by your ability to say, “I can, but I choose not to.”

And as you begin your new journey, remember that you are not trying to earn God’s love by making perfect decisions, but you are learning to live as someone who already belongs to Him. You are allowing His Word to mature your judgment and His Spirit to guide your choices. Yesterday’s question may have been, “What do I need to crucify?” Today’s question is, “What am I still allowing to have power over me?” Do not be afraid to ask it. And when the Holy Spirit shows you something, do not rush to defend it. Bring it before God. Ask Him to help you understand its influence, establish the boundaries you need, and make a different choice. Because just because you can does not mean you should. And just because something is available does not mean it deserves access to you. You have been given freedom. Now learn to walk in it without allowing anything else to become your master.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to continue teaching me even when I think I have reached the end of a lesson. Thank You for what You have already revealed as I have worked through crucifying my flesh. Now, as I begin this next part of my journey, I invite You to search my heart and show me what still has more influence over me than it should. Help me not to rush past this question or defend the things You are asking me to examine. Give me the humility to acknowledge what is true and the courage to respond to what You reveal. Holy Spirit, teach me the difference between what I am free to do and what is beneficial for me to do. Help me recognize when a desire, habit, emotion, relationship, responsibility, or opportunity is beginning to govern my choices. Where I have confused my ability with my assignment, give me wisdom. Where I have allowed my appetite to make decisions for me, strengthen my self-control. Where I have allowed my need for approval, comfort, recognition, or control to direct my actions, teach me to find my security in You. Father, I do not want to leave one season of bondage only to become entangled in something else. If there is anything I keep returning to in my thoughts, anything I continue making excuses for, or anything I am unwilling to surrender when You ask, help me bring it honestly before You. Teach me to establish healthy boundaries without becoming fearful, to enjoy Your good gifts without allowing them to control me, and to make wise decisions without depending solely on my own understanding. God, as You prepare me for what is ahead, help me accept the cost of transition. Give me the strength to say no when no is necessary, to wait when waiting is wise, to speak when truth needs to be spoken, and to remain silent when my flesh simply wants the last word. Help me recognize that every opportunity does not require my participation and every desire does not require my agreement. Let my choices reflect the maturity You are developing in me. Lord, I want my next season to be marked not merely by new opportunities but by a deeper dependence on You. Let my freedom produce obedience, my obedience develop discernment, and my discernment keep me attentive to Your Spirit. When I am tempted to ask only, “Can I do this?” remind me to ask, “Does this honor You? Is this helpful? Is this where You are leading me?”  Thank You that I do not have to walk this journey in my own strength. Continue the work You have begun in me, and help me surrender whatever competes with Your leadership. I declare that my flesh does not get the final say, and I will not willingly give another desire the authority that belongs to You. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Freedom is not the need to say yes to everything available to you; it is the ability to say no to anything that should not have power over you. Let the Holy Spirit lead your choices, not merely your desires. Before you make a familiar choice today, pause and ask yourself: “Is this helpful, or have I simply become accustomed to doing it? Can I set it aside if the Holy Spirit leads me to?” You do not have to examine your entire life at once. Begin with one area where you sense that your habits or desires may be influencing you more than you realize.

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean….