When God Tests Us: Refined by Fire, Held by Grace"For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver." – Psalm 66:10 (NIV)

🔥 A Heartfelt Reflection

Have you ever felt like your faith was being stretched thin—like the weight of your circumstances was more than you could carry? You’re not alone. The Bible is filled with people who faced seasons of deep testing, and yet those very tests were the soil where their faith grew strongest.

God doesn’t test us to trap us. He tests us to train us, to reveal what’s inside us, and to refine us for something greater.

• In Genesis 22, Abraham was tested with the unthinkable—offering Isaac. But through it, his trust in God deepened.

• In Deuteronomy 8:2, the Israelites wandered 40 years, not aimlessly, but under divine training to see what was in their hearts.

• In James 1:2–3, we’re encouraged to find joy in trials because they produce perseverance.

• And 1 Peter 1:7 reminds us that trials prove our faith genuine, like gold tested in fire.

So when you're facing the heat, remember: you are being refined, not rejected.

📖 Scriptures for Your Journey

• Genesis 22:1 – “God tested Abraham…”

• Deuteronomy 8:2 – “…to humble and test you…”

• James 1:2–3 – “...the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

• 1 Peter 1:6–7 – “...so that the proven genuineness of your faith...”

• Psalm 66:10 – “You refined us like silver.”

📝 Journal Prompt

What season of testing are you walking through right now?
Can you see how it’s growing you, even if it’s uncomfortable?

Write a prayer of surrender. Ask God to help you see the refining, not just the fire.

🙏 A Prayer to Carry You Through

Heavenly Father,
I don’t always understand the trials in my life, but I choose to trust You.
Refine me like silver. Teach me to walk in faith like Abraham,
To follow You daily like Israel in the wilderness,
To rejoice in hardship like James encourages us,
And to endure knowing that my faith is being made strong.
I surrender this season to You. Let it glorify Your name.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With grace,
Erica

✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿

Walk By Faith, Not By Sight

🌊 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." — 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)

This short verse from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians holds profound truth for every believer. In just ten words, it reveals the foundation of a life rooted in the Spirit, not in the senses. It teaches us to move in obedience—not because we see the outcome—but because we trust the One who directs our steps.

To walk by faith means we let go of the need to understand everything. It means believing in God’s promises even when there’s no evidence yet. It means our confidence is not in what is visible, but in who is invisible.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." — Hebrews 11:1

Sight is natural. Faith is supernatural. And the Christian walk requires us to lean not on what we can analyze, calculate, or control—but on God’s eternal truth.

This verse doesn’t minimize our human desire for clarity. It simply reminds us that God’s clarity comes through trust—not always visibility. He is trustworthy even when the road is foggy.

When Paul wrote this, he was enduring hardship, persecution, and uncertainty. Yet he declared: “We walk by faith.” That means forward motion. Movement. Momentum. Even when you can’t see clearly, you can keep walking—because faith is a lens that sees beyond the moment.

🙏 Prayer:

Lord, strengthen my faith to walk even when the path is unclear. Help me to lean not on what I feel or see, but on what You’ve said. Let Your Word be my compass and Your promises my anchor. I choose to walk by faith—step by step, day by day—trusting You fully. In Jesus’ name, amen.

📝 Journal Prompt:

• In what area of my life am I relying more on sight than faith?

• What promise of God do I need to hold onto right now?

• How can I strengthen my faith through prayer, scripture, and action?

  📥 Download the Walk By Faith printable journal sheet: Click here to access your free reflection page — print it out, write it down, and walk it out.

Faith leads even when the eyes cannot.

With grace,

Erica

✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿

Ask. Seek. Knock. A Promise Worth Pursuing

🔑 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." — Matthew 7:7 (NKJV)

Have you ever felt unsure how to pray—or whether your prayers even matter?

Jesus answers that question with a simple, powerful invitation: Ask. Seek. Knock.

These aren’t passive suggestions. They’re active pursuits, grounded in faith and built on trust that your Heavenly Father hears and responds.

🙋🏽‍♀️ ASK — The Posture of Dependence

To ask means to admit you can’t do it on your own. It requires humility, faith, and courage to speak your need aloud—to say, "Lord, I need You." Whether you whisper it in weariness or cry it out in desperation, He hears you.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father... give good things to those who ask Him!” — Matthew 7:11

🔍 SEEK — The Pursuit of His Presence

To seek God means to move closer. It means searching not just for answers but for intimacy. When we seek Him—through prayer, worship, fasting, and His Word—we discover the treasure isn’t just what we receive, but who He is.

“You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13

🚪 KNOCK — The Persistence of Faith

Knocking implies resistance. A closed door. An unanswered question. But it also implies action. Knocking means you didn’t give up. It means you're standing at the threshold of promise, believing that when it opens, it will be God who answers.

“To the one who knocks it will be opened.” — Matthew 7:8

🙏 Prayer:

Father, thank You for inviting me into this kind of relationship with You. Help me to ask boldly, seek continually, and knock faithfully. May I never lose hope when the answer is delayed. Teach me to trust Your timing and to rest in Your presence while I wait. In Jesus’ name, amen.

📝 Journal Prompt:

• What am I asking God for right now?

• Where is He inviting me to seek Him more deeply?

• What door have I stopped knocking on that may still open by faith?

Keep knocking. You’re closer than you think.

📥 Download the Ask. Seek. Knock journal sheet: Click here to access your free reflection page — print it out, write it down, and walk it out.

With grace,
Erica

✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿

Why Does Biblical Fasting Begin with Food? A Closer Look at the Scriptures

When we fast, why is it usually food that’s laid on the altar?

In today’s world, we often hear: “You can fast anything—TV, social media, even gossip.” While these are meaningful sacrifices, true biblical fasting has always started with something much deeper: food.

Let’s walk through the scriptures to understand why fasting in the Bible begins with food, and why that still matters today.

🍽️ What Does the Bible Say About Fasting?

The word "fast" or "fasting" appears around 70 times in the NKJV Bible. It’s most often used in the context of:

• Seeking divine help (Ezra 8:23)

• Repentance and humility (Jonah 3:5-10)

• Spiritual warfare and breakthrough (Matthew 17:21)

• Preparation for ministry (Acts 13:2-3)

Key Verse:

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness... to let the oppressed go free?” — Isaiah 58:6

🥖 Why Food? Doesn’t It Nourish Us?

Yes—and that’s why it’s so powerful.

Food is our most basic physical need. When we fast from it, we challenge the flesh and declare that:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” — Matthew 4:4

Fasting food breaks the cycle of self-reliance. It reminds us that only God truly sustains us.

📖 Examples of Food-Based Fasts in Scripture:

• Absolute Fast – Esther 4:16: “No food or water for three days.”

• Partial Fast – Daniel 10:3: “I ate no pleasant food.”

• Corporate Fast – Joel 2:15: “Blow the trumpet… sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.”

• Jesus' 40-Day Fast – Luke 4:2: “He ate nothing.”

These weren’t about self-control. They were about God-dependence.

📺 What About Other Forms of Fasting?

In the Old and New Testaments, people had entertainment—feasts, music, theater, and celebrations. But those weren’t daily essentials.

Food was universal. Everyone needed it. So fasting from food was a clear, collective act of devotion.

In modern times, fasting from TV, social media, or digital distractions can absolutely help refocus our minds—but these are usually supplemental fasts. They don’t carry the same physical sacrifice as food.

🔑 So Why Start with Food?

Reason Why It Matters

Dependency Food is necessary. Fasting reminds us of our need for God.

Sacrifice It costs something physical and spiritual.

Scriptural Pattern Nearly every biblical fast involved food.

Clarity Fasting food breaks fleshly habits so you can hear God clearer.

🙏 Final Reflection:

Ask the Lord what He is calling you to fast. Whether it's a full fast, a Daniel-style fast, or removing distractions—make sure it’s Spirit-led.

When God chooses the fast, the fruit always follows: healing, clarity, direction, and spiritual freedom.

“When you fast…” — Jesus (Matthew 6:16) — not if.

So yes—fasting begins with food. But it ends in freedom.

📥 Download the Fasting Start with the Heart journal sheet: Click here to access your free reflection page — print it out, write it down, and walk it out.

With grace,
Erica

✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿

🕊️ Digging Deeper: Psalm 57 — Under His Wings

📖 Psalm 57 (NKJV)

Verses 1–3: A Cry for Mercy
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.”
“I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me.”

David begins with repetition—"Be merciful"—because he's desperate. He knows God is his only safe place. The “shadow of Your wings” is a picture of closeness, protection, and divine care—like a mother bird shielding her chicks from harm. Even while hiding in a cave from Saul, David sees God's presence as his true refuge.

Verses 4–6: A Realistic Picture of Trouble
“My soul is among lions… they have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down.”

David doesn’t deny his fear or danger. He feels surrounded by enemies and even emotionally crushed. But instead of giving into despair, he declares God's greatness in verse 5:

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.”

This praise in the middle of trouble is the heartbeat of the psalm.

Verses 7–11: A Heart Fixed in Praise
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.”
“Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.”

Though still in danger, David decides to praise. His "heart is fixed"—immovable. He chooses worship before rescue. By verse 10, his perspective is heavenward:

“For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds.”

✨ Key Reflections

1. You can worship in the waiting.
   David was still in the cave, yet his spirit soared in praise.

2. God is your refuge, not the cave.
   The cave might provide temporary shelter, but God is the true hiding place. David trusted not in the walls of the cave, but in the wings of God.

3. Pain doesn’t cancel praise.
   Even in deep fear, David lifted his voice—not because of what he felt, but because of who God is.

🪞 Journal Prompts

• “Where is my ‘cave’ right now?”
  What situation feels dark, tight, or fearful in this season?

• “What does ‘taking refuge in the shadow of His wings’ look like for me today?”
  Reflect on the places, people, or moments where you’ve experienced God’s protection.

• “Is my heart fixed, or faltering?”
  Be honest—what helps steady your heart, and what shakes it?

• “What praise can I offer in this cave?”
  Write a short praise declaration, even if the answer hasn’t come yet.

🙏 Prayer: A Cry and a Confession of Trust

Heavenly Father,
Be merciful to me, O God. In moments when I feel cornered, confused, or crushed, remind me that I am hidden not by chance, but by Your divine wings. Teach me to find safety in Your presence and to praise You before the breakthrough. May my heart be fixed on You—not on outcomes, not on fears, but on Your everlasting mercy and truth. Just as David praised You from the cave, may my song rise even from hard places. Be exalted, O God, above my feelings, above my circumstances, above all the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With grace,
Erica

✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿