A Heart for Christ: November 2025

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Living in God’s Will for You

Sometimes, life feels like it’s all over the place, and it seems like nothing is working out. You may even feel as though God has forgotten about you. But that could never be true—not even close. God has a plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

This verse means that God has a wonderful plan for our lives. His plan will bring us happiness. Our Heavenly Father will never try to hurt us or leave us confused. He wants to give us hope, joy, and something real to look forward to—even on the days when we feel so lost.

And you might be thinking, “If God has a good plan for my life, then why am I struggling right now?”. The answer to that is faith and patience. When we have faith in God and build our relationship with Him, He rewards us because we’re doing what we were created to do. But sometimes those blessings don’t show up right away because we’re still learning how to handle what we’re asking for.

For example, imagine you’re praying for a new house, but the one you have now stays messy, the sink is full of dishes, and you don’t really take care of it. Why would God give you something bigger if you’re not taking care of what He already blessed you with? That’s why faith matters. We show our faith by praying, reading God’s Word, and actually trying to grow. As we grow in our faith, we also grow in being responsible and accountable. We are more thankful for the small blessings, and this means we’re ready for bigger blessings.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT) says, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

This verse means that we need to stay strong in the Lord and to stay true to what God wants us to do. He wants us to make good choices and pay attention to the things He’s guiding us toward.

You might also wonder, “How am I supposed to know God’s will for my life?” If you’re confused or unsure, the best thing to do is pray and ask Him. God loves when we come to Him with our questions, and He knows how to guide us in a way we can understand.

So in conclusion, we always need to have faith and patience with God. He knows what’s best for us, even when we think our own plans sound better. Just remember: if God says no or “not yet,” it’s because His plan is greater than anything we could come up with on our own.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Monday, November 24, 2025

What Are You Grateful For?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. There’s good food, family, and just a really happy feeling in the air. Most of us look forward to it every year. The history books say Thanksgiving started in the 1600s when the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, had a big feast to thank God for helping them get through a really tough year. They wanted to show Him how grateful they were. It wasn’t the only “thankful” celebration back then, but it’s the one that eventually became the holiday we celebrate today.

Even though life is way easier now than it was back then, we still celebrate Thanksgiving. We’re blessed in so many ways, but sometimes people forget why this day even matters. When you ask people what they’re grateful for, everyone’s answer might be different. But one thing is always true—every good thing we have is because God made it possible. And the biggest blessing of all is that we get to have a relationship with Him. Because God has given us so much, we should make sure we thank Him not just on Thanksgiving, but every day.

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NLT) says, “Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.”

God created so many good things for us to enjoy—our families, our friends, the big blessings and all the little ones we don’t always notice. So no matter what your Thanksgiving looks like this year—whether you’re around a table full of food, laughing with family, or just enjoying a quiet day—remember to thank God for everything you have. Without Him, none of it would be possible.

Monday, November 17, 2025

Silence With God: Why Quiet Prayer Matters

When we pray to God, we usually try to find a quiet place so we can keep our thoughts together and spend time with Him. God likes this because it shows that our attention is on Him and not on everything happening around us.

Matthew 6:6 (NLT) says, “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Of course, we won’t always be able to get away to a quiet place. Sometimes we pray in public—like at a restaurant before we eat, or when we’re at work, school, or in a store. God understands where we are. It’s still perfectly fine to pray silently to yourself when you’re out in public. But whenever you are at home or somewhere calm, try to take a moment to be alone with Him.

Psalm 46:10 (NLT) says, “Be still, and know that I am God!” Sometimes being still means calming our minds, focusing only on the Father, and choosing a quiet moment so we can hear His voice more clearly.

Jesus also taught us that when we pray, we shouldn’t pray loudly just to get people’s attention. Matthew 6:5 (NLT) says “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” This verse reminds us that praying to impress others is not pleasing to God, and it takes our focus away from Him.

So in conclusion, we should do our best to pray in quiet places when we can, so we can focus fully on God. We should always make sure our prayers come from the heart—not to be seen by others, but out of thankfulness and a desire to please Him.

Sunday, November 9, 2025

The Gift of Free Will – God Lets Us Choose

So, what exactly is free will? It’s the ability to make our own choices—what we do, what we say, and even what we believe. But in the Bible, free will isn’t just about doing whatever we want. It’s about the freedom God gave us to choose His way or our own. God wanted a family who would choose to love Him back, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Real love can’t be forced—it has to be freely given from the heart.

The Bible talks about this in Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT),where God says, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” This verse shows us that God gives everyone the freedom to choose—He doesn’t force us to follow Him. We can either choose the way that leads to life or the one that leads to darkness. And even though we’re free to decide, God hopes we’ll choose what’s right so we can live the life He planned for us.

Since God gave us free will, we should do our best to choose Him—His guidance, His wisdom, and His truth—in every decision we make. And when we get it wrong (because we all do sometimes), God never turns away. He’s always ready to forgive, to guide us back, and to help us start again with a heart that’s set on His way.

Free will is one of God’s greatest gifts because it gives us the freedom to love Him by choice, not by force. That kind of love builds a real relationship with Him—one that’s honest and from the heart. Each day is another chance to live for our Heavenly Father, walk in His Will, and show that our love for Him is real.

Prayer

Dear Father God,
Thank You for the incredible gift of free will. Thank You for loving us enough to let us choose You for ourselves. Please help us make wise choices each day—choices that honor You and bring us closer to Your heart. When we don’t know what to do, remind us to pray and listen for Your guidance. Teach us to love You with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to follow Your path even when it’s not the easiest one.
We choose You today, Lord, and we thank You for choosing us first.
In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.

Monday, November 3, 2025

Controlling Your Emotions

Sometimes when we get upset, it can feel like our emotions are taking over and that we just have to react. When this happens, we almost always say or do something we regret later. And then we’ll try to excuse it by saying, “I couldn’t control myself.” But that’s just not true. Galatians 5:23 tells us that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. This means we can choose to exercise self-control rather than losing control. God’s Word reminds us that we can take charge of our emotions and tell them when to sit down. If we don’t, it can lead to consequences—especially if our words or actions hurt someone else.

The Bible says in James 1:19–20 (NLT), “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”

This verse teaches us that we need to take a moment to think before we speak or react. When we’re upset, jealous, or hurt, it’s easy to say something that’s harsh or do something that goes against God’s Word. That’s not what our Heavenly Father wants. He wants us to show self-control and kindness, even when we don’t feel like it. Acting out in anger doesn’t show the kind of heart that takes us higher, instead, letting our emotions rule only pulls us further away from what He wants for us.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, went through a lot of things when he carried out His ministry on earth. If anyone had the right to get upset, it was Him, but He never let anger or any other emotions rule Him. He understands exactly how we feel, so whenever our emotions start to get the best of us, we need to pause and ask for His help. Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT) says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace.” When we go to Him first, He helps us handle our emotions the right way. So remember, our feelings don’t have to control us—we can let God lead us instead.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please help me to stay calm when I feel angry, sad, or frustrated. Teach me to pause and talk to You before I react. Thank You for understanding how I feel and for giving me peace when I need it most. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

A Heart for Christ