Listen to today’s devo!

I have written . . . reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past. (2 Peter 3:1–2)

Being chosen last for foursquare at fifth grade recess, and hearing “she’s too little” and “she’s no good,” convinced me (again) that I would never be an athlete. We have all had words spoken over us in the past. We may have been told we weren’t athletic enough, smart enough, disciplined enough. We didn’t have the right upbringing, education, personality. We missed out on a job, a place on the team, a date. Our own words to ourselves can be even tougher. The negative words we say about ourselves can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Peter encouraged us to listen to other voices. Instead of listening to the world or ourselves, his letter to Christians calls us to remember the words of the prophets. Over thirty years had passed since Jesus had promised to return. The believers were losing faith and began to listen to other voices. Why hadn’t Jesus returned yet? Isn’t he powerful enough, divine enough, good enough? Did we miss out? The words of others led to doubt. Were the prophets wrong, or were their words still “a light shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19)?

When I completed a marathon thirty years later, those negative words from long ago were banished from my mind. I finally believed who God said I was. Peter gave us the key to wholesome thinking. Reading God’s Word reminds us of who he is: powerful, divine, and good.

Scripture shines God’s light in dark places to encourage wholesome thinking.

Priscilla Hammond is an ordained pastor and associate professor in the Benson School of Business at Southern Wesleyan University. She served as the compiling editor of This Holy Calling (WPH, 2022).

© 2023 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.