I Care, I Trust, I Give, I Love
Verses Used:
Ephesians 4:2
Colossians 3:12-13
Proverbs 4:23
Psalm 147:3
2 Corinthians 12:9
Luke 6:36
Devotional:
Sometimes people say too much. Sometimes they don’t say enough. I’ve been guilty of both.
The truth is, not everyone knows my life. They don’t know where I’ve been hurt, where I’ve been broken, what I’ve had to heal from, or the things that still occasionally bring those old feelings back. And I know I’m not alone in that.
Everybody has a story.
Some people have experienced deep trauma. Others carry wounds from broken relationships, betrayal, abandonment, disappointment, rejection, or things that happened years ago that they thought they were over. Sometimes it takes almost nothing to bring a memory back—a certain car, a song, a place, a smell, or even something a new person says that sounds just like something somebody from your past once said.
Hopefully, those reminders bring back something good. Sometimes they don’t.
But the past happened. It doesn't get to define who I am or YOU are today.
Psalm 147:3 says God “heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” That doesn't mean every memory instantly disappears. Healing doesn't always mean forgetting. Sometimes healing means that what once controlled you no longer gets the final word.
When Yesterday Walks Into Today
Personally, I want to trust people. I want to believe people are loyal and honest. But because of things I've experienced, sometimes I question those things quicker than I probably should.
There's a difference between wisdom and allowing yesterday's hurt to judge today's people.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts, because our hearts determine the course of our lives. So yes, there is biblical wisdom in being careful about who we trust. But guarding your heart isn't the same as building a wall around it so high that nobody can ever get close.
That's something I'm still learning. I am sure you are too.
As a Christian, I give these things to God over and over. Sometimes I wish giving something to God once meant I would never struggle with it again. But that hasn't always been my experience.
Paul prayed repeatedly for his struggle to be removed, and God's answer in 2 Corinthians 12:9 was, “My grace is all you need.”
Sometimes grace isn't God immediately removing what bothers us. Sometimes grace is God giving us enough strength for today while continuing to change us through it.
And maybe that's something we should remember when dealing with other people too.
You Don't Know Their Whole Story
Just because somebody doesn't seem to care as much today as they did yesterday doesn't necessarily mean they stopped caring.
Just because a stranger was short with you doesn't mean they're a terrible person.
Just because somebody seems guarded doesn't mean they're cold.
People are carrying things we cannot see.
That doesn't excuse treating others poorly. Hurt isn't permission to hurt somebody else. I've had days when I was hurting, tired, frustrated, or simply in a bad mood and didn't give somebody the patience or grace I should have. Being human explains some things, but it doesn't make everything right. When we recognize we've hurt somebody, we should own it, apologize when needed, and try to make it right.
But knowing our own weaknesses should also change how quickly we condemn someone else's.
Ephesians 4:2 says, “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.”
Making allowance doesn't mean pretending wrong is right.
It means remembering there may be more happening inside that person than what you're seeing in that moment.
Give a Spoonful Away
We talk about wanting grace from God—and thank God we receive it.
I don't have to know everything about your life to know you've needed God's grace. I know I've needed more than I could ever measure.
So here's what came to my mind today:
If God has given us that much grace, why can't we give somebody else a spoonful of it?
Maybe somebody needs a little more patience today.
Maybe the person who seems distant needs kindness instead of interrogation.
Maybe somebody who struggles to trust needs consistency instead of criticism.
Maybe that rude stranger needs you to simply let the moment go instead of returning what they gave you.
Colossians 3:12 tells us to clothe ourselves with “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” And Jesus said in Luke 6:36, “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”
We aren't going to do this perfectly. I know I don't.
There will be days when we give too much grace in one situation and not nearly enough in another. There will be times when our own wounds affect how we respond. When that happens, bring it back to God, own what needs owning, and keep growing.
Your past may explain some of your reactions.
It doesn't have to control your future.
And somebody else's bad moment doesn't tell you their entire story either.
So today, give a little grace.
Then maybe give a spoonful more.
God has certainly given enough to us.
Prayer:
God, thank You for the grace You continue to give me, especially on the days when I don't deserve it. Help me recognize when past hurt is affecting the way I see people today. Give me wisdom to guard my heart without hardening it. Help me trust You with the things I'm still healing from, and remind me that other people are carrying things I cannot see. Give me patience before I judge, compassion before I react, and enough grace to give somebody else a spoonful of what You have given me. When I get it wrong, help me own it and make it right. In Jesus' name, amen.
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