speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
A devotion for September 18th through the 24th
This weekend was our conference’s annual Women’s Retreat. I have been attending every year for several years now. Even during Covid, when the retreat had to be canceled that year, we managed to do a virtual retreat. We didn’t have to travel that time or stay in a hotel, but we still gathered at our church, had a few fun events, and watched the main speaker on zoom. Those of us who have gone in recent years have gotten so much out of it each year.
The various speakers and events change from year to year, but the main reason is always the same. To glorify God, praise God, and hopefully connect on a deeper level with God. All this while connecting with other women from more than one state.
There is a variety of ages, races, ethnicity, and positions held, both within churches and in employment. We even have women who come with friends who are not a part of any of the churches, but they come anyway. Getting to know each other and hearing testimonies we always find ourselves riding a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes we cry, other times we laugh. Many times, we hear things that just begin to swirl around our minds in thought, processing what we have heard and applying it to our own lives.
No matter your connection to God, thoughts that are good and bad find their way in. We all have these battles. The voices in our heads that try to tell us we are no good, we are failures, we are insignificant, and God wants nothing to do with us. Some of the verbiage might be different depending on the person, but we all have this battle going on. But at Retreat, we find connections that remind us we are daughters of God.
I find myself telling others, hearing others tell me, and then me telling myself, “You are a daughter of God, and He loves you and wants you with Him”. It can be hard to remember this sometimes. The great battle between good and evil doesn’t just take place on a battlefield, it takes place in our minds and hearts. With this battle going on day after day, we need to hold tight to the One who has already won, Jesus. We also need the support of one another.
Praise God for fellow women who can come together and rejoice in the Lord even when the battle is raging on inside. Praise Him, O daughters of God.