DATE POSTED
Thursday, June 25, 2026, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa Apartment Homes, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Feel free to read the following scriptures in your personal Bible.

Proverbs 13:10 ~ Through pride and presumption come nothing but strife, But [skillful and godly] wisdom is with those who welcome [well-advised] counsel. (AMP)

James 3:17 ~ But the wisdom from above is first pure [morally and spiritually undefiled], then peace-loving [courteous, considerate], gentle, reasonable [and willing to listen], full of compassion and good fruits. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile]. (AMP)

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I hope you’ve taken a moment to read the verses referenced above, as they’ll help you better grasp the context of this devotional.

Although it seems like we are living in very stressful times, perhaps every generation has felt the same way. After all, when we were young, our parents carried much of life’s burdens while working hard to provide us with a firm foundation for the future. Yet one thing remains true across all generations—people long for peace. We desire it, we search for it, and we need it in our daily lives. Therefore, it seems fitting to see what God has to say about it.

Before Christ

One might think that before Christ, life would actually have less stress. After all, there was no biblical instruction or obligation to live according to God’s laws, right?

But that thought is just not right.

Before Christ, when life got hard, we had no one of true higher power to call on for help. Sure, we could call on a friend or a relative. But when they are sitting in the exact same boat as us, what real comfort or wisdom can they actually offer?

In Proverbs 13:10, God tells us through His servant Solomon the true source of all our strife and contention: it comes from pride and presumption. When we live without Christ, our sinful and prideful state makes it feel almost natural to assume: “I can handle this myself,” “I don’t need advice,” or “I know better.” We wander into life so mistakenly confident that our way is the right way.

Let’s look at a couple of biblical examples where this played out:

• Moses (Numbers 20:7-12): You might remember when Moses presumed that God needed a little help. Instead of simply speaking to the rock as God commanded, Moses decided to add his own piece by angrily striking it. Because God loved the people and knew what they needed, He miraculously produced water anyway. However, because of Moses’ pride and presumption, he faced severe discipline and was prohibited from entering the Promised Land—the very land he had led the people toward for forty years in the wilderness.
• Simon Peter (Matthew 26): Peter confidently declared that he would never deny Christ, even if everyone else did. Presumption always overestimates our own strength and underestimates our deep need for God’s grace. We all remember what happened before the rooster crowed. It is a very real, sobering eye-opener of pride in action.

After Christ

In spite of our prideful past, a beautiful character change happens the moment we receive Christ as Savior and Lord: we finally learn who is really in charge. Realizing this allows us to relax into a state of true humility, fully willing to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.

Look again at James 3:17. The wisdom we gain from our Master and Lord is pure, peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of compassion, and unwavering. With joy, I dare say that when Christ is at the wheel of our decisions and directing our path, we gain the beautiful confidence Paul shared in Philippians 3:13-14: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…”

In that verse, I detect a certain, supernatural peace that the world utterly struggles to know, understand, or accept. It sounds a lot like that familiar phrase: “Just let go and let God!” ### The Takeaway ###

The contrast between “Before Christ” and “After Christ” captures a profound transformation from self-confidence to God-confidence. It is a theme that runs throughout the entire tapestry of Scripture.

Surrender to Him in all humility, dear ones, and stand amazed at what He can do! I pray that you will be reminded today to make God-confidence your daily guide. Your New Life in Jesus Christ is superior to anything this world has to offer!

PRAYER
Heavenly Father,

Forgive me for the times I allow pride and presumption to steer my life. Forgive me for thinking I can handle things on my own, only to end up in strife and stress. Thank You for the gift of my ‘After Christ’ life. I surrender the wheel of my life to You today. Grant me the wisdom that comes from above—wisdom that is pure, peace-loving, and gentle. Help me to let go of my past mistakes and strain forward into the beautiful peace and purpose You have for me. I place my total confidence in You, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, as you will also find that option on this page. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!