The 5-Day Devotional is inspired by Grace Graber’s sophomore EP “Conversations.” Join her as we dive deep into how God is not afraid of the things we might be struggling with.
Grace Graber
Day 1
Scriptures: Psalms 147:3, Philippians 2:7, Hebrews 4:15
Speaking up can feel like one of the hardest things to do when we begin to pursue healing. Pain, trauma, and abuse can leave us feeling muzzled in silence, believing the lie that speaking up won’t help or might possibly even make things worse. We often are left questioning our validity, self-worth, and identity because of the difficult things we face in life.
Maybe you are struggling with sadness, anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem. Odds are you have probably told yourself at one point that no one understands you, but this is not the truth. The beauty is God knows everything you’re going through, and He is able to sympathize with you in your weakness. Jesus knew what it was like to face everything we do – rejection, pain, heartbreak, loss, and even death. He experienced the realness of what it means to be human.
Even if you have no one else in your life who understands, He does.
My prayer is that if you are facing a hard time or have past hurts that haven’t been healed yet, you would be courageous to seek godly counsel and find trusted believers to have real, vulnerable conversations with.
With God, finding freedom is possible, and I believe it’s time for you to speak up.
Day 2
Scriptures: Psalms 34:15, Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 5:7
Whose voice are you listening to?
Every day we are bombarded with countless voices through social media and those around us. So many opinions, ideas, and beliefs are constantly swirling on all sides. The voices we hear have to be filtered through the voice of truth – God and His Word – so that we don’t believe the lies of the world and the enemy.
Maybe speaking up about what you are dealing with was the easiest part. You may have poured your heart out, but do you remember the response from the other side? Was it reciprocated with compassion, love, and kindness? Did you feel rejected or misunderstood?
You have a God in Heaven who knows every hair on your head and every thought before you even think it. He is intimately acquainted with all of your ways, and He sees every hurt and struggle you face.
Not only does He know everything you face, He cares deeply, and His ear is always attentive to your cares, cries, and concerns. There is never a moment in your life that He is not mindful of and you can be sure that when you call out to Him, He is listening.
Day 3
Scriptures: Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 61:1-3, Galatians 5:1
When we experience the beautiful exchange between listening and being heard, a shift starts to happen. We start to desire change and to break out of the bondage that has held us back for so long.
What is holding you back? What have you been desiring to see change?
Maybe it’s trauma from your past or generational cycles. Maybe it’s mental angst and torment that won’t budge and doesn’t seem to dissipate.
The desire within you for something different is a sign of surrender and evidence of the exchange God wants to do in your life. You do not have to stay captive to the chains of your past, the lies of the enemy, or by the difficult things you have endured.
Isaiah 61 says Jesus gives us “beauty for ashes,” “joy for mourning” and “praise for heaviness.” We can exchange every broken piece of our lives, every sorrow and sadness, every trouble and turmoil, for healing and wholeness through Him.
If your desire is for something different, His desire is to take away whatever is holding you down and give you new and better things in their place. And that shift you’ve been longing for can start today.
Day 4
Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 1 Corinthians 12:26, 2 Corinthians 1:4
We need community.
We need people in our lives who will not only celebrate our mountaintop victories but will also help us navigate through the valley moments that we face.
Life is full of ups and downs, highlight reels as well as dark and difficult seasons.
There is value in vulnerability and significance in being a safe place for those around us. Being able to be transparent without the fear of judgment and criticism is what we all need. Unless someone openly shares what they have been through, we never really know the depths of what they have endured.
We have to be people who consistently respond with kindness and compassion; those who love the lost and lonely, pray for and encourage each other, and are readily available with open hearts and hands.
As a community, we can openly share our stories in hopes to help others find the same healing and freedom that we have found in our own lives. If you don’t have a community like this, you can be the one who creates it and welcomes others into a space that could quite literally change their lives.
Day 5
Scriptures: Psalms 107:14, Mark 16:15, John 8:32
Speaking up, listening, desiring change, and creating community has to be ongoing and is a key to lasting breakthrough in your life. We need to get comfortable having conversations where we can openly talk about our hurts, pain, and struggles. We have to get rid of the stigma and pressure to stay silent so that we can help each other get to the other side.
There is purpose in all of the pain you endure. There is a calling on your life, and you were created with gifts, talents, and abilities to change the world around you. Your story has the power to help others know that there is hope and freedom is possible.
God used a song to save my life. Maybe something you do or will create will have that same influence to help someone else choose to live, too. You could be the person God uses to save someone from suicide, depression, or feeling like a failure.
And it all starts with being bold enough to open ourselves up and have real conversations.