MONDAY
REVD MARK OPENS THIS DEVOTIONAL WITH A HEARTFELT REMINDER THAT TRUE PEACE BEGINS WHEN WE STOP STRIVING AND ALLOW GOD TO TAKE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AT THE CENTRE OF OUR LIVES.
17th November – Morning all…Have you ever tried to fix something that was never yours to fix in the first place? Maybe a family situation, a workplace mess, or even someone else’s choices. I know over the years I’ve jumped into many situations with the best intentions, but the more I tried to control the situation, the more everything become tangled. Believe me when I say it’s exhausting trying to hold together what only God has the power to sustain. Psalm 46:10 gives us a simple but life-shifting invitation: “Be still, and know that I am God.” That’s not just a gentle suggestion; it’s a command that leads to peace. “Be still” doesn’t mean “do nothing.” It means “stop striving… stop panicking… stop trying to carry what only God can carry.” And the second half tells us why we can: “and know that I am God.” Meaning: Remember who’s actually in charge. When life is swirling, when your mind won’t rest, when situations are too big for you, remember God says, Let go. I’ve got this. So today, why not take a deep breath. We don’t need to control everything. We don’t even need all of the answers. And we especially don’t need to fix what God has already promised to handle. Be still. Let God be God… and let your heart find rest in Him.
Revd Mark Spiers
TUESDAY
IN A WORLD THAT DRAINS US FASTER THAN WE CAN REFILL, TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL BY REVD MARK, IS A REMINDER THAT GOD MEETS US RIGHT WHERE OUR STRENGTH RUNS OUT.
18th November – Morning all, have you ever had one of those days where all your strength ran ou ong before the day did? Where you said, “I can’t face one more thing…”and then one more thing arrived? Truth be told, we all hit that wall sometimes. But it’s in those moments, that God doesn’t expect us to keep going in our own strength – He invites us to lean on His. Isaiah 40:29 tells us: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” God doesn’t give strength to the strong, He gives strength to the weary. He doesn’t increase the power of the capable, but the weak. In other words… your weakness isn’t a failure; it’s an opening. When you reach the end of yourself, you reach the beginning of His supernatural power. God’s strength isn’t like caffeine that just boosts your energy for a bit… it’s the kind of strength that lifts your spirit, steadies your mind, and fills you with hope you didn’t have before. So, if you feel worn down today, don’t pretend you’re fine. Come to the God who delights in lifting the weary. Let Him renew you, refill you, and restore what life has drained. Because He absolutely can… and He loves to.
Revd Mark Spiers
WEDNESDAY
THANK YOU, REVD MARK, THIS IS JUST THE WORD I NEEDED TO HEAR TODAY. WHAT ABOUT YOU? TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL REMINDS US THAT TRUE WISDOM DOESN’T BEGIN WITH CERTAINTY, BUT WITH THE HUMILITY TO ASK GOD FOR THE GUIDANCE WE LACK.
19th November – Morning all… Why is it that we so often pretend to have the answers? Maybe it’s pride… maybe it’s fear… maybe it’s that quiet worry that if we admit “I don’t know”, people will think less of us. But pretending is exhausting, isn’t it? The truth is, wisdom doesn’t start with having everything sorted, it begins right at the point where we recognise our limits. The moment we say, “Lord, I can’t do this on my own,” something powerful happens: humility opens the door for God’s guidance. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault…” What a relief. God isn’t rolling His eyes at our questions. He doesn’t sigh or shake His head when we come back again, unsure, confused, or overwhelmed. Instead, He gives generously, without finding fault. No judgement. No disappointment. Just grace. In a world where Google offers a thousand answers in a second, and where people feel pressure to look like they’ve got everything under control, God invites us to do the opposite: Ask. Slow down. Admit need. Come with open hands. There really isn’t any shame in asking. In fact, it’s often the start of breakthrough. C.S. Lewis once said, “Relying on God has to start all over every day as if nothing had yet been done.” That’s not failure – that’s the Christian life. So today, if you’re stuck in a decision… If you’re unsure how to respond… If you feel the weight of a choice, a crossroads, or a situation that’s bigger than you… Ask God for wisdom and expect Him to answer. He delights in supplying what you lack. And He promises that when you ask, He will give generously.
Revd Mark Spiers
THURSDAY
IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL, REVD MARK INVITES US TO SEE GOD’S GOODNESS MORE CLEARLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING.
20th November – Morning all… Have you ever caught yourself deciding what God’s goodness, justice, or love should look like? It’s easy to do. Before Jesus opens our eyes, our only examples of “good” or “loving” come from imperfect people. No wonder we get a distorted picture. Trying to understand life without Christ is like looking through someone else’s glasses – everything is blurry and off-balance.
This is why the early church struggled when Paul suffered. He brought them the gospel, showed them joy, peace, and freedom in Christ. Surely he shouldn’t face persecution. We even ask, If we’re following Jesus, why does life still hurt? But Psalm 9 reminds us: “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed… He has not forsaken those who seek Him.” We all know the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Long before it was a lyric, it was biblical truth. Strength grows through
pressure. Faith deepens through trial. Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy, but He did promise it would be worth it. And here’s the miracle: God transforms what He allows. What others intend for harm, He turns into redemption. What feels like loss, He reshapes into glory. Paul told the Ephesians that God can do “far more abundantly than all we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20) That includes using our suffering to reveal His power and love in ways we could never imagine. Paul
endured more hardship than most of us ever will. Yet he didn’t see it as punishment, but as invitation – an opportunity to know God more deeply. And that’s the truth for us today: When God is your stronghold, suffering isn’t the end, it’s the doorway into a deeper experience of His love.
Revd Mark Spiers
FRIDAY
IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL, REVD MARK SPEAKS DIRECTLY INTO ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR STRUGGLES OF OUR LIVES: FEELING OVERWHELMED BY ALL WE’RE TRYING TO CARRY. WITH GENTLE HONESTY AND DEEP PASTORAL INSIGHT, HE REMINDS US THAT GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR US TO SHOULDER LIFE’S PRESSURES ALONE. AS YOU READ HIS REFLECTION, MAY YOU FIND SPACE TO BREATHE, TO LET GO, AND TO REST IN GOD’S
FAITHFUL, SUSTAINING CARE.
21st November – Morning all… Have you ever felt like you’re juggling too much at once? Life has a habit of throwing things at us faster than we can catch them. Work, family, health, responsibilities. Some days it feels like we’re just trying to keep everything in the air, hoping nothing comes crashing down. But we were never meant to hold all of this on our own. That’s why 1 Peter 5:7gives us this beautiful reminder: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” Take note, not just some of it – all of it. There’s a simple quote that puts it well: “If it matters to you, it matters to God.” You’re never a burden to Him. Your worries don’t annoy Him. He cares because He cares for you. And you don’t have to be the strong one today. You don’t have to pretend everything is fine. God already knows, and He invites you to rest instead of wrestle. And the truth is this, He’s been carrying you longer than you realise. Those frantic days, those difficult seasons, that when His hands were underneath you the whole time. So, whatever you’re juggling today, choose one thing and hand it to Him. Then another. Let Him lift the weight you were never meant to carry. Be steady, be calm, and let God hold what you can’t.
Revd Mark Spiers