BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women Pamela Crim | Daily Devotional for Women

God uses hardened hearts for his glory.







Right now, in your life, someone has a hardened heart. Someone isn’t listening. Someone is making life ridiculously hard. And you’re asking God why. Why won’t they change? Why won’t they open their eyes and see the path they’re on and the destruction it’s leading to? Why won’t they stop?







May our questions change from why to what. What is God doing here? What is he aligning for his glory? What good plan does he have aligned through this?







In Exodus we read of the Egyptian king with the hardened heart, Pharaoh. God not only allowed Pharaoh’s hardened heart, but he orchestrated it for a greater purpose. Exodus 7: 3, the Lord says, “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.”







God’s power would be seen through the condition of Pharaoh’s hardened heart. One hardened heart would be used to prove God’s protection, provisions and personal involvement for over 2 million Israelites.







The Lord told his servant, Moses, to go to Pharaoh and demand the Israelites be set free from slavery in Egypt. But God had planned for Pharaoh to refuse. The question isn’t “Why, God”, but the question is, “What, God … What are you doing through this?”







What God was doing was bigger than the problem being faced. The problem was slavery in Egypt and a leader who refused to let them go. And no doubt, that sucks. Their work was hard. Their life was unfair. But God was getting personally involved! WHAT God was doing through this hardship was more than a temporary relief, it was a show of his glory and power that no one could deny.







My sister, God is getting personally involved in your hardship. He has heard your cries. His relief will not be temporary here. It will be an undeniable show of his power involved in the details of your problems, and God will receive all the glory!







Get ready to give him glory!







Each time Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go, God’s power showed up in the form of a plague on the Egyptians, but the Israelites were protected. First all the water turned to blood. Second, they were invaded by frogs. Pharaoh promised set the Israelites free if Moses would appeal to God and take the problems away. Moses cried out to God for help, and God miraculously intervened and removed the problems. Then, guess what happened … Void of the problems, Pharaoh quickly returned to his old ways. Exodus 8: 15, “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen.”







Plague after plague, it happened. Horrible things happened to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, he would promise to let the Israelites go, but as soon as God made the problem go away, Pharaoh would change his mind and return to his hardened heart.







And through it all, God was not at all surprised. Nor was God stopped or limited. God’s power showed up all the more. God’s glory grew and grew.







God works through hardened hearts, bad decisions, and hardships. This is the stage for his power to be displayed. This is where God does what only God can do. This is where we will know it is God who saved us!







So, there’s a hardened heart that is making a mess for you? Talk to God about that. Ask for his involvement. Ask for his mercy. Ask for second chances, third chances, 47th chances for the one with the hardened heart. Don’t stop asking. God’s power will not stop. There is no limit to what he can do.







But know this, when hearts won’t change,

God needs your cooperation today.  He’s trying to work in your life.  He’s trying to pave the way.  He’s trying to guide you into his ultimate and best plan, but he needs your to cooperate.  There’s one thing we keep doing that hinders God’s work and allows the enemy to gain a foothold.  This one thing is something most of us struggle with, without even realizing the danger.







What is it?  What are we doing that’s hindering God’s work in our own lives?  We keep running our mouths.Feel that … yip, that’s conviction!  That’s God’s spirit pinging in you right now guiding you to a better way.







In Exodus chapter 14 the Israelites are being chased by the Egyptians.  They have every reason to be scared.  Every reason to want to turn around and go back.  But their instructions are very clear.  Verse 14 in the Message translation says “God will fight the battle for you.  And you?  You keep your mouths shut!







“If you’re facing a battle right now, understand God wants to fight it for you.  He wants to defend you.  He’s able to bring victory … but you have a job to do and that job is to zip your lip, shut your face, girl stop talking about it.  Let God fight this for you.  Take a seat and be silent.







When I’m under attack I have a natural defense … I lash out.  Then after I lash out, I like to retell the story to anyone who will listen.  Are you the same? 







We build our defense by talking about it.  And did you know when we do, we hinder the VICTORY God has planned for us?  He doesn’t need you to lash out.  He doesn’t need you to tell everyone your side of the story.  What he needs is your cooperation.







Here’s the problem … if we’re busy complaining and telling our side of the story, we’re not praying.  The answer is always PRAY about it, not COMPLAIN about it.  How often do we seek the opinion of others without first seeking the direction of God?







Did you know your words have the power to steal your peace and your victory?  God has a plan to redeem you fully.  Every hardship or wrongdoing against you has been seen, he is fully aware, and it will be used for your good, but girl you’ve got to get out of the way!  When you lash out in anger, speak out of turn, pipe up with your complaints, your side isn’t being built … understand you’re only giving the enemy ammunition. 







Satan wants you to be busy fighting so you’re distracted from your mission.  Every time you retell the story, every time you engage in the argument, every time you complain about the situation, you’re loading bullets in the weapon pointed directly at YOU.







I promise it is possible to be under attack and still have peace.  It is possible to be in the battle and retain your joy.  You can walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and FEAR NO EVIL because God is with you and he will comfort you.







You’re not in this alone!  Oh if you could only see God leaning in over you to protect you.  If you could only see the angel armies of Heaven on their way to defend you.  If you could see it, you’d easily keep that mouth shut.  Even though you can’t see it, will you trust it?







Do you trust that God is for you and not against you?  If you do, then you know what they’re saying about you has ZERO impact.  Who can be against you?  NO ONE.  Let them talk, you keep your mouth faithfully shut and those lips zipped.  God wants to fight for you.  Victory is yours … If you don’t screw this up.  You have one clear instruction here, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.







No complaining, no building up your side of the story,

Who’s getting tired of doing the right thing over and over again, with seemingly minimal results? Who’s worn out from fighting when the relationship just doesn’t seem to be improving?







Who’s burned out from counting the calories, from denying yourself of the deliciousness you most desire, when the progress is ever so slow and nonexistent at times?







Who am I speaking to this morning?  Are you getting tired of doing what is good?  If you’re questioning if it’s worth it, I believe God has your answer for you loud and clear this morning. Galatians 6:9 – “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”







DON’T STOP NOW.  Steven Furtick says, “You’re only stuck if you stop.”  If you don’t stop, honey, you can’t be stuck.  Keep doing the good you know to do because God is getting ready to give you a harvest of blessings if you just don’t give up.







Let me speak life into your frustrated spirit this morning.  Today is not the day to give up.  This is not the time to back down.  This day was made for doing good.  With all that you are, with all that you have, do good today.







God desires for each of us to come to a place of full surrender in life.  A place where we recognize we can’t do this on our own.  A place where we fully trust that if we do all we can, God will show up and do what only he can.







Now this place of full surrender doesn’t come naturally to us.  It takes one heck of a storm to get us there.  It often requires a weary spirit, exhausted from trying.  A body without a lot of fight left.  This is surrender … and this is where God works best.







I don’t know about you, but I have some areas in my life where I need God to do what only he can.  I have some impossible.  I have some mountains.  I bet you do too.  And oh how our loving heavenly Father WANTS to show up for us.  He WANTS to.  You never have to question God’s desire to help you.  He’s never sitting in heaven looking down with angry eyebrows and arms folded saying, “nope – don’t wanna.  I just don’t wanna help her today.”  Yet, the truth is that’s exactly what we believe sometimes so we don’t even ask for help.







Understand this, God is ready, willing and able to help you.  He wants to pour out his blessings on you … and HE WILL, oh how he will if you just keep doing the good that you know to do.  And as you know better, you will do better.







God is cautioning us against growing weary in doing good.  Has the storm weathered your heart?  Are you becoming cynical?  Have your good works been met with greed and ungratefulness?  Have your good works been taken advantage of or gone unnoticed?  Have your good works been void of return?  Then of course it becomes easy to have a critical spirit.  I mean why even try if it’s not going to make a difference.







It’s like what is the point in cleaning the house when you have a tornado of a toddler tearing it up faster than you can put it back together.  Why speak kindness to your husband when he’s so negative and edgy?  Why give your best at work when it goes unnoticed and unappreciated?  Why work so darn hard on your health when you still get bad news?







That’s what a weary heart says.  That’s what a critical spirit says.  That’s what a cynical woman’s thoughts sound like.  That’s the product of a bad attitude.







And that is NOT you.

Today, I’m going to tell you something very specific God absolutely loves to see you do.  Something you can do that brings him tremendous delight.  You would want to make God happy today, wouldn’t you?  You would want to please him.







I do.  Gosh, I want to make God absolutely giddy he gave me this day of life.  But sometimes I wonder how to please him.  How to make him smile.  How does a really normal girl like me bring great delight to my Almighty creator?  Have you ever asked the same question?







2 Corinthians 9:7 “God loves a cheerful giver.” 







You’ve likely heard that before along with a guilt trip to give your money.  But what if your opportunity to be a cheerful giver goes far beyond money and meets you right where you are today.  God is asking you to give what you have with joy, with excitement, with open hands and an open heart.  To stop holding back, and let God flow through you in all you have to give.







MSG: “God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.”  The Voice: “Giving grows out of the heart—otherwise, you’ve reluctantly grumbled “yes” because you felt you had to or because you couldn’t say “no,” but this isn’t the way God wants it. For we know that “God loves a cheerful giver.”







Right here, this Monday.  Will you be a cheerful giver?







Let’s take an inventory of what you have available to give today.







First, your time.  In this single day you have 24 hours – or 1,440 minutes. Will you give your time cheerfully today?  OR WILL IT BE A CHORE FOR YOU TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH THEM?  WILL IT BE A CHORE TO LISTEN?  WILL IT BE A CHORE TO REALLY BE THERE?  Will you be happy about giving time with God today?







How many of us are there, but we’re not really there?  We’re begrudgingly showing up and checking the box but we don’t really want to be there.  That’s not GIVING your time … that’s allowing someone or something to TAKE your time.  Today will you GIVE your time.  Purposely.  Intentionally.  Cheerfully.  Will you gladly be there?  Will you fully be there?







God loves that.  He loves when you cheerfully show up for your own life and invest in it.  He loves when you are fully there, engaged.  Not because you have to, but because you GET to.







And he really loves it when you view this life you have to live through the eyes you have been given instead of a screen you hold in your hand!







What else do you have to give today?  Your energy.  Within you is the power to GSD.  Get stuff done.  You have a set of 2 choices. 







Do it – or don’t do it.
If you should do it, then you have another choice to make – Do it happy – or do it miserable.

Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”







Here in Bali, I’m learning what a privilege work is.  Everyone I meet is delighted to have a job.  They are working long days to make $25 per week.  They are perpetually early, genuinely eager, with attitudes of gratitude.  Have we lost that?  Have we become too entitled to remember what a privilege this all is?







There are a whole lot of people showing up for work today miserable.  They’re there, they’re completing the tasks before them, but it’s not because they want to be.  How incredibly sad.  How sad that there are moms holding babies, wishing they were somewhere else.  How sad there are wives making the bed in an angry fit today.

Today’s episode is an unscripted bible study of Genesis 6-8. Join me!







6 Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw the beautiful women[a] and took any they wanted as their wives. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with[b]humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”







4 In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.







5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7 And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” 8 But Noah found favor with the Lord.







The Story of Noah







9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. 10 Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.







11 Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!







14 “Build a large boat[c] from cypress wood[d] and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15 Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.[e] 16 Leave an 18-inch opening[f] below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.







17 “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 21 And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”







22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.







The Flood Covers the Earth







7 When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous. 2 Take with you seven pairs—male and female—of each animal I have approved for eating and for sacrifice,[a] and take one pair of each of the others. 3 Also take seven pairs of every kind of bird. There must be a male and a female in each pair to ensure that all life will survive on the earth after the flood. 4 Seven days from now I will make the rains pour down on the earth. And it will rain for forty days and forty nights, until I have wiped from the earth all the living things I have created.”







5 So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

What could cause a life to seem no longer worth living? What could cause a miraculous creation to decide one more day just isn’t possible?







It would be so easy to dismiss ourselves from this conversation, assuming our families are immune from that darkness. It would never happen to us. We’re too happy, too blessed, too close. But let me assure you, none of us are dismissed from this battle, and it is a battle.







Suicide. There, I said it. Taking your own life to end the pain, to avoid another day, to escape a reality that feels impossible to continue. And let me assure you, no matter how happy you are, no matter how good you know your life to be, there are circumstances that could bring you to this darkness. Maybe you’ve felt the touch of that darkness before, or maybe you haven’t. But I assure you, it is there.







It is there for you, and it is there for your family. And here’s the bad news, you can’t insulate your family from ever facing those pains that would cause this hopelessness. Yes, it happens to the good kids. Yes, it happens to the ones who go to Church every week. Yes, it happens to the families in the big houses with all the fancy toys. Yes, it happens to the families with good marriages and dinners around the table. Yes, it happens to college degrees, successful careers, and beauty queens.







Yes, freaking beauty queens with a crown on the perfect body, a high rise apartment in New York, and everything a girl could ever dream of. Then there is darkness and hopelessness that makes a beautiful soul like that feel life is no longer worth living.







We can’t make that darkness go away. We can’t dish out hope that will guarantee you to never feel the feelings of hopelessness. But maybe there’s something we can do to take away the tool the enemy uses in that darkness. Maybe we can fight the battle by cancelling the very thing that would be used against us in our weakest moment.







What if suicide were just taken off the table? Seriously, what if it were no longer a viable option? What if a promise was made to NEVER, EVER, regardless of circumstances, end your own life.







Why? Why make that promise when the reality is there may come a day when you feel like you can’t continue? Here’s why you make that promise now … for any and every person who loves you. What you may not understand is the complete devastation your willful exit would create for everyone who loves you. The questions, the guilt, the grief is nearly unbearable. You need to know that, and you need to understand you can keep that from ever touching them.







How? Decide now, suicide will NEVER be an option for you. Ever. It’s not on the table.







I know the questions after someone you love ends their own life. I know the guilt and the grief. I’ve seen it take it’s toll in families, and I’ve seen it’s gruesome work in my own family. My husband lost his own father to suicide. He was a good man, eaten away by regret, who one night decided everyone would be better off without him, and he took a bottle of pills never to wake up again. While he never woke up, let me tell you, his family wakes up every day to the nightmare left behind. That is not a pain he would have ever wanted to create for his sons.







Sometimes we will do for others what we won’t do for ourselves. If you can’t live for yourself, then honey live for anyone who loves you.







This is not a pain you would ever want to create for the people who love you. Decide now, SUICIDE WILL NEVER BE AN OUT FOR YOU. IT’S NO LONGER ON THE TABLE.







Scripture says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Stay alert!