God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.- 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

“I feel so anxious all the time,” the woman’s eyes were downcast, ashamed of her admission.

“That’s hard. What do you do to try to counteract it?” I asked gently.

“Oh, I try to keep busy. I try to think about other things.” She had come for prayer after our church service.

“Have you tried using the Bible as a weapon?” I went on to encourage her to read aloud verses about God’s peace vs. anxiety. After we prayed together, she looked up.

“I feel so much more peaceful! I’m going to try what you suggested. Thank you!”

God gave me joy in helping and praying with her.

I recently took a short free spiritual gifts test online. It revealed my five spiritual gifts. At the top is exhortation which is the ability to strengthen, comfort or urge others to action through the spoken or written word and Bible truth. I’m delighted to use my writing skill to combine with this gift in the last several years of writing devotions. I can also use it when I pray and advise people.

What about you? Do you know your God-given spiritual gifts? Do you use them to serve Christ and others?

Dear Lord God, thank you for giving me a spiritual gift and helping me to use it for your glory.

Throughout this day: Read about spiritual gifts. Take a free online test. Pray and ask God how he would like you to use your gift.

Originally published here on May 20, 2026: https://thelife.com/devotionals/find-your-gift

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Ask me how we can have a voice call and pray together.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.- Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

“You are such a hard worker!” I was weeding a flower bed at a Bible camp alongside an elderly lady who gave me the unexpected compliment.

I used to be lazy as a kid and thought work was terrible. Younger Sheyvah tried to get things done the easiest way possible. I remember being shocked when my Bible college professor said that there would be work for us to do in eternity. What? That’s not my idea of eternal bliss!

Things have changed. Or rather God has changed me. He has taught me who my work is truly serving, and helped me be intentional about pleasing him.

At my job in a public school, I am willing to do anything that needs to be done. When someone in authority rubs me the wrong way, I need to remember that I am really working for the Lord of the universe, not a flawed person. My Daddy Above’s opinion is the only one that matters. He will reward me, so I don’t need to try to get recognition down here.

Dear Lord, thank you that you are my King and I am your servant. Humble me to work for you despite adverse conditions. Thank you for the wonderful glories to come in the new world.

Throughout this day: Think about your work, whether paid, volunteer or at home. No matter what it is, or who sees, remember that God is there. Ask him for the grace to work willingly for him with a joyful heart.

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Email: sheyvahrex@proton.me

Originally published here on May 11, 2026: https://thelife.com/devotionals/working-hard-or-hardly-working

Earning Points with God? Ep 55

How to Receive God's unconditional love and acceptance

You missed four days of devotions. You are not a good Christian. God must not be happy with you.

I stood looking out the rain-streaked window and felt like a terrible loser.

I should have combatted the lies of the enemy with the truth of God’s word.

I thought I would disappoint God if I didn’t read the Bible every day. I listened to the lies of the enemy that said I was not acceptable to God unless I earned “points” every day by reading the Bible and praying. Second Corinthians 10:5 tells us, We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I now know that I can’t earn God’s favor or his love and acceptance. He already loves me because he made me and paid an enormous price for me to be bought back from the devil. That price was his Son’s life. C.S. Lewis wrote, “God loves us not because we are lovable but because he is love, not because he needs to receive but because he delights to give.”

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 1:9 NLT

We didn’t deserve to be saved from hell. It is all because of God’s love and grace. An acronym that can define grace is:

G: God’s

R: riches

A: at

C: Christ’s

E: expense.

Dear Lord, please help me receive your love and grace in my heart, and to rest in your favor. Thank you, that I don’t have to measure up to any standard before you will love, accept, and forgive me.

Today: Write down a lie you believe on one side of a card and a Bible verse to combat it on the other side. Say the verse aloud each time Satan or his evil ones tempt you to speak or believe the lie.

This is my devotion originally published April 25, 2026 here: https://thelife.com/devotionals/earning-points-with-god

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