July 25: Insight Post by David Schleyer
Weekly Reading: Matthew 15:29-31, Mark 7:31-37
Friday Reflection
Healing Leads to Praise: After Jesus healed the crowds, the people were amazed and praised the God of Israel. Healing, whether physical or spiritual, should lead us to worship and gratitude, acknowledging God’s goodness and power.
Friday Verse
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Colossians 3:16 (NLT)
Friday Questions
How can I cultivate a heart of gratitude for the ways God has brought healing into my life? How can I share my testimony of His goodness with others?
Friday Insight Post
by David Schleyer
Reading the stories in Matthew 15 and Mark 7, I am amazed by how Jesus heals so many: the lame, the blind, the mute. Still, I have to admit, sometimes I get stuck on the healings that do not happen. I find myself wondering why God does not always fix the things I wish He would, whether in my own life or for people I care about. It is easy for me to focus on what still hurts and lose sight of the bigger picture.
But when I pause, I remember God’s goodness has never depended on everything being perfect. Even when the healing I hope for does not come, His plan is still good. Gratitude is not just for the days when everything works out the way I want. It is an act of faith, a way of trusting God’s heart even when I do not understand His ways.
Colossians 3:16 says to let Christ’s message fill our lives and sing with thankful hearts. That is what I am working on, praising God for every healing, seen and unseen, and trusting Him with what I cannot fix myself.
Today, I am choosing to thank God for the ways He has brought healing in my life and to trust Him with the things I still do not understand. I have to remind myself that God is at work behind the scenes, even when I cannot see it, and He is still good.
I am committed to sharing what God has done for me, even when I am waiting for answers myself. Gratitude is not about having everything together, but about noticing God’s faithfulness in every season.
Here is my personal reminder: Keep looking for reasons to be thankful, no matter what. And if you are reading this, I want to challenge you to pay attention to the ways God is showing up in your life and not keep it to yourself. Share it with someone. You never know who might need that encouragement today.
David Schleyer
Elementary Small Group Leader
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org