Fishing for compliments, overcommitting (or never committing), keeping people at a distance . . . when we fear other people more than we fear God, we become anxious slaves to their opinions and approval. But we don’t have to compete to be loved! Zach Schlegel uses meditations on God’s Word, reflection questions, and practical suggestions for action to guide you, day by day, toward a freer way of life in service to God. Learn how to fear God alone, rest in his grace, and live in peace, joy, and confidence. In the 31-Day Devotionals for Life series, biblical counselors and Bible teachers guide you through Scripture passages that speak to specific situations or struggles, helping you to apply God’s Word to your life in practical ways day after day.
This was a good devotional that lasered in on the biblical concept of ‘fearing man.’ Many of our modern anxieties stem from the problem of fearing how others perceive us or accept us. The biblical theme behind the concept of these fears is replete throughout Scripture, and it is referred to as ‘fear of man.’ Typically the biblical focus is on how our fear of man ensnares us when we are more concerned about pleasing others, or other’s opinions of us than we are about pleasing God, or God’s opinion of us.
The devotional was a very short but helpful work showing many scriptures that deal with this issue and how to shift our focus to trust in God rather than worry and stir up anxiety about others and their view of us.
What a great new series. Brief 31-day devotionals on an array of practical topics. This volume by Zach Schlegel—on how to fight anxiety, discontentment, and the fear of man—is excellent.
Good one! Already/Not-yet Quote. "I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be. And yet I am not what I once was. By the grace of God, I am what I am! I am still in the fight - and, I suspect, so are you." "So rely on the Spirit, devour God's Word, and lean on the brothers and sisters you have in your local church."
Oh how refreshing this devotional was. Zach exquisitely balances Grace-oriented striving with God’s continual sanctifying work in us. Most days I didn’t just find the readings (at times uncomfortably) convicting, but also practically encouraging to my heart.
Good! I'll come back to this for certain meditations. Would recommend this as a resource. Could've used more entries focused specifically on Jesus and could've repeated the gospel more often. The action items could've been more practical/creative.
Wonderful solid devotional!! Love that this covered so many facets of people pleasing. It was really thorough, convicting and encouraging! Can’t wait to read more devotionals from this series!
Putting God first in life is so difficult today. With so many voices calling for our attention, it seems impossible to choose. The people who surround us in our day to day lives have a lot to offer to us, but oftentimes we forget to put the One who made us first. We fear others and their opinions of us more than we fear and praise God, who knows everything about us and knows us down to the last detail. In this devotional, you will be able to slowly explore the fear of others that permeate our lives in reality and is exacerbated by social media. This is an excellent resource if you want to take a month, slow down, and consider God and others in their proper context. Recommended for Christians of all levels, but especially those who crave the Lord’s peace and perspective on others and themselves.