The Daily CHEW™
Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
I remember walking down Central Park South, her hand in mine, when everything suddenly changed. The love of my life told me she wanted out. Instantly, I numbed myself to the moment—said the right things, kept my composure. But deep inside, I was so thoroughly rocked that details about the scene—the yellow cab passing by, another couple walking past us, a woman entering her doorman building—are etched into my memory.
Over the weeks and months that followed, I went through the motions with God. Worship was stale, Scripture was just another box to check. The reality was, my heart had closed itself to God. I was angry He allowed this pain; it didn’t make sense. My faith felt impossible to revive. But then I entered a process not so much of “forgiving” God, but of getting honest with the ways I’d held Him at arm’s length. In the end, I was the one who repented—and I was so grateful to finally have nothing between God and me. I got raw and real with Him and He showed me His unchanging, unbreakable, relentless love.
Step 1: Diagnose the Real Gap—with Honest Emotion
Where there’s a wound between you and God, there’s a gap—a place where your desires, losses, or unprocessed anger collide with the reality of His love. The challenge isn’t to fix the gap, but to name it honestly. Which core need—security, acceptance, love, value, enjoyment, or significance—feels threatened in this moment? Don’t rush past the ache. Journal it. Pray it out loud. Bring it to a trusted mentor or counselor.
Reflect:
- What exactly am I grieving or resenting?
- Which driver is most awakened—am I craving safety, belonging, or value?
- What story am I telling myself about God here?
David lamented (Psalm 13), Job protested (Job 3), and Mary of Bethany wept openly before Jesus (John 11). Your honest emotion is not a failure of faith—it’s the beginning of healing.
Step 2: Confess—Not Suppress
Scripture honors hearts in pain. David’s psalms, Job’s cries, and Mary’s tears all show that God welcomes our raw questions. The CHEW process begins where transformation does: confession. Not just “I’m hurt,” but “God, I don’t understand—I’m struggling to trust Your goodness.” Confessing honestly is trusting that His steadfast love is bigger than your feelings. Hold nothing back; He’s already aware, and inviting you to get real.
Step 3: HEAR the Gospel Speak Back—Receiving God’s Love Afresh
Breakthrough is not about more effort—it’s about returning to the Gospel, capital G. God’s steadfast love is certain, unbreakable, and answers you precisely where your disappointment lands.
“Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
You don’t need to “work up” forgiveness or faith. The Gospel affirms: Christ’s love meets you where you are, not when you’ve figured out your pain.
Step 4: Exchange Distorted Stories for Gospel Truth—Centering on God’s Love
Exchange means trading the narrative of accusation (“God let me down”) for the life-changing reality of God’s love. This kind of exchange—where our hurts, false beliefs, and accusations are replaced with assurance of God’s care—happens most deeply as we meditate and CHEW on God’s love. The more we return, reflect, and dwell in Gospel promises, the more our hearts and minds realign to what is true.
- Name the false belief: “I feel like God’s indifferent to my pain.”
- Exchange it: “I choose to trust, in Jesus, God draws nearer to broken hearts than anyone else.”
- Let your practice of CHEW—deep meditation, journaling, prayer, small group habits—be centered on God’s unchanging, unbreakable, relentless love. This isn’t instant or automatic, but each time you purposely ponder His love and let it sink deeper, you’ll experience a real exchange: a shift from doubt to trust, accusation to gratitude, numbness to renewed joy.
Transformation happens not by pretending all is well, but by immersing yourself, again and again, in God’s steadfast love until new beliefs become truly lived reality.
Step 5: Walk—Small, Strategic Steps into Grace
Healing is rarely instant. Walk forward with simple, repeatable practices that embed the Gospel into ordinary life:
- Write gratitude notes at meals
- Keep a “gap journal”
- Share your honest return in trusted community
- Practice micro-habits of forgiveness—a prayer of honesty, a blessing for someone who hurt you, or celebrating every tiny “return win”
Every honest step, no matter how small, is progress. The Gospel promises transformation is measured by real returns to love, not perfection.
Embodied Gospel: Stories that Inspire
David raged and returned. Job wrestled and repented. Mary of Bethany wept and was comforted at Jesus’ feet. Healing began when each got honest with God. If forgiving God feels impossible, remember: the process is less about your ability and more about honest relationship and returning to His steadfast love.
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Learn how to make CHEWing a daily rhythm at https://1stprinciplegroup.com/chew-on-this/
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