Hope When You Are Broken - What is God Like? Week 1

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on the message:

Day 1: God's Unfailing Mercy Reading: Lamentations 3:19-24

Devotional: In times of deep distress, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by our circumstances. Jeremiah, writing in Lamentations, experienced intense suffering and despair. Yet, in the midst of his anguish, he remembered a profound truth: God's mercies are new every morning. This revelation became his lifeline of hope.

Reflect on areas in your life where you feel discouraged or hopeless. Now, consider how God's mercy has been present in your life, even in subtle ways. His compassion never fails, and His faithfulness is great. Like Jeremiah, choose to anchor your hope in God's unfailing love and mercy, regardless of your circumstances.

Today, practice gratitude for God's mercy. Write down three specific ways you've experienced His mercy recently. Let this exercise remind you of His constant presence and care in your life.

Day 2: From Death to Life Reading: Ephesians 2:1-5

Devotional: Paul's words in Ephesians paint a stark picture of our spiritual condition without Christ - dead in our transgressions. But then come those powerful words: "But God." These two words mark the dramatic intervention of divine mercy in our lives.

Consider the depth of God's love that reaches out to us even when we were spiritually dead. His mercy doesn't wait for us to clean up our act or become worthy. Instead, it meets us in our brokenness and breathes new life into us.

Reflect on your own journey from spiritual death to life in Christ. How has God's mercy transformed you? Are there areas in your life where you still need to fully embrace this new life? Take time to thank God for His rich mercy and ask Him to help you live fully in the new life He has given you.

Day 3: Living Sacrifices Reading: Romans 12:1-2

Devotional: In light of God's mercy, Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. This is our spiritual act of worship - not just singing songs or attending church, but offering our entire lives to God.

Consider what it means to be a "living sacrifice." Unlike Old Testament sacrifices that were killed, we're called to live for God daily. This involves surrendering our will, desires, and plans to Him. It's a continual process of allowing God to transform us from the inside out.

Today, identify one area of your life you need to surrender more fully to God. It might be a habit, a relationship, or a future plan. Pray for God's help in offering this area to Him as an act of worship. Remember, this offering is your response to His great mercy.

Day 4: Choosing Mercy Reading: Matthew 5:7 and Luke 6:36

Devotional: Jesus teaches us to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful. Having received God's mercy, we're called to extend it to others. This can be challenging, especially when we feel others don't deserve it.

Reflect on a situation where you find it difficult to show mercy. Perhaps someone has hurt you or disappointed you. Remember that God's mercy toward you is not based on your deservingness, but on His character.

Practice showing mercy today in a tangible way. It might be forgiving someone, showing kindness to a difficult person, or refraining from harsh judgment. As you do, meditate on how God's mercy has impacted your life and let that motivate your actions toward others.

Day 5: Hope in Suffering Reading: Romans 5:3-5

Devotional: Suffering is an inevitable part of life, but as believers, we have a unique perspective on it. Paul tells us that we can rejoice in our sufferings because they produce perseverance, character, and hope.

Think about a challenging situation you're currently facing. How might God be using this difficulty to develop perseverance and character in you? Remember that suffering isn't meaningless for the believer - it's a tool God uses to shape us and deepen our hope in Him.

Today, instead of asking God to remove your suffering, ask Him to help you see it through His eyes. Pray for the strength to persevere and for your character to be molded through this experience. Trust that as you do, your hope in God will grow stronger, knowing that His love has been poured out into your heart through the Holy Spirit.