Joyce Meyer: When Good Things Happen to People Who Have Hurt You

Have you ever seen someone receive a blessing from God and felt like they didn't deserve it? Have you seen good things happen to someone who has hurt you?

When a person who offended you gets a blessing, it can grate on you, at least it did for me until I learned how to forgive.

The Bible says that good and bad things happen to both the righteous and the unrighteous. When someone who's hurt you receives a blessing, it makes it even harder to forgive them, but you are still called to pray for them.

I want to encourage you today to bless the people who have hurt you by praying for them, even though you may feel hurt and irritated by them. When you pray for people who have hurt you, it's a choice you make. And forgiveness is based on your decision-not a feeling. But there's healing in that for you.

A forgiving lifestyle helps you become more like Christ. As you learn the importance of forgiveness and begin to pray for blessings for those who have hurt you, your heart will heal from bitterness, and your personal growth will lead you to the blessings God has planned for you.

My Walk With Christ: When Good Things Happen to Those Who Have Hurt Us

It's hard to grasp why or how great or good things happen to those that have hurt us or others sometimes. But then it's like who am I to judge what someone else is deserving of? I don't know anyone's struggle, and neither do you. At times we feel as though we SEE the full picture of what's going on in someones life, but we only get a glimpse. 

And yes sometimes its hard to wrap your head around "Why my ex seems to be doing so well in his new relationship" or "How did she get that job?" I truly believe in a statement that was made...read below 

As Christians, we need to "operate out of love" as my mentor MiaMck says. We must be willing to give without expecting anything in return. That means that apology you've been waiting for, or for someone to own up to their mistake. We must be able to LET GO of grudges and stop allowing people to live for free with hate, lack of forgiveness, and depression in our lives. We have no room for that. When you're fully focused on your purpose that God has placed you here, you won't be stirred off that path. Distractions do come and go, but don't allow emotions to take over what God is trying to use you for.

This was something that has hit home for me. Later you will read a Daily reading that's from one of Joyce Meyer's daily devotions from the Bible app.

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Joyce Meyer: You’re Not Built for Guilt

When I ask large audiences how many people spend their lives feeling guilty, my guess is that at least 80 percent of the people raise their hands. I was part of that 80 percent until I decided that I was not built for guilt, & I was not going to continue to allow a renegade feeling to rule my life.

I studied God’s Word about guilt & studied His character & nature until I was totally convinced that God is not the source of guilt.

I see guilt as an illegal invader that attacks our mind & conscience, attempting to prevent us from enjoying anything God has provided for us. Guilt has no legal right in our lives because Jesus has paid for our sins & misdeeds. If it is in us illegally, then we need to send it back where it came from, which is hell!

Refuse to let guilt steel your joy any longer. You must remember that you are not built for guilt. Deal with it aggressively anytime you experience it by receiving God’s love & grace.

Joyce Meyer: Every Day Is a New Day

God wants us to have joy in the midst of our ordinary, everyday life, even on the worst days of our life.

There were times in my life when I dreaded facing each day. All I could think about was my circumstances, wondering how Dave & I were going to pay the bills or get everything done that we needed to do. Sometimes I wanted to pull the covers my head & just stay in bed.

I was so wrapped up in worry that I was missing the point: God had created a new day, & He created it so that I could enjoy it.

Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset you, things like losing your car keys or getting caught in a traffic jam. But you can choose to be at peace & control in the midst of them.

When you & I take our minds of ourselves & our circumstances & put our focus on God & loving others, we are embracing an attitude that will bring honor to Him & enable us to view every day as an exciting, new gift from God.

Joyce Meyer: Dealing with Emotions While Grieving

People experiencing tragedy often go through stages of emotional expressions of sobbing & hysteria. These may come & go when least expected. Confusion, disorientation & fear are also common.

Depression & waves of overwhelming feelings are experienced by many. In times like these, I believe it’s wise to look at King David.

The Bible talks of how King David was feeling depressed but he resisted it. He didn’t sink into the pit of despair. He described how he felt, but he made a decision not to live by his feelings. He praised & trusted in God.

Most of us go through emotionally difficult times when tragic loss occurs. Those who are walking in faith come out of it, & they come out of it better than when they went in.

If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life, I want to tell you that a new beginning is in front of you. Trust & praise God like David did. What Satan intends for your harm, God can turn around for your good!

Joyce Meyer: Finding the Answers and Power You Need in the Word

When people ask me where to start reading the Bible, I tell them there’s really no wrong place to start. You can study anything that’s going to help you.

When I first started studying the Word, I didn't have very good relationships because I didn't really understand what love was. So that’s what I studied.

As I studied the subject of love, I learned that it’s more than a gooey feeling. By studying what the Bible says  about love, I learned how to love. Then my life began to change.

Whatever you’re dealing with, you can find scripture about it by using a concordance. For example, if you’re dealing with anger or fear, flip to the concordance in the back of your Bible & locate those words to see which scriptures talk about those issues.

If you can’t think of anything right away, thumb through the concordance & pick a subject that grabs your attention. Begin looking at all scriptures referenced with this word & read them. Ask Holy Spirit to lead you & reveal truth to you.

No matter where you start, remember that the Word is alive & has something for you today!

Joyce Meyer: God is Untying Your Knots One at a Time

Picture your life as a jumble of shoestrings all tied up in knots, each shoestring a different color. Each knot represents a problem, & the process of untangling those knots & straightening out those problems is going to take a bit of time & effort. It took a long time to tie all those knots, & it will take some time to straighten them all out.

In our modern, instantaneous society, we tend to jump from one thing to another, but God never gets in a hurry. He never quits or runs out of patience. He will deal with us about one particular thing, & then He will let us rest for awhile, but not too long.  Soon He will come back & begin to work on something else. He will continue until, one by one, our knots are all untied.

If it sometimes seems that you’re not making any progress, it’s because the Lord is untying your knots one at a time. Let His patience develop in you,  & sooner or later, you will see victory in your life & experience the freedom you have wanted for so long.

Joyce Meyer: The Greatest Gift You Can Give

It's the most outrageous thing. The more I think about it, the more amazed I am. It gives blessings that are undeserved and withholds punishment when it is deserved.  It's absolutely the greatest gift you can give someone.

The gift is called mercy. See, Jesus came to earth and gave us mercy, so we need to learn to give mercy to others.

By Christ's example, we're taught to love and pray for our enemies. We're taught to be friendly to those who do not treat us as we would like to be treated. We are told to give to and care for the poor and helpless who will never be able to pay us back.

We can give to people who will give us gifts in return. But we're more blessed when we choose to give to those who cannot pay us back, that's giving mercy.

The greatest gift you can give God is to become more like Jesus. You can do that by treating others the way He treated you. Give those around you the greatest gift could ever receive from you: mercy.

Joyce Meyer: Stop Keeping Score

If someone has hurt you, don't spend the next 10 years of your life hurting yourself by hanging on to that offense. Most likely, the other person isn't even thinking about you, while you dwell on the incident for years. That only hurts one person, you.

When we walk in unforgiveness, we try to "keep score," viewing ourselves as better than the other person.

Back in the early days of our marriage, when Dave and I were fussing and fuming at each other, I would bring up stuff that happened years before and Dave would say, "Where do you keep all that stuff?" Well, I had a place, and it was all in there eating at me. And every new thing Dave did wrong would get added to this list, and it kept growing until it became a bitter giant in my heart.

When we walk in God's love, we find freedom by keeping "no account" of wrongs done to us. If you're hurting from the pain of unforgiveness today, ask God to help you stop keeping score. You can let go of your bitterness today.

Joyce Meyer: It's OK to Enjoy Your Life

Enjoyment is the fuel we need to reach the finish line of an endeavor with a good attitude. We may drive ourselves to finish, but somewhere along the way we will probably become bitter & get a chip on our shoulder if we don't lighten up & take a time to celebrate the journey.

Too many people work constantly & stress themselves out, feeling guilty about enjoying & celebrating life when God has clearly ordained & commanded both labor & enjoyment. Ecclesiastes 2:24 says that it's good for us to relax & enjoy ourselves in the midst of had work.

Our thinking has been warped in this area. Satan has managed to deceive us, & by doing so he succeeds in keeping people weary & worn-out, feeling resentful & taken advantage of because of excessive wok & responsibility.

We need times of refreshment & recreation as well as work & accomplishment, You should be diligent in whatever task God as placed in front of you, but make sure that you find a balance by learning to reward yourself & enjoy life. God thinks you are worth it!

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: Take Responsibility for Your Happiniess

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that I cannot count on someone else to make me happy. God has given us the ability to take responsibility for our own happiness.

A lot of people aren't happy unless a certain person behaves a certain way, or unless a certain situations works out just the way they want it to. Every day we let our happiness depend on other people & situations, when in reality, God wants us to find our happiness in Him.

There was a time when I would feel sorry for myself if Dave went to play golf the day after one of our big conferences, I wanted him to go shopping or watch a movie with me. But God showed me that we have different ways of relaxing & unwinding.

That's just one example, but there are so many ways that we put unrealistic expectations on people & rely on them to keep us happy. God wants us to look to Him first & rely on Him for our happiness.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: Let God Do the Heavy Lifting

One of the most important things I have learned is to let God do the heavy lifting. Too many times we see what's wrong with ourselves & try to fix it through our own strength, but this will never be good enough. Jesus said in John 15:5, "apart from me you can do nothing" (NIV).

We may try to be self-sufficient, but we need to let God supply the grace & ability to do what we need to do. Willpower & determination can get us started, but they've been known to quit in the middle & leave us stranded.

We can learn to enjoy the life Jesus died to give us by inviting God to become involved in every aspect of it. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, & I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 NIV).

We are not made to function without God. And with Him, we can break any bad habit or addiction like overeating, substance abuse, poor time management, anger issues you name it. Jesus is bigger than any problem you have.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: The Enemy Has a Plan Too

God has a plan for your life, but the devil has a plan for you too. As a result, the Bible says we need to "be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant & cautious at all times."

Temperate means 'disciplined.' sober of mind means 'serious,' vigilant means 'determined' & cautious means 'careful.' we are to live like this 'at all times.' That's serious.

But we need to get serious to fight off the enemy. Whenever God shows you an area in your life where the enemy is attacking you, that's not the time to sit back & do nothing. It's time to get serious & fight back against Satan.

God's plan is for us to be more than conquerors in Christ. We don't have to live enslaved to the enemy's plan. You can decide right now to do what you need to do. Get serious with God, follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, & stay on guard against the enemy. Choose today to follow God's plan for your life, not Satan's & you will defeat the enemy at every turn.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: God Can Clean Up Any Mess

I was seriously abused throughout my childhood. My life was horrible! I don't remember ever being really happy until I was in my twenties. My mind was a mess, my emotions were a mess...everything was a mess!

But it didn't stay that way. God has dealt with me, changed me and brought me through it all. Now I have a great relationship with God, real peace and joy, good relationships with family and friends, and I'm doing what God has called me to do.

Hebrews 11:16 tells us God rewards those who diligently seek Him. I've discovered that anything I sacrificed to get closer to God and obey Him, I received back from Him many times over what I gave. and what He gave me was always much better.

I understand, I've been through some really bad stuff. But God will reward those who seek Him. Be determined to seek Him in the midst of your hardship. He is more than able to clean up your messes!

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: Forgetting About Ourselves

Paul said that he had been "crucified with Christ." In other words, he had to stop thinking about himself in order to live for God. And we are encouraged to do the same.

At this point you may be thinking, "What about me? Who is going to care of me? This is usually what prevents us from living the way God wants us to live. It always comes back to me.

We are so accustomed to seeing our desires satisfied that the very though of forgetting about ourselves even for one day can be frightening. But if we can muster up the courage to try it, we will  be amazed at the freedom and joy we experience.

The secret to having joy is giving your life away rather than trying to keep it. When you get the focus off of you and onto God, God can show you how to live a truly meaningful life.

I encourage you to start your days by dedicating yourself to God. When you do, He will faithfully help you live a godly life.

Joyce Meyer: Reaching Out to Others

I have been amazed by the countless calls our ministry has received during the years to help churches become more outreach-oriented. Then, when helps is offered, people exert a minimal amount of effort to continue what God places as a top priority.

Reaching out to others isn't something we should pay lip service to. It should be a top priority of living the Christian life.

It takes determination and commitment to stretch ourselves to help others, but that's how God wants us to live. God says that when you truly give and pour yourself out for others, He will use you. "Your light shall dawn in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10 NKJV).

If you reach beyond your  own situation and bring Christ's love to others, the circumstances you face will fade away and disappear. And you'll experience the wondrous joy of making a difference where it counts.

What if you decide to change, to make this the time in your life when you make a difference? Rearrange your priorities today and reach out to others.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: God Opens and Shuts Doors

There are critical times in our lives when we especially need to know we are hearing clearly from God. It isn't always easy to know His voice from that of our own emotional reasoning. but I know from experience that God can open doors of opportunity that no one can close, and He can also close doors we cannot open.

I spent many years trying to organize things I wanted to do in life. The result was frustration and disappointment. But I found that if we depend on God, He will give us favor and make things easy for us when we seek Him and His perfect timing, He leads one step at a time. If you take one step forward in the wrong direction, He will let you know before you go too far.

Be aware that His thoughts are above your thoughts. He sees the end from the beginning. All His ways are right and sure. he knows what makes sense for your life and He can make it happen. Hear from Him and you will not be deceived. 

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: Don't Be Busy. Be Fruitful

Are you doing 'stuff' that isn't bearing fruit? Is busyness stealing your peace?

I once heard of a guard who watched over a certain plot of ground at Buckingham Palace in England. For 100 years, 24 hours a day, that plot of land had been guarded.

Finally, someone asked, 'What are you guarding?' He didn't know and simply said it had been under guard for 100 years.

It turned out that 100 years ago, the queen had planted some rose bushes there and wanted to make sure they grew. Now, a century later, a guard stood where a rose bush once stood guarding nothing.

Are there things you're doing but you don't know why you're doing them anymore? God never called us to be busy. He called us to be fruitful. Too much pointless activity doesn't bear fruit and only stresses us out.

I encourage you to take an inventory of what you do throughout the day. You might be doing something God's not asking you to do, or something He was asking you to do but isn't anymore. Let the Holy Spirit show you how to get rid of busyness and bear more fruit.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: Who Does God Use?

God's chosen me to speak to crowds. People listen to me because God has anointed me to speak for Him, it's part of His destiny for my life. And God will anoint whomever He chooses to work through. That includes you.

Who does God use? The Bible says that He picks the unlikely. He uses common, ordinary people like you &  me.

When I started to preach the Gospel, some of my friends rejected me, they didn't think I should do that because I'm a woman. In fact, they told me I couldn't do that,

But I was doing it because God told me to do it, & I trusted that if He told me I could do it, then I could do it. The same thing is true for you. If you are willing to have an uncommon goal, God can do something great through you!

Every common person can be used mightily by God. You just have to believe He can use you & be daring enough to embrace the goals or vision He put in your heart. You have been chosen.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life

Joyce Meyer: Giving Must Cost You Something...

I believe that in God's economy, nothing cheap is worth having. God gave His only Son to free us, & while we can never equal that sacrifice, we must give back to Him in a way that means something. King David said he would not give God something that cost him nothing. And I have learned that true giving is not giving until I can feel it.

Giving away the clothes & household items I'm finished with may be a nice gesture, but it doesn't equal real giving. Real giving occurs when I give somebody something I want to keep.

I'm sure you've had those testing times when God asks you to give away something you like. But when you consider how He gave His only son for us because of His love for us, doesn't that make you want to give yourself too?

The simple truth is this: We must give to be happy, & giving is not true giving if doesn't cost us something.

***You can find this devotional plan, along with others from the YouVerison Bible app under Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life