“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” — Hosea 10:12 KJV

Have you ever seen ground that’s been sitting untouched for a long time?

It gets hard. Weeds take over. And you can throw good seed on it all day long, but until that ground is broken up, very little is going to grow.

Friend, our hearts can get that way too.

Disappointment can harden us. Hurt can harden us. Busyness can harden us. Sometimes we get so comfortable going through the motions that we don’t even realize how dry the ground of our heart has become.

That’s why Hosea says, “Break up your fallow ground.”

In other words, let God work on those hard places.

Maybe there’s something you need to surrender. Maybe there’s somebody you need to forgive. Maybe you’ve drifted away from prayer or God’s Word. Maybe you simply need to get serious about seeking God again.

And I love what the verse says next: “For it is time to seek the LORD.”

Not someday.

Not when life settles down.

Not when everything gets easier.

It’s time.

Because when we prepare the soil of our hearts and seek Him, God knows how to send the rain.

So today, don’t be afraid to let God break up some ground. What feels like breaking may actually be God preparing your life for something beautiful to grow.

Seek Him. Trust Him. And get ready for the rain.

Good evening, my friend!

Imagine reading a book with no way to turn back the page. How carefully would you read it?

That’s life.

Every day is another page in the story God has given you, and once today is finished, you cannot go back and rewrite it. You cannot retrieve the words you spoke, reclaim the time you wasted, or undo the opportunities you ignored.

That is why the writer prayed in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

He wasn’t merely asking God to help him count his days. He was asking God to help him make his days count.

Friend, life is too precious to live carelessly.

Love the people God has placed in your life. Say the words that need to be said. Forgive while you still have the opportunity. Obey God when He speaks to your heart. Stop postponing what truly matters.

Yesterday’s page has already been written, and tomorrow’s page has not yet been promised. But God has placed today in your hands.

So slow down. Pay attention. Live wisely. Ask God to help you fill this page with faith, kindness, obedience, and love.

You may not be able to turn back the page, but by God’s grace, you can make today’s page worth reading.

“…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Good morning, my friend!

Have you ever noticed that nighttime always seems longer when you’re hurting?

When your heart is heavy, when you’re worried about somebody you love, when you’re waiting on an answer, or when you simply don’t know what tomorrow holds, the darkness can feel like it’s never going to end.

But Psalm 30:5 gives us a promise worth holding onto:

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

Notice that David didn’t say there wouldn’t be any weeping.

Sometimes following God means walking through some difficult nights.

There will be tears.

There will be disappointments.

There will be prayers that seem unanswered.

There will be seasons when you wonder what God is doing.

But here’s the good news:

The night has an expiration date!

Weeping may endure for a night, but it doesn’t get to stay forever.

Morning is coming.

God is still working.

God is still faithful.

God is still with you.

And God is not finished with your story.

So if you’re walking through a dark season today, don’t give up in the middle of the night.

Keep praying.

Keep trusting.

Keep believing.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

You may have cried last night, but this could be the morning when you begin to see what God has been doing all along.

Hold on, my friend.

The darkness doesn’t get the final word.

Joy is coming in the morning!

“Before you go, I’ve got something absolutely FREE for you. I put together 7 Days of Encouragement From God’s Word. If you’d like to start each morning with Scripture, a short encouragement, something to think about, and a simple prayer, follow the link in the comments section and I’ll send it straight to your inbox. Before the world gets the first word tomorrow morning, let God speak first. And as always… God Bless & Press On!”