Scripture: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” — Colossians 3:13 Forgiveness isn’t saying the hurt didn’t matter—it’s saying it won’t control you. Holding onto anger keeps the wound open, but releasing it places justice back in God’s hands. Forgiveness may not change the person who hurt you, but it will change you. It frees your heart, restores your peace, and makes room for healing. You don’t forgive because they deserve it. You forgive because you deserve peace. PRAYER Lord, I bring You the hurt I’ve been carrying—spoken and unspoken. I don’t minimize the pain, but I refuse to let it harden my heart. Give me the strength to forgive as You have forgiven me. Heal what was broken, guard my heart from bitterness, and restore my peace. I place this in Your hands today. Amen.

Theme: Deep spiritual thirst. Reflection: What distracts me from God? Prayer: “Satisfy my spirit.”

Theme: Whole-heart devotion. Reflection: Am I giving God half of me or all of me? Prayer: “Give me a focused heart.”

Theme: God hears every cry. Reflection: What do I need to be honest with God about? Prayer: “Hear my heart today.”

Many believers wrestle with: the tension between fear of the Lord as reverence and awe versus fear as trembling terror. You’re right — Scripture makes clear that because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can approach God boldly as His children (Hebrews 4:16). Yet at the same time, the Bible repeatedly emphasizes that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). ✨ Breaking Down the Fear of the Lord • Not terror, but reverence: It’s not about living in constant dread, but about recognizing God’s holiness, authority, and justice. Fear here means deep respect, awe, and recognition of His power. • Boundaries and commands: As you said, God sets boundaries not to enslave us but to protect us. Respecting those boundaries is part of loving Him. • Confidence in His power: True fear of the Lord actually frees us from fear of the devil or the world. If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)? • Old Testament and New Testament continuity: You’re right — God hasn’t changed. The same God who parted the Red Sea is the God who sent His Son to die for us. His holiness and His love are inseparable. • David’s example: David’s psalms show both sides — trembling before God’s majesty and running to Him in repentance. His worship was born out of both reverence and intimacy. 🎶 Psalms as Worship You touched on something beautiful: the Psalms are essentially a diary of worship through every season of life. • Shepherd boy (Psalm 23) → “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” • Warrior (Psalm 18) → “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.” • King (Psalm 51) → “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” David’s life shows that fear of the Lord doesn’t mean running away from Him, but running toward Him with humility, repentance, and trust. 🌱 The Balance So the “fear” you’re describing is really two sides of the same coin: • Holy reverence: Recognizing God’s majesty and authority. • Loving confidence: Trusting His mercy and grace through Christ.