| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Renewed hope” Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience…: Colossians 3:12 (CSB) Our thought for today: “You will feel better and so will they” This morning let me begin by thanking all of you for your patience and understanding as I took a week off for personal renewal. It was a wonderful week of rest, reflection, and family fun in Texas. I love my son and daughter-in-law very much and I enjoy being with them, but time with my three-year-old grandson Oliver is especially good therapy for me. (Tom and Liz make great babies. They need to keep at it. Lol) With respect to our theme for this month of renewed hope, as we learned in our last devotional eight days ago sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap (or give yourself some other kind of break.) We often lose hope simply because we are burned out and running on empty physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I took the break I needed and I am renewed. Thank you. (By the way, did you take a break? I did encourage you in that last devotional to consider doing so. If so, I would love to hear about it. And if you didn’t, I hope you have one planned soon.) Now I would like for us to consider another reason people sometimes lose hope, and I will introduce you to a way in which that hope can be renewed. People sometimes lose hope because they become overwhelmed not just with their own problems, but with other people’s problems as well. There are two primary reasons that happens. Sometimes we get co-dependent. We allow ourselves to get sucked into other people’s drama in unhealthy ways to the point that we feed on it – even feeling like we need it. The co-dependent person becomes so involved in the other person’s stuff that it gets to the point where they are living all their own life and half of the other persons too. Another common way in which we become involved in other people’s issues to an unhealthy degree is when we confuse sympathy, empathy, and rational compassion. There is a place for each, and a degree to which each are healthy and unhealthy. We will continue our thinking about this tomorrow. Until then, I want to invite you to spend a few moments meditating on the attributes Paul encourages us to exhibit in Colossians 3:12 (compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience). We will come back to this verse tomorrow and we will think about how we can exhibit such virtues in ways that are healthy and balanced but for today, make it a point to bless others in that way. You will make them feel better and you will feel better too. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
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Oak Hill Baptist Church 
I am glad that you are back. I’m praying that you are rested and refueled. I enjoy your daily inspiration. Thank you so much. Blessings.
Thank you, Donna! It was a great week of fun with my family, and very relaxing.