Daily InsPirational MOments with Rev. Dr. Precious Prothro

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Big Feelings & Guarded Hearts

“Big feelings” is a phrase often used when speaking to young people about situations. They do not always know how to control their emotions, and they cannot always express themselves appropriately.

But is that only true for children?

No. We have all had moments when we did not express ourselves in the most righteous way. Sometimes our words and reactions do not align with the love and grace God calls us to show.

The good news is that we have grace and forgiveness through Christ Jesus. We cannot allow people or situations to push us into dishonoring the Lord, but we also do not have to live under the pressure of trying to be perfect. What a beautiful gift of grace that is!

James 1:20 reminds us, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” Whew…ain’t that the truth?

Prayer and repentance. Apologies and forgiveness. Sometimes that is the very human work we must do; sometimes it’s all we can do. 

I believe emotions are often deeply connected to the heart. We feel deeply, we love deeply, and passion can erupt quickly. Yet we do not always handle those fragile emotions with the care they require.

That is why Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

May we guard our hearts carefully, surrender our emotions honestly, and allow God to shape our responses before our feelings shape our actions.

Sometimes the strongest sign of spiritual maturity is not the absence of emotion, but learning how to place our “big feelings” in God’s hands before they spill from our mouths.

Lord, help us to guard our hearts and surrender our emotions to You. Teach us to respond with wisdom, grace, and self-control even when our feelings are heavy. Thank You for forgiveness, mercy, and the ability to grow in You daily. Amen.

Holding Joy and Sorrow Together 

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” — Romans 12:15

There are celebrations, elevations, disappointments, and heartbreak happening at the same time. It can be easy to allow one difficult moment to overshadow every good thing happening in and around our lives instead of learning to cherish each season for what it is.

If we are honest, rejoicing with others can be difficult when our own hearts are disappointed, and weeping with others can feel heavy when we are already carrying burdens ourselves. Yet both require love, humility, and obedience to God.

When there are those around us who are hurting, we must have a healthy balance of empathy and prayer. When others are experiencing elevation, we must learn to celebrate without jealousy. And when God’s plan is revealed around us, or even to us, we must learn to accept it with appreciation and obedience.

Just because someone else is being elevated does not mean you are unqualified. It simply means their season is now. Yours is still in God’s hands.

God’s timing is not ours, and His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). What feels delayed to us is never delayed to Him.

So let’s continue to obey the Lord’s direction, wait patiently for His plan to unfold, and trust Him through every season, whether we are rejoicing, weeping, waiting, or growing.

Sometimes maturity in Christ is learning how to clap for others while still trusting God with your own story.

Lord, help us to rejoice purely, love deeply, pray sincerely, and trust You fully. Teach us to celebrate others without comparison and endure difficult seasons without losing faith. Remind us that Your timing is perfect and Your plans for us are good. Amen.

The Struggle to Let Go

Recently, my pastor said in a sermon, “When we don’t recognize that it’s God’s business, we’ll try to be God in it.” Whew…that is heavy!

Most people do not enjoy being told what to do. I think it is a human trait to want control. Truthfully, there are some areas where control is necessary. Imagine if parents were not in control of dinner menus, house rules, or family finances. Children could end up in harm’s way because they are not yet equipped to lead a household.

In many ways, we are the children, and we must learn to let our Father lead.

That is where the struggle comes in.

The struggle to let go is real because letting go feels vulnerable. We want to fix it, understand it, defend ourselves, protect those we love, and sometimes even make things happen in our own timing. We often hold tightly to situations because releasing them feels like losing control.

But surrender is not losing. Surrender is trusting God enough to believe He sees what we cannot.

Imagine what life would look like if we handled everything only by our own emotions and understanding. Revenge. Impatience. Imbalance. Poor decisions. Not necessarily because we are bad people, but because we do not always know what is best.

That is why surrender matters. Surrender is not weakness; it is trust. It is allowing God’s wisdom to lead where our emotions, pride, fear, or frustration may try to take over.

John 15:5 reminds us that Christ is the vine that connects us to life with God, and without Him we can do nothing. We will try to control things sometimes; that is part of human nature. But where it truly matters, we must remember who is really in control.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Sometimes the greatest act of faith is releasing what we keep trying to hold together ourselves.

Lord, help us release the things we were never meant to carry alone. Teach us to trust You even when letting go feels uncomfortable. Give us peace in surrender and confidence in Your direction. Amen.

The Difference Love Can Make

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of… not just for some, but for everyone.” — Burt Bacharach

That song was in my head this morning. For me, God is love, and what is missing from many situations, and from much of this world, is God.

There are varying concepts of both God and love. But for me, love is patient, kind, longsuffering, not self-seeking, not evil, rejoices with others, and endures through difficult times (I Corinthians 13:4-7).

Putting stipulations on love, saying someone has to agree with you, be a certain race or culture, belong to a certain political party, or even a certain religion is not godly love.

Even those who have wronged us are still deserving of love. That is a hard pill to swallow, but it is a requirement for us. Matthew 5:44 reminds us to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Jesus said that people would know we are His disciples by the way we love one another. He commanded us to love as He has loved us. (John 13: 34 & 35)

So, in this time of war and unrest, racial and cultural division, and growing hatred, we can choose to be different. Our love may not solve every problem in the world, but it can still bring light into dark places.

And sometimes, a little light is enough to remind someone that God is still here.

Lord, help us to love the way You love, beyond differences, disagreements, and hurt. Teach us to show patience, kindness, grace, and compassion in a world that often chooses division. Let our lives reflect Your light so clearly that others see You through the way we love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Love of a Mother

Two mothers stick out to me today, not only because they were mothers, but because of their hearts.

In I Kings 3:16-28, two women stood before the king arguing over a baby. One mother had lost her child and secretly switched him with the other woman’s living baby. To reveal the truth, the king suggested dividing the child in half so each woman could have a part. The true mother immediately begged for the baby to be spared, even if it meant giving him up, because her love was greater than her desire to possess him.

In Exodus 2:1-10, Pharaoh ordered Hebrew baby boys to be killed, yet Moses was saved through the courage of women. His birth mother hid him to protect him, and Pharaoh’s daughter chose compassion and love by adopting and raising him as her own.

In both passages, the true heart of a mother is demonstrated. Status, ethnicity, profession, titles, and even biology could not stop love from showing up.

Whether one has a title of birth mother, adoptive mother, grandmother, godmother, surrogate mother, or spiritual mother; maybe no “title” but a woman who lovingly nurtures children not her own—the love is still real, powerful, and God-given.

Thank you, mothers, for your unselfish sacrifices every day. Thank you for seeking God as you train up and care for His little ones. Thank you for the prayers no one heard, the tears no one saw, and the love that often goes unnoticed.

May today be special for you, and may you feel at least a small portion of the love you so freely pour into others every single day.

A mother’s love reflects the heart of God—protective, nurturing, sacrificial, and steadfast even when nobody fully sees the cost.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Lord, thank You for mothers and every woman who nurtures, guides, protects, and pours love into others. Strengthen the weary, encourage the discouraged, and comfort the grieving. Remind every mother today that her sacrifices are seen, her prayers are heard, and her love matters deeply. Cover our children with Your grace and wisdom, and help us lead them with patience, love, and godly example. In Jesus’ name, Amen.