June 1, 2026 – Guide
Streams – Isaiah 28:12 – He said, ‘This is the resting place, let the weary rest’; and, ‘This is the place of repose’ – but they would not listen. God was ready and waiting to soothe me with today’s devotion, but I wasn’t reading it on June 1st. I missed writing on this day (and a handful of others) and finally was ready to fill in the blanks on August 2, the day Don’s job was eliminated in what turned out to be a huge reduction in force (RIF) at his company. Just before he text’d me the news, I read the first lines that Cowman shared from Spurgeon, “Why do you worry? What possible use does your worrying serve?” The expected concerns did cross our minds (paying bills, termination of health insurance, employability at 64), but they didn’t weigh us down, in part because one of the first things I did was text my small group for prayer coverage – and I could see the effects of their faithfulness right away. God wants us to come to Him for sure, but He also gives us each other to lean on – and we should.
The devotion continues, “Do you think all the commotion and the uproar of this life is evidence that God has left His throne? He has not!” That is one of the key things I’ve learned to say in the first moments of a crisis (of any size): God is not surprised by this. We don’t have to solve the God-sized problems in our lives, but we do have to be willing to rest in Him and trust that He will guide us through each step that is ahead of us. A little while before the news, I had listened to an Instagram post that a friend sent me about this very thing and had been sharing part of it with Don when he told me he had a meeting that was about to start. God was preparing us. If that is not uplifting and encouraging I don’t know what is. The King of the universe was waiting there, like support teams do for marathon runners, with just what we needed as we crossed that milestone in the race.
Cowman concludes with words from Madame Guyon, “I implore to not give in to despair. It is a dangerous temptation, because our Adversary has refined it to the point that it is quite subtle. Hopelessness constricts and withers the heart, rendering it unable to sense God’s blessings and grace. It also causes you to exaggerate the adversities of life and make your burdens seem too heavy for you to bear. Yet God’s plans for you, and His ways of bring about His plans, are infinitely wise.”
JC – “I am involved in each moment of your life. I have carefully mapped out every inch of your journey through this day, even though much of it may feel haphazard. Because the world is in a fallen condition, things always seem to be unraveling around the edges. Expect to find trouble in this day. At the same time, trust that My way is perfect, even in the midst of such messy imperfection. Stay conscious of Me…. Let the Holy Spirit guide you step by step…. Thus the Light of My Presence shines on you, giving you Peace and Joy that circumstances cannot touch.” See Psalm 18:30 and Isaiah 41:13.
Power – Proverbs 16:7 – When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Joyce offers this encouragement to stop striving in our own knowledge and power, “God will give you favor with people if you ask Him to do so and put your trust in Him. He can cause even your enemies to be a peace with you…. When God favors you, He gives you things you do not deserve in the natural. But as long as you try to make things happen by the works of your flesh, God will stand back and wait for you to wear yourself out trying to do what only He can do…. stop struggling and ask God to take the driver’s seat….”
Days – That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Rom. viii. 4) Simpson leads us further in understanding our faith especially during trials, “There is a divine righteousness that we may have. I don’t mean merely that which pardons your sins – I believe that, too – but I mean far more; I mean that which comes into your soul and unites itself with the fibers of your being; I mean Christ; your life, your purity, making you feel as Christ feels; think as Christ thinks, love as Christ loves, hate as Christ hates, and be ‘partakers of the divine nature.’ That is God’s righteousness; ‘that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,’ not by us, but in us; not our hands and feet merely, but our very instincts, our very desires, our very nature springing up in harmony with His own. Have you got Him, dear friends? he will come and fulfill all right things in you if to-day you will open your heart.”
Max – Revelation 19:7 NLT – The time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. I love Max’s telling of, as part of his sermon about the bride of Christ, how he arranged for a volunteer dressed in a bridal gown to surprise the congregation; however the veil blocked her vision; and, after faltering a bit, some folks stood up and helped her down the aisle. He writes, “We ended up with the bride standing at the altar and a half-dozen chuckling helpers at her side. An image of what awaits us all, perhaps? When we stand before Christ, we will appreciate the influence of those who helped us. You can do this. Do not shrink back. Be someone who helps others find their way.” Like God does for us, in good times and bad.
Prevail #152 – Proverbs 13:17 – An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. Larson offers great encouragement about who we are in Christ and what we can do to serve Him, “I marvel that God entrusts the kingdom to such broken people. Yet He puts His Spirit in us and works wonders through us, all while we work out our salvation and gradually discover who we are to Him…. Because of His unrelenting love, I’m not who I was; I am someone altogether new. And I’m not who I will be. I’m counting on His goodness to continually transform me. The same goes for you. We get to be a work in progress without the condemnation. Far too many Christians stay stuck because they prefer a known captivity to an unknown freedom…. When we understand who we are to God and who He is to us, we more reliably communicate His message to a lost and broken world….”
Utmost – Chambers offers this food for thought, “It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we mistake panic for inspiration…. God’s Spirit continually reveals what human nature is like apart from His grace.
JL – “Jesus, my faithful Guide, I delight in spending time with You – meditating on Your unfailing Love. For You are my God forever and ever. Please help me, through Your Spirit, to bring my mind back to You whenever it wanders…. You are also my Guide. It’s easy for me to be spooked by the future when I forget that You’re leading me each step along my life-path…. You’ve been training me to be increasingly aware of You as I go about my daily activities…. Instead of worrying about anything, I can bring You my requests through prayer and petition with thanksgiving…. In Your blessed, eternal Name, Amen.” See Psalm 48:9-10, Genesis 28:16, and Philippians 4:6.”
