From the Home Place

January 15, 2026

Tie down and hang on. It’s 40 degrees at 5 a.m., headed for 51. By this time tomorrow it’s supposed to be 16 degrees, headed for 27 with 74 mph wind gusts! If a feller needs to get something done outside today, he best get after it, the wind gust are only 55 mph today. I wonder if this wind ever will die down again?

For the past two days we have visited about responding to pressure in a proper way. As the adage goes, “Trials will make you either better or bitter.” Remember, we have often talked about that which God intends for good, Satan will use for evil. When God allows a trial (pressure) to come into our life, His desire is that we will become better, but of course, Satan is right there trying to convince us that God is punishing us, or that the circumstances are against us, and that the proper response would be to become bitter.

Two influences, one decision – a decision that each individual gets to make. Better and bitter are direct opposites but walk so closely together that it is really easy to choose one and walk the other. Here’s what I mean: When a trial shows up, as a Christian I desire to use the trial as a way to make me better, yet as this thing plays out, I can so easily become bitter and difficult to be around.

May I suggest that perhaps when the Holy Spirit allows a situation to apply pressure against us, perhaps we should stop and pray for wisdom. Remember, James states that we will receive wisdom from on high if we just ask for it. (Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge.) Before praying for wisdom, ask for proper understanding of the situation, to see it from God’s perspective, not mine.

Once the Holy Spirit has given us understanding of the situation and wisdom of how to proceed, then we need to ask for strength to stand firm with His leading. Observation: Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is our “Helper” not our doer. That is to say, the Holy Spirit will help us understand the situation, He will give us heavenly wisdom and strength, but He will not do that which we need to do. The doing is when better comes in, if our focus is upon becoming better.

We need to properly respond to the pressure situation, much as Jesus would respond to it, because by this time we know that this is a “what” situation and not at “why” situation. That means that if we take the proper steps to dealing with a difficult circumstance (pressure), then we will ask “God what are you wanting me to learn about myself and Yourself? What is it that I need to do to respond to this situation correctly? -Our way of saying, “Thy will be done.”

I guarantee, if we respond to our pressure situations following these simple steps, we will begin to see God’s hand at work within our lives, even in very difficult situations. And when we know that God is in it, we will respond with the better.

Praying with you to always be better, Neal