Tag: faith

Healing…

Today’s a new day! 

Life has a way of leaving marks on us—some visible, many hidden deep within the heart. Wounds come in all forms: betrayal, rejection, loss, abuse, disappointment, spoken in anger, or silence where love should have been. And if we’re honest, many of these wounds were never our fault. They were inflicted by others, shaped by circumstances beyond our control, or born out of a broken world.

But while your wound may not be your fault, your healing is your responsibility.

This truth can feel heavy at first. It may even seem unfair. Why should you have to carry the burden of healing something you didn’t break? Yet, within this truth lies a powerful invitation from God—not to carry the pain alone, but to step into freedom through Him.

God Sees Your Pain

Before anything else, you must know this: God is not indifferent to your suffering. Scripture reminds us that He is “close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” He sees every tear, every sleepless night, every silent ache. Your pain matters to Him.

Healing does not begin with pretending you’re fine. It begins with honesty before God.

Healing Is a Choice, Not a Feeling

Healing rarely happens automatically with time. Left unattended, wounds can harden into bitterness, resentment, or fear. Choosing to heal means deciding that your past will not define your future.

It means saying:

  • “I will not let what happened to me control who I become.”
  • “I will bring my pain to God instead of burying it.”
  • “I will pursue wholeness, even when it’s difficult.

This choice is not made once—it’s made daily.

You Are Not Meant to Stay Stuck

Sometimes we unknowingly build a home in our hurt. It becomes familiar. Even our identity can start to form around it: “the rejected one,” “the abandoned one,” “the one who was hurt.”

But God never intended for your wound to become your identity.

Your identity is found in Him—redeemed, chosen, loved, and restored.

Healing requires letting go of the labels your pain has given you and embracing the truth of who God says you are.

Forgiveness Is Part of Freedom

One of the hardest, yet most essential, steps in healing is forgiveness. Forgiveness does not excuse what happened. It does not minimize the pain. It simply releases the hold that offense has on your heart.

When you refuse to forgive, you remain tied to the very thing that hurt you.

When you forgive, you don’t set them free—you set yourself free.

Healing Is a Process with God

Healing is not instant. It’s a journey—sometimes slow, often uncomfortable, but always worthwhile. God walks with you through every step of it.

He heals through:

  • His Word, which renews your mind
  • His presence, which brings peace
  • Community, which provides support and encouragement
  • Time, which allows deep restoration
  • You don’t have to rush the process. But you do have to participate in it.

Take Responsibility for Your Healing

Taking responsibility doesn’t mean blaming yourself. It means taking ownership of your next step.

It means:

  • Seeking God intentionally
  • Being willing to confront your pain
  • Choosing growth over comfort
  • Asking for help when needed

No one else can do this for you.

A Final Encouragement

You may have been wounded in ways that were deeply unfair. But your story doesn’t end there. With God, pain is never wasted. What hurt you does not have to define you—it can refine you.

Healing is possible. Freedom is available. Restoration is real.

And it begins when you decide that, with God’s help, you will no longer live bound by what happened to you—but transformed by what He is doing within you. ~OC

You can listen to this blog post at my YouTube page Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Who Or What Owns Your Peace?

Today’s a new day! As I continue to walk through this crazy beautiful health journey, I have found peace. A peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s a really great place to live. 

I have found that whoever or whatever steals your peace owns you. 

That statement may sound strong, but when you pause and reflect on it, you’ll realize how deeply true it is. As believers, we are called to live in the peace of God—a peace that is not fragile, not circumstantial, and not dependent on what happens around us. Yet so often, we hand that peace over without even realizing it.

When your mood is controlled by someone else’s opinion, they own a piece of you. When anxiety dictates your decisions, it takes the driver’s seat of your life. When fear keeps you from stepping out in faith, it quietly becomes your master.

But Scripture reminds us of a different reality.

Jesus said, “My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives.” God’s peace is not something that can be taken from you—it’s something that must be surrendered. That means nothing external has the power to steal your peace unless you allow it.

Think about that for a moment.

The frustrating coworker, the unexpected bill, the harsh comment, the uncertain future—none of these things have authority over your inner world unless you grant them access. Peace is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of God in the middle of it.

So what tends to steal our peace?

Sometimes it’s people. We replay conversations, carry offenses, and seek approval so desperately that we become emotionally dependent on others. Other times it’s circumstances—financial pressure, health concerns, or unanswered prayers. And often, it’s internal: worry, comparison, guilt, or the need to control outcomes.

Each of these things whispers the same lie: “You are not safe unless this is resolved.”

But God says, “You are safe in Me.”

When we anchor our hearts in Christ, we begin to live differently. We stop reacting to everything and start responding with intention. We learn to pause, pray, and release what we cannot control. We guard our hearts, not out of fear, but out of wisdom.

Protecting your peace is not selfish—it’s spiritual.

It means choosing trust over worry, forgiveness over offense, and surrender over control. It means reminding yourself daily that God is still on the throne, even when life feels uncertain.

If something is stealing your peace today, ask yourself honestly: why am I giving this so much power?

Then bring it before God.

Lay it down in prayer. Speak truth over it. Refuse to let it dominate your thoughts. You may not be able to control what happens around you, but through Christ, you can absolutely steward what happens within you.

Because at the end of the day, whoever or whatever steals your peace only owns you if you let it.

And you were never meant to live owned by fear, pressure, or people.

You were meant to live free—in the unshakable peace of God. ~OC

You can listen to the Spoken Word of this post at my YouTube channel Todd E. Shoemaker Music.

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Morning Prayer

Dear Jesus, 

In Your mighty name, we come before You with faith and expectation. We declare that miraculous turns of events are unfolding even now. Where there has been chaos, You bring order. Where there has been delay, You release divine acceleration.

Lord, we trust that without warning, every storm will lose its strength and run out of rage. The winds that once threatened will be silenced by Your authority, and Your peace will take their place. Every conspiracy, every hidden scheme will fall apart and be brought to nothing, for no plan can stand against Your perfect will.

Father, we believe that a sudden and powerful turnaround is ahead. You are working behind the scenes, aligning every detail for the good of the world. What was meant for harm, You are turning into victory. What seemed uncertain, You are making secure.

Strengthen our hearts to stand firm in faith as we wait on You. Fill us with hope, courage, and unwavering trust in Your promises. We receive Your divine intervention and declare that breakthrough is near.

We pray all of this in the powerful and matchless name of Jesus. Amen 

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Blind Loyalty

Today’s a new day! 

There is a quiet danger that can take root in the heart of a believer—one that doesn’t always look like rebellion at first. It begins when our passion for political identity starts to overshadow our devotion to Jesus. What once was a tool for engaging the world becomes something deeper, something more consuming. We begin to measure righteousness not by Christ’s teachings, but by party lines. We defend positions with more zeal than we defend the Gospel. In these moments, political loyalty subtly replaces the lordship of Christ, and our faith risks becoming secondary rather than central.

Jesus never called His followers to place their hope in earthly systems or leaders. His kingdom, as He said, is not of this world. While Christians are certainly called to be engaged, thoughtful participants in society, our ultimate allegiance must remain anchored in Him. When politics becomes our primary lens, we can begin to justify attitudes that contradict Christ—harshness instead of compassion, division instead of unity, pride instead of humility. The cross calls us to something higher, something eternal. It reminds us that our identity is not found in ballots or platforms, but in the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

This doesn’t mean withdrawing from the world, but it does mean examining our hearts. Are we more disturbed when our political side loses, or when we fail to love as Christ commanded? Do we spend more time consuming political content than Scripture? These are not easy questions, but they are necessary ones. The Gospel challenges every allegiance we hold and asks us to surrender all at the feet of Jesus. When He is truly first, everything else—including our political views—falls into its proper place.

In a divided world, Christians have a powerful opportunity to stand apart—not by abandoning conviction, but by embodying Christlike character above all else. Our witness is not defined by how strongly we argue, but by how faithfully we love. When Jesus remains at the center, we can engage culture without being consumed by it. We can speak truth without losing grace. And most importantly, we can reflect a kingdom that is unshaken by the shifting tides of human power. ~OC

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We Are…

Today’s a new day! 

We are, as C.S. Lewis once observed, far too easily pleased. Not because life offers us too much joy, but because we settle for far too little. We cling to temporary comforts—success, approval, material things—as if they could satisfy the deep longing of our souls. Yet Scripture reminds us that we were created for something far greater: communion with God. When we trade eternal joy for fleeting pleasures, it is not that our desires are too strong, but that they are too weak. We are like children content with playing in the mud, unaware that an ocean of glory has been prepared for us.

In our daily walk with Christ, this truth challenges us to lift our eyes higher. The world constantly offers substitutes for fulfillment, but none can compare to the richness of knowing Jesus. When we pursue Him wholeheartedly—through prayer, Scripture, and obedience—we begin to experience the deeper joy we were made for. God is not trying to withhold happiness from us; He is inviting us into a joy that surpasses understanding. Let us not settle for what is easy or immediate, but press on toward the fullness of life found only in Him. ~OC

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A Prayer To Live Out What We Profess

Dear Jesus, 

We speak Your name easily,
but too often we resist Your way.

You told us to love our enemies,
yet we hold on to anger.
You told us to forgive,
yet we keep score.
You told us to serve the least,
yet we chase comfort and recognition.

Forgive us for the gap between our words and our lives.
Forgive us for using faith as identity instead of obedience.
Forgive us for hearing Your teachings
and admiring them,
but not doing them.

Give us courage to take You seriously.
Not just in what we believe,
but in how we live, speak, spend, and love.

Break our pride when it keeps us from humility.
Interrupt our routines when they ignore the hurting.
Convict us when we justify what You clearly commanded.

Teach us to love when it’s inconvenient.
To give when it costs us.
To forgive when it feels impossible.
To choose truth over comfort,
and mercy over being right.

Make us people who reflect You—not just in church,
but in our homes, our work, our relationships, and our thoughts.

Let our lives become living prayers,
where Your words are not just spoken,
but seen.

We don’t want to only call You Lord—
we want to follow You as Lord

Change us, challenge us, and lead us.

We pray all of this in the powerful and matchless name of Jesus. Amen

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No Authority

Today’s a new day!

Fear is a powerful emotion, but as a believer, it does not have authority over your life. Scripture reminds us time and time again that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. When fear tries to creep in—whether it’s fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or fear of loss—you can stand firm knowing that it does not come from God. Instead, it is something you are called to resist through faith. God’s presence in your life is greater than any anxiety that tries to take hold, and His promises are unshakable even when your circumstances feel uncertain.

Walking in freedom from fear requires trust. It means choosing to believe God’s truth over your feelings. Fear may speak loudly, but it does not have the final say—God does. When you anchor your heart in His Word, you begin to see that fear loses its grip. You are not defined by your worries or limited by your doubts; you are defined by who God says you are: chosen, loved, and secure in Him. As you continue to lean into His presence, you’ll find that courage rises, peace settles in, and fear fades into the background where it belongs—powerless and without authority over your life. ~OC

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Busyness….A Drug

Today’s a new day!

In a world that never seems to slow down, busyness has quietly become a badge of honor. We fill our calendars, chase deadlines, and measure our worth by productivity. But what if busyness is more than just a habit—what if it’s a kind of drug? Like any addiction, it can give us a temporary sense of purpose or control, while slowly draining our spiritual health. We convince ourselves that staying busy keeps us from falling behind, yet in reality, it often keeps us from drawing near to God. The still, small voice of the Lord is easily drowned out by the constant noise of our obligations.

Scripture reminds us that God never intended for us to live in a state of perpetual hurry. In Psalm 46:10, we are called to “be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness requires trust—the willingness to step away from the endless cycle of doing and simply be in His presence. When busyness becomes our default, it can reveal a deeper issue: a reliance on ourselves rather than on God. We may be working hard, even doing “good” things, but missing the better thing—intimacy with Him.

Jesus Himself modeled a different way of living. Despite the demands of ministry, He often withdrew to quiet places to pray. If the Son of God needed time away from the crowds, how much more do we? Choosing rest is not laziness; it is obedience. It is a declaration that our identity is not found in what we accomplish, but in who we are in Christ.

Breaking free from the addiction of busyness starts with intentional surrender. It means setting boundaries, embracing Sabbath rest, and allowing God to reorder our priorities. When we lay down the need to constantly strive, we make room for peace, clarity, and deeper faith. In the quiet, we rediscover that God is not asking us to do more—He is inviting us to come closer. ~OC

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Words Matter

How can you call yourself a leader and use such foul language? Words matter. They reveal what is in the heart, and they shape the tone of entire communities. When those who claim to lead—especially in spaces that influence people of faith—speak with harshness, vulgarity, or cruelty, it creates confusion and disillusionment. How can Christians support such rhetoric like it’s acceptable or even admirable? This tension is deeply troubling, because it sends a message that character is secondary to power, and that witness can be compromised for the sake of loyalty or influence.

This is why I can never call myself an evangelical Christian. The phrase, once rooted in the proclamation of good news, is sadly an embarrassment to God since it has become associated with behavior that contradicts Christ’s teachings. Jesus modeled humility, compassion, and truth spoken in love—not insults, not degradation, not prideful speech. 

How can a lost world look to the Christian community for help, for hope, for love, when so many within it appear to endorse language and attitudes that push people away rather than draw them in? If we are to reflect Christ, then our words must align with His heart, and our witness must be one that invites, heals, and restores rather than divides and wounds. ~OC

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Love Over Performance

Today’s a new day! 

What if the only expectation placed on your life wasn’t performance, but love? It’s a question that cuts through the noise of striving and invites us into something deeper. So often, we approach our relationship with God like a checklist—measuring our faith by how much we do, how well we behave, or how consistent we appear. But the truth of the Gospel whispers a different reality: God is not asking you to perform for His approval. He is inviting you to rest in His love. Before you ever accomplished anything, you were already fully known and fully loved.

When we begin to live from that place, everything changes. Love becomes the reason behind what we do, not the reward for doing it well. Instead of exhausting ourselves trying to be “enough,” we learn to abide in the One who already is. From that place of security, obedience flows naturally, not out of fear or pressure, but out of gratitude and connection. What if your day wasn’t about proving your worth, but simply reflecting the love you’ve already received? In that shift, faith becomes less about striving and more about surrender—and in surrender, we finally find peace. ~OC

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