The Daily CHEW™
Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
Last Saturday, my wife and I took a drive not long after breakfast, early as always since I’m a super early-to-bed, early-to-rise guy. By 8pm most days I’m already drifting to sleep, so our adventures together happen while the sun’s up. The road was quiet, the trees in Stone Mountain bright and familiar, and she was beside me, music low, talking about life. Our weekend drives slow me down in a way nothing else does, but even then, I notice something brewing under the surface—obstacles I keep running into: my weight, my tendency to perform for approval, my ache for deeper friendships. Often, I slip into self-reliance, striving to fix what feels off with one more plan or push.
I realize I’m quick to name obstacles as problems in my life—my health, my longing for connection, the pride I feel for my wife and kids (I brag about them because they’re amazing). But more and more, I’m seeing most barriers aren’t just out there; they’re inside my heart. I chase significance, crave security, and hunger for love. When something blocks my way, I move toward control, hoping to earn what I think I lack. Even with all my effort and striving, it fails to satisfy. I end up feeling restless.
That’s the ache. The gap.
So today, I’m choosing to name my obstacles honestly. Because when I Confess that my default says, “If I just outwork, outthink, or out-plan these barriers, I’ll finally get the love and significance I need,” it opens my ears to Hear what Jesus actually says: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) That word isn’t distant or generic—it’s personal, an invitation to depend on Him instead of myself, and a reminder I’m already loved even while wrestling.
And that’s the Exchange. I let go of believing obstacles mean I’m failing. I receive a deeper reality: obstacles can become altars, places where I surrender and trust, rather than performance stages. My weight, my loneliness, my frustrations—these aren’t verdicts against me. They point me to God’s power meeting me right where I’m weak.
Then comes the Walk. Not a bold leap, but a gentle step. During our weekend drive, instead of spiraling in my thoughts or escaping into distraction, I asked my wife, “What’s making you smile these days?” Her laughter filled the car, bringing us closer. That was my walk—a small moment of connection, anchored in grace.
Maybe that’s the head-to-heart turning point: I don’t have to bulldoze through obstacles or pretend they’re not weighing me down. I just need to bring them to God with honesty, and invite someone I trust—my wife, a friend, my kids—into that space too. Not to fix me, but to remind me I’m not alone. Every time I take that step, however small, I taste the freedom Gospel grace offers.
CHEW On This™
What obstacle in your life could shift from being a wall to being an altar—an invitation to experience more of God’s love, rather than more of your striving?
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Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
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