Day 40

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 40

Rev. James Lee, Director of Communications, United Methodists of Eastern PA and Greater NJ

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. - Psalm 9:1 (NLT)

PRAISE IN THE MIDDLE OF HEALING

I grew up watching my father serve Communion every Sunday. As a child, I didn’t think about the deep theology behind it—I just knew that I wanted to go up to the altar and see my dad. Sometimes, I’d even run around the sanctuary to get in line again for a second piece of bread. He never stopped me. The table was open, grace was abundant, and I felt safe.

But life has a way of making us forget the open invitation. Over time, we learn to guard our hearts, protect our wounds, and build walls around what’s been hurt. Healing takes time, and some wounds feel impossible to mend.

I once carried a wound I thought would never heal—rejection, disappointment, the kind of hurt that makes you question if restoration is possible. I prayed, but healing didn’t come overnight. It came in quiet moments. Conversations. A slow softening. The realization that before anything changed externally, something was changing in me.

Brené Brown says, "We don’t have to do it all alone. We were never meant to." Healing is not a solo act. It happens in community, around tables, in the embrace of people who remind us that grace is still abundant. The invitation is still open. And even in the middle of healing—before everything is resolved—we can praise. Not because the pain is gone, but because God is still good.

Lent invites us to this kind of praise. The kind that doesn’t wait for resolution but worships in the waiting. It’s the praise of the wounded who are being made whole. The praise of those who walk with a limp, yet keep walking. The praise that trusts—one day—we will see the fullness of what God is doing.

PRAYER:

God of healing, teach me to praise you—not just when the pain is gone, but even in the middle of it. Help me trust that you are working, even when I can’t see it. Open my heart to your presence in the waiting. Amen

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. Where in my life do I need healing?

2. How can I practice praise even in the middle of healing?

3. Who has been part of my healing journey? How can I express gratitude for them?

Day 39

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 39

Anaiza Cruz

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. - James 5:14-15

PERSONAL STORY:

At the age of 14, I moved out of my parents’ house to live with my aunt. As a small, shy freshman, it was clear to anyone who looked at me that I didn’t quite fit in. I often found myself sitting in the first three rows of every class, and I wasn’t "up to date" with the latest clothing trends. My freshman year was a struggle. I faced loneliness, heartache, and the constant battle to find my place. The weight of being an outcast was heavy, and it felt as though I was just drifting through a sea of uncertainty.

In 2023, my heart was burdened with pain, confusion, and bullying. I often felt like I didn’t belong anywhere, but God was still at work in my life, even when I couldn’t see it. His grace was with me, even in my darkest moments, quietly guiding me through the storms.

Then, something changed during my sophomore year. Three months had passed since the start of the school year, and one day I noticed a bright orange poster on the auditorium doors. It was an audition notice for the spring musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Something stirred in me. Maybe it was God’s whisper telling me to step out of my comfort zone. I decided to audition, thinking, "Why not?"

To my surprise, I got in. It was in this new, theatrical world that I found peace, hope, and healing. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I belonged. The stage became a place where I could express myself, and through it, I began to experience the healing touch of God. It was there that I realized: that God doesn’t leave us in our struggles. He uses every part of our journey—our pain, our doubts, and our challenges—to bring us closer to His purpose and His healing.

Looking back, I see how God was working even when I felt abandoned. He led me to a place of peace and hope, and through His grace, I found a new sense of belonging. Today, He is the source of my strength, and His healing power is always at work, transforming our brokenness into something beautiful.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come before You today with a heart full of hope. I ask that everyone who has read or heard these words be filled with renewed faith and trust in Your healing power. May they leave today with hearts and minds anchored in the truth that healing is on the way, and that tomorrow holds the promise of a better day.

Lord, help them trust the journey You have set before them, knowing that with each step, You are guiding them. May they see Your faithfulness, like a rainbow after every storm, a reminder of Your constant presence and care.

I pray that my journey of growth and transformation today might inspire others to find peace and hope in You. May they be encouraged to embrace the future, knowing that You are at work in their lives.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I pray

Amen.

Day 38

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 38

Marcia Brands

The Lord says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

- John 16:33 (NIV)

HOLDING ON TO HOPE

This world is anchored in the way of empire – striving, straining, and acquisition. Each and every person fighting to get to the top. And each and every persons fighting to stay on top. But the way of the kin-dom is the way of relinquishment. We follow Jesus in our weakness and trust He is our strength, portion and sustenance. Kingdom is invading empire every day! We are part of the kingdom of God on the move; the gospel moving on the ground.

Christ tells us to hold on to the hope we have in Him. He tells us to “take heart” because the trials of this world have already been won, the evil has already been conquered, and He has already overcome the world.

Hope always travels with two friends – faith and love. Live your life as a statement of hope, not despair. Live like the victor, not the victim. Live with your eye on eternity, not the here and now. Daily remind yourself that you serve a powerful and gracious God, and decide to be used by Him to act as a messenger of grace and healing to the world’s brokenness.

We rejoice in knowing we are chosen in our weakness and not our strength.

QUESTIONS

1. How can I be “the gospel moving on the ground” today?

2. How can I live my life as a statement of hope?

PRAYER

Lord, forgive my doubts. Forgive me for losing focus on You and being distracted by my present circumstances. Forgive me for growing discouraged and not placing my full trust in You. In my weakness and your strength help me to share my faith and your love. May I learn to trust you better and to live my life as a statement of Hope.

Day 37

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 37

Joseph Jueng

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. - Matthew 6:33-4 (NRSVue)

What will happen to the dinner ministry? This was the worry running through my mind as I made my way to UMC at New Brunswick one Sunday in mid-May of 2020. What had begun as a bi-weekly Rutgers campus ministry initiative had morphed into a daily meal feeding over 50 of the most vulnerable members of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. With my new appointment and no extra pastoral support coming for my senior pastor, I was anxious about the future longevity of this critical mission.

That afternoon, a man I didn’t recognize approached during a lull in meal service. He introduced himself as Pastor Art. He had come to the New Brunswick train station with a backpack full of sandwiches, expecting to find people in need. Instead, he was directed to our church. It turned out he was on a scouting mission to see if his congregation could alleviate food insecurity in the city. The name of his church? God Will Provide. Through Pastor Art and the members of his church, the dinner ministry was able to not only continue but thrive. And although they have since phased out of the mission, God’s provision has kept the food outreach going—now serving over 100 meals every night, seven days a week.

This experience reminds me to cast my burdens upon the Lord, especially in moments of fear and uncertainty. Truly, the worries of tomorrow are not ours to carry. Instead, when we seek first His kingdom and trust in His faithfulness, we will find that God indeed provides.

QUESTIONS:

1. When faced with times of fear and uncertainty, how can you shift your focus from the challenges ahead to trusting in God's provision for today?

2. Have you ever experienced God's provision in ways that were surprising or unexpected?

3. How did it strengthen your faith?

PRAYER:

Gracious God, we thank you for your constant provision and for reminding us that we do not need to worry about tomorrow. Help us to trust you with the needs of today and to seek first your kingdom in all things. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen

Day 36

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 36

Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. - Romans 5:5 RVSUE

A long time ago, I read an article about cultivating “reasonable hope” that has stuck with me. The author’s point was that hope is essential. It’s essential for healing, and it’s essential for change. The trouble is that we don’t always feel hopeful. She noted, “We tend to feel hopeful when the goal is clear, the pathway known, and hopeless when the way is blocked, the goal obscure.”

These days, I feel like many of the pathways forward are unknown. It is unclear to me how I, with my effort and influence, can tilt the world toward greater justice or beat back the ravages of climate change. Hope, as a feeling, slips through my fingers.

But “reasonable hope” isn’t a feeling; it’s a practice. It’s an action that we take to ensure something is done, even if we can’t accomplish the fullness of our heart’s desires. We embody reasonable hope as we identify realistic goals and a pathway toward them—for ourselves and for others.

The reality is—we don’t get to choose when or how we heal. Those things are beyond our control. We do get to choose how we show up for ourselves and for each other as we do the work of healing—both our own healing and the healing of the world around us.

We can show up; we can embody reasonable hope because we know that our hope will not be put to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

PRAYER:

God of compassion and steadfast love, thank you for hope. Thank you for the precious moments when we feel it and for every opportunity that you give us to embody it. Grant us the courage to act, the boldness to continue showing up, trusting that the future is secure, for you go before us into it. This we ask in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Day 35

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 35

Gail Armstrong

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers & sisters, even though they are strangers to you. - 3 John 1:4-5

A JOURNEY OF HEALING FOR THIS COUNTRY

This country is hurting. It is hurting at every level of society and we need to get back to being kinder to each other. Violence is intruding into every level of our society - even to the youngest. Time and again you read of children, even at the elementary level, that are using the basest of violence to deal with encounters of bullying. Children using guns and knives in retaliation.

Jesus advocated for inclusiveness. We are becoming more and more separate from Jesus' teachings about what God expects of us. He taught us to turn the other cheek and to share with those in need. Children need to see that violence is unacceptable and that comes from the adults in their lives. They cannot learn kindness if they do not see it at home. Jesus taught a different way of living and we need to be examples of it. In order for this country to start to heal we need to put into practice what Jesus preached.

QUESTIONS

1. Where can we start? What can we as a church do to lead people to this consciousness?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, We come to you with heavy hearts asking for your guidance. We ask you to open our hearts and open our eyes to the needs of our communities. Help us to show the kindness that is so needed today. We ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN.

Day 34

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 34

Myounghun Stephen Yun

Genesis 50:15–21 (NIV)

"WHY, LORD?"

“Why?” “I want to know why.” “What is the meaning of what I am experiencing?” As a pastor, one of the most challenging questions I hear is “Why?” This question arises from all sorts of painful circumstances, including life-threatening illnesses, personal tragedies, and relational traumas. I vividly remember hearing that simple yet heart-wrenching “why?” from a survivor of domestic violence. My response was compassionate silence and listening, because I sensed her “why” was more a deep relational cry of lament than a quest for an intellectual explanation.

It is natural to search for meaning, to seek an explanation that might make our circumstances feel more understandable. Yet, attempting to make sense of painful experiences can be perilous. Whether directly or indirectly, it may appear that we are justifying or normalizing suffering, brokenness, and evil, especially when dealing with human atrocities or psychosocial traumas. But does this mean we should refuse to find any meaning after our painful experiences, leaving them untouchable chaos or secrecy?

Joseph’s words in Genesis 50:20—“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good”—show how he moved beyond simply asking why he suffered and instead trusted that God could bring forth a greater purpose out of his suffering. Rather than remaining trapped in bitterness over betrayal, false accusations, and imprisonment, Joseph acknowledged the real harm done, but he trusted that God could transform it to save many lives.

This perspective is critical for anyone wrestling with trauma or injustice. While evil is never justified, it does not have the final say. The God of resurrection does. By bringing our pain honestly before God, we discover that our wounds can become catalysts for renewed purpose and healing. Lament provides a biblical framework for naming injustice without minimizing it. In crying out, “Why, Lord?” we do more than seek intellectual explanations; we invite God into our most wounded spaces, resisting evil’s power to isolate or silence us.

In times of deep suffering, such as personal tragedies or communal traumas, we hold two truths in tension: human atrocities and injustice remain affronts to God’s goodness, yet God’s grace can still lead us toward hope and healing. We do not claim that suffering is good, nor do we dismiss its severity and consequence. Instead, we trust in the promise that what was intended for harm can be reworked by Christ’s redemptive power. Such redemption does not necessarily erase the pain or make it “all better,” but it does proclaim that suffering will not ultimately prevail.

If you hear someone asking “why?” or find yourself asking that question, remember it is often a relational cry—a lament that can draw you closer to God’s heart. You are guided and empowered to 2 move from "finding meaning in pain" to "finding meaning out of pain," and this transition can be a lengthy and difficult journey. However, your faith in Christ serves as a bridge between these two places. As you shift from meaning in suffering to meaning out of suffering, you may witness grace flowing in ways you never expected. This process might involve breaking silence by sharing your story, seeking support through prayer and community, and standing in solidarity with others. Even in the darkest valleys, God’s transforming power can create new beginnings, turning your story of pain into a testimony of compassion, renewed hope, and deeper faith. What Now, God? Here I am, Lord!

PRAYER:

Dear God, when we’re overwhelmed and asking “Why?” remind us that our question isn’t just about answers. It’s our heart reaching out for your comfort and healing. Help us move from trying to explain our pain to discovering new purpose and strength through it. Give us the courage to speak honestly about our struggles and to lean on others who can walk beside us. Even if we don’t have all the answers, assure us of your presence in our darkest moments, bringing healing and hope that go beyond anything we could imagine. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

HYMNS, SONGS, OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

“Be Still, My Soul”

Day 33

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 33

YoungHak Lee

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. - Luke 4:18-19 (NRSVue)

Healing begins with truth. It starts when we have the courage to name what is broken—within us, around us, and in the systems that shape our world. Without truth, healing remains shallow, like a wound covered too quickly without proper treatment. Real healing happens when we’re honest—when we bring our pain, failures, and struggles into the light and embrace God’s grace that meets us there.

Jesus understood this. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus declares his mission: to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, and set free those who are oppressed. Jesus didn’t avoid the painful truth of suffering. Instead, Jesus stepped into those broken places to sit with the oppressed and speak words that exposed both personal and societal wounds. Jesus called out hypocrisy, confronted injustice, and eagerly urged people to see themselves and the world through God’s eyes.

Following Christ means embodying Jesus’s mission of truth-telling and healing. We must open our eyes to see the suffering around us and ask, “Who among us is still captive? Who is still oppressed? Where is God calling us to bring good news?”

If we’re willing to look honestly at the world around us, we’ll see places of deep pain and injustice. We’ll see people weighed down by poverty, discrimination, loneliness, and fear. We’ll see communities fractured by division and mistrust. We’ll see wounds that have been ignored for too long. And if we truly believe in the mission of Jesus, we cannot turn away.

But here’s the good news: healing is possible. Transformation is possible. In Christ, we are not defined by our wounds or our failures. God’s grace meets us where we are and leads us toward renewal. When we step into the work of healing, we don’t do it alone. Jesus walks with us, just as he walked with the hurting, the outcast, and the oppressed.

So, what truths need to be named in your own life? Where do you see suffering in your community? Where is God calling you to step in with love, truth, and grace?

May we have the courage to seek healing, the humility to acknowledge what is broken, and the faith to trust that God is already at work, restoring what has been lost and making all things new. AMEN.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What wounds—personal or communal—do you need to acknowledge today?

2. How does discomfort shape your faith and your journey toward healing?

3. Where do you see God inviting you to participate in the restoration of others?

4. What fears keep you from confronting painful truths? How can you surrender those fears to God?

CLOSING PRAYER

Loving and merciful God, give us the courage to face the truth of our wounds and the grace to seek healing. Help us to hold discomfort, not with fear, but with faith, trusting in Your promise of restoration. Open our eyes to the pain around us and within us, and guide us toward Your healing presence. Walk with us as we journey from lamentation to praise, knowing that You are always working to bring renewal and hope. In the name of Jesus who brings good news to the poor, we pray. AMEN.

SONGS, HYMNS, OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

UMH 57. O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

UMH 375. There is a Balm

UMH 593. Here I Am Lord

TFWS 2241. The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve

Day 32

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 32

Rev. Vanessa M. Wilson

The LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and place it on a pole. Whoever is bitten can look at it and live. - Numbers 21:8

LOOK UP AND LIVE

The Israelites had wandered through the wilderness for forty years. They were almost at their destination when they were redirected to go back to the Red Sea. It was the long way. For many of them that was the tipping point. They were tired of the burden of wandering including the lack of food and water; they were fed-up with the entire experience. They were weary from the unmet expectations of the journey. In addition to personal suffering, they had watched family and friends perish in the wilderness. Repeatedly their hopes had been dashed. Their frustration grew and so did their complaints against Moses and God. It appears that God was frustrated by their continuous complaining and the response was venomous snakes, that killed many of them. This added fear to frustration; it was then that they repented and asked Moses to pray. God heard the prayer of Moses and provided a method of healing – a bronze snake on a poll. To be healed the people had to face what they feared and then look beyond.

The journey to healing, whether, emotional, physical, mental or spiritual is often crooked and full of setbacks. We can become frustrated, fearful, angry and start to complain. As a breast cancer survivor, I have journeyed the road to physical and emotional healing. Along the way, I learned to replace my complaints with prayer, regret with gratitude, and resentment with forgiveness. I looked directly at cancer, the enemy that had taken the lives of family and friends and now sought to destroy me, but my gaze did not stop there. I looked beyond cancer and up to God as my healer, peace, joy and strength. Standing firmly on John 3:14-15, I lifted Christ, by continuing to study, preach, teach and serve. Complaining is an easy first response; but we serve the God who is Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Let’s remember the Creator shaped us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit sustains us. When we face detours and setbacks let’s ask God to give us transformational grace to shift from complaining about circumstances to the sustaining faith that empowers us to look up to Christ and live.

QUESTIONS:

1. What spiritual disciplines can we use to build resilience to life’s unexpected setbacks?

2. Healing is a journey, what five items would you bring on the journey?

PRAYER:

Dear gracious God, we look to you as we travel a healing journey full of setbacks, detours and unexpected delays. Please give us the ability to look beyond past hurt, rejection, illness and malady and see your hand in every aspect of our lives. Give us the grace to forgive ourselves and others. Allow us to experience the incarnational power that resurrects and restores. Increase our capacity to love ourselves, our neighbors and You as we Look Up and Live. Amen.

Day 31

DAILY DEVOT IONAL 31

Diana B. Yamoah

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my Praise. - Jeremiah 17:12-14 (NIV)

SEEKING GOD’S HEALING

I as one of the senior black instructors in my school district. I was asked to mentor Ramy, a young scholar athlete who had joined our faculty. Ramy and I became such good friends both on and off campus sharing our perspectives in life despite the difference in our ages, ethnicity and political views. I encouraged Ramy to serve as a basketball coach at my daughter’s high school. It just so happened that Ramy met her future husband Tony, during her time as the basketball coach. The two got married and had 2 sons. Our friendship grew stronger even when Ramy transferred out of my school district. Sometime later, Tony got sick and within a few months we lost Tony. This came as a shock to both of us and everyone who knew him. They both were in the prime of their lives raising a family together. Six months later I received a call from Ramy that she was in the hospital having been diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have surgery. This was a second shock. I went to see Ramy often in the hospital; we cried, laughed and prayed together for God’s healing during those times. I was concerned about the 2 sons who were just about to get into college. As I was preparing to make another visit to see Ramy I received a text message from Ramy’s sister that Ramy had died early that morning. I was very devastated. I wept and prayed for strength and also for Ramy’s children who were now left motherless and fatherless within a 10-month period. As I was grieving and seeking comfort and healing and also for Ramy’s family, the I came across this scripture verse from Jeremiah.

The verse in Jeremiah suggests that our needs for healing is not limited to the physical. In the same way, God’s power to heal is not limited to the physical. To experience total healing, it must extend to our hearts, minds, and spirits. We must have faith that whatever pain we carry today – the loss of a loved one and the emotional weariness - God sees them all and draws near. Just as Jesus reached out to touch the sick and comfort the weary, we pray and seek God’s healing. His love is constant, and His power to heal is unfailing.

For us humans, healing may not always come in the way we expect or at our desired timeline. We must remember that God’s presence is always a source of our strength and comfort. Our time is not His time, and even as we wait for His healing, we must have faith that He is working on our request.

PRAYER OF HEALING:

God of mercy, we thank you for healing us, making us stronger when life and grief have broken us down, Touch our bodies with Your strength, our minds with Your peace, and our spirits with Your hope. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

God can heal us physically, emotionally, and spiritually

QUESTIONS:

1. When have you had an opportunity to comfort a young person who has lost a parent or parents? What did you say to the person?

2. Were you able to help a person who has suffered a loss look at the positive aspect of the loss?

3. Have you experienced a loss? Have you had an opportunity to use your experience to help someone?

PRAYER FOCUS:

Those who have lost loved ones