unseen

 
For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
- 1 Samuel 16:7b (NKJV)
 
Growing up, I was very sheltered. I didn’t have many friends, and I never quite fit in with the popular group in high school. That feeling didn’t magically disappear with adulthood. Even in the workplace, I found myself trying to be the “popular girl,” striving to be liked, accepted, wanted.
I once had a manager tell me, “Not everyone has to like you. Not everyone wants to be your friend.”
Those words cut deeper than I expected.
And if I’m honest, I still struggle there. For whatever reason, I still want to be loved, to feel loved, to be wanted and needed. That ache hasn’t fully gone away.
The Bible tells us about a woman who knew that ache well—Leah.
Leah was overlooked. She was the second choice. She was the one who felt unseen, unwanted, and quietly endured life in the background. Leah’s entire life was measured by comparison. Rachel was chosen by appearance. Rachel was loved openly, celebrated easily, admired without effort. Leah lived in the shadow of that comparison, knowing she was not the one Jacob wanted.
Yet Leah was chosen by God’s purposes.
Her story reminds us that God’s favor is not measured by human affection. His plans are not hindered by our wounds. And being seen by God matters more than being chosen by people.
I think that’s why Leah’s story still reaches so deeply into our hearts—because so many of us know what it feels like to live on the outside of the “in” crowd. Leah teaches us that this longing doesn’t disqualify us. It doesn’t sideline us from God’s work. It doesn’t make us less valuable. While people measure worth by appearance, popularity, or approval, God looks straight at the heart—and He chooses differently.
Leah may not have been chosen by people, but she was seen by God.
And that made all the difference.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible
 

choices

 

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
- Colossians 2:6–7 (NLT)
 
Depth doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a daily choice—one we make in small, ordinary moments. Just as we received Christ, we are invited to continue walking with Him, letting our roots grow deep and allowing our lives to be built on Him.
Even Jesus, in the midst of crowds, needs, and constant demands, intentionally broke away from the busyness to spend quiet moments with His Father. If He needed those times of stillness, how much more do we? We cannot experience God fully if we remain in the shallows, skimming the surface of faith. It is in the depths—away from the noise—where we are strengthened, renewed, and reminded of who we belong to.
As this week comes to a close, may we resist the pull of hurry and distraction and choose depth instead. A heart rooted in Christ does not drift. It grows strong, steady, and alive—built on Him and strengthened by grace.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

layers

 

The greatest sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. God, you will gladly accept a heart that is broken because of sadness over sin.
- Psalm 51:17 (NIRV)
 
Lasagna is one of those comfort foods that feels a little extra special. It isn’t just one thing—it’s layers of goodness stacked together. Sauce, noodles, cheese, filling… each layer adding flavor, each one necessary. Take one away and it just isn’t the same.
John Eldredge reminds us that our hearts are layered too. He describes the shallows, the midlands, and the depths. The shallows are filled with surface distractions—the noise, the busyness, the constant pull of life. The midlands hold our worries, fears, hopes, and daily struggles. And then there are the depths—the core of who we are—where love lives and where God’s presence dwells.
David understood this when he wrote that God does not desire empty rituals or outward appearances, but a broken and contrite heart. God isn’t interested in us staying busy in the shallows. He invites us to move beyond the surface, through the messy middle, and into the depths—where healing happens, where love is restored, and where His presence becomes real again.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

depth

 

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
- 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)
 
With today’s technology, I rarely have to sit through commercials anymore. I can fast-forward and get straight to the show I want to watch. But over the years, I’ve noticed something about the commercials I do catch—they almost always promise immediate results. A cleaner bathroom in minutes. A pill to lose weight fast. Makeup to hide every flaw. An exercise machine guaranteed to “trim and tone.”
These messages are all about the surface. They point out what’s wrong, then offer a quick fix—no depth required.
So when Paul writes, “Examine yourselves,” those words can feel uncomfortable. But they’re not meant to shame us; they’re an invitation to honesty. Richard Foster said it plainly: “Superficiality is the curse of our age.”  We love quick fixes, instant answers, and surface-level spirituality, yet real transformation doesn’t happen that way.
Depth requires intention. It asks us to slow down, to stop skipping past the hard questions, and to let God search our hearts. Is Christ truly at the center of my life—or just added on when it’s convenient? That kind of examination doesn’t weaken faith; it strengthens it, anchoring us far beyond the surface.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

drifting

 

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
- Galatians 1:6-7 (NLT)
 
It’s only the second week of January, and I already find myself dreaming of hot summer days—floating on a raft in the pool, lazily drifting without a care in the world. I’ve even dozed off in the quiet serenity of my backyard, only to wake up slightly disoriented, wondering how I managed to drift all the way to the deep end, shocked to find myself there.
Paul sounds almost shocked as he writes to the Galatians—How did you drift so quickly? That question still echoes today.
We don’t usually fall away in one dramatic moment. We drift slowly, quietly, distracted by busyness, obligations, and constant noise. Henri Nouwen described it perfectly with his images of over-packed suitcases and always being behind schedule. We rush through life carrying too much, filling every moment, yet somehow ending up unfulfilled. Busyness doesn’t just exhaust us—it dulls our spiritual hunger. And before we even realize it, we begin believing a “different gospel,” one shaped more by culture than by Christ.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible
 

on the surface

 

My friends, here is what I want you to know. I announce to you that your sins can be forgiven because of what Jesus has done. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin. Moses’ law could not make you right in God’s eyes.
- Acts 13:38-39 (NIRV)
 
In my lifetime, I’ve attended churches of many different denominations. Some had pastors whose sermons truly hit home—messages that stayed with me long after Sunday morning. Others were… well, a little meh. But over time, I’ve realized the difference wasn’t always the church or the pastor. The deeper question is this: when we attend church, are we simply making an appearance, or are we coming with a desire to learn, grow, and be changed?
It’s easy to live on the surface of faith. We attend church, hear sermons, nod along, and go back to life as usual. But surface faith doesn’t hold us when storms come—it only skims the top. When faith stays shallow, it looks fine on the outside but lacks the depth needed to sustain us.
Paul reminds us in Acts that forgiveness and freedom are found in Jesus alone. Not in habits. Not in routine. Not in being “good enough.” Real faith goes deeper than appearances; it sinks its roots into grace.
If the Bible is going to be real to us, we have to crave it—not as an obligation, but as nourishment. Shallow waters are safe and familiar, but they never satisfy our thirst. Depth is where freedom lives.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

Choose Gratitude Today

 
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
- Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
 
After walking through hard seasons, fresh starts, surrender, and learning to find peace, it’s easy to think gratitude should come naturally by now. But the truth is, gratitude is often a choice — especially on ordinary days, or days that still carry a little heaviness.
I love that this verse doesn’t pretend every day will be easy. It simply reminds us that this day — the one we are standing in right now — was made by God. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Today. And sometimes rejoicing starts with nothing more than recognizing that God is still present, still working, still faithful.
Gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring what’s hard. It means choosing to notice what’s good alongside it. A quiet moment. A deep breath. A shared laugh. A reminder that we are still here, still loved, still held by God’s grace.
As this week comes to a close, my prayer is not that life suddenly becomes perfect, but that our eyes stay open to the small blessings God places in front of us each day. Even after difficult seasons, even while waiting, even when peace feels fragile — gratitude anchors us and gently turns our hearts back toward hope.
Join me in thanking God for this day. Help us see it as a gift, even when it doesn’t look the way we expected. Ask God yo teach us to choose gratitude, to notice His goodness, and to rejoice in His faithfulness — one day at a time.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible