Back Roads To Belonging By Kristen StrongSample

Kristen Strong: Back Roads to Belonging Devotional Day 4

“Open the Book”

Scripture reading: Hebrews 4:1-13

When you and I are on the outside looking in, the cure is to keep looking in. However, we need to be mindful of where we’re looking in. A good place to always begin is looking in God’s Word.

Reading Scripture is the surest back-road way to belonging, to remaining in Christ and relaxing into God’s plan for each of us. It’s how we internalize his truth rather than the wonky truth we tell ourselves. It’s how we let God have the final say this minute, this hour, this day rather than the cranky, critical Other Voices. Reading God’s Word acts as the barbed-wire fence keeping the enemy’s ugly lies about our belonging far away from us. 

And it’s the way we internalize this idea that God has a belonging place for us, because we are not the exception to the rule. One of his promises is “God makes a home for the lonely” (Psalm 68:6, NASB). He has a place for each of us with people who value and respect us.

As Hebrews 4:12 says, the Word is “living and active” (ESV), and through it God speaks and gives life to us. But we need to turn down the static invading our exterior and interior life so we can make a space to hear what God wants to say.

We read the Word and remember we don’t belong under Satan’s accusations. We belong under God’s affirmations. Yes, God will convict, but his convictions are always served on a plate of love with a side of grace. We will forever leave his company feeling full on what he gives rather than starved for what has been taken. God’s conviction and direction will be for us, and once we’ve turned them over, examined them, and let them do good work in our lives, the change they bring will make us feel lighter, happier, and more secure in our belonging place.

Don’t worry about the logistics of getting it done. Just deliberately open the book and open your heart. Enjoy the time. Enjoy him.

Because he enjoys you.

Belong blessing: May the Lord show you where to open up space in your day to hang out with him so you can make a space in yourself for his Word.