Presented by PeaceSpeaks.earth
TODAY’S PASSAGE
From “Voice Of Jesus 2” by Michael Canfield:
Emily confronted me directly about my drinking. I could not deny it. Still, I resisted and threw her smoking habit back at her. Out of that confrontation came a pact: I would stop drinking, and she would stop smoking. She quit smoking completely and became a committed non-smoker, fiercely opposed to anyone lighting up near her. For twenty-five of the thirty-three years we were together, I honored my promise and did not drink. After twenty-five years, Emily released me from that promise, believing I had learned my lesson. Today, I may have a drink socially, but I never return to excess. Over the years, I often wondered why Emily and I faced so many confrontations. I had longed for love and quiet companionship, yet life — and higher life plans — carried us in directions I would not have chosen on my own.
REFLECTION
How often do we resist the very confrontations that are meant to save us? In this powerful passage, we witness something profound: love doesn’t always look like comfort. Sometimes love shows up as a mirror, reflecting back the truth we’ve been avoiding. Emily’s confrontation wasn’t an attack—it was an act of courage born from genuine care. And notice the author’s initial response: deflection, resistance, throwing her faults back at her. This is so deeply human, isn’t it? When someone we love points out our struggles, our first instinct is often to defend ourselves rather than to listen. Yet this uncomfortable moment became the catalyst for transformation.
The beauty of this story lies not just in the confrontation, but in the mutual commitment that followed. Both Emily and the author made sacrifices for each other’s wellbeing. This is the essence of real love—not the fairy-tale kind we see in movies, but the gritty, challenging, transformative love that calls us to become better versions of ourselves. For twenty-five years, a promise was kept. That’s not perfection; that’s dedication. That’s choosing growth over comfort, accountability over excuses. And when Emily finally released him from that promise, it wasn’t permission to return to old ways—it was recognition that the lesson had taken root, that transformation had occurred.
Perhaps the most profound insight comes in the final lines: “I had longed for love and quiet companionship, yet life — and higher life plans — carried us in directions I would not have chosen on my own.” How many of us can relate to this? We pray for peace, but God sends us growth. We ask for comfort, but we receive challenges that forge our character. The confrontations we face in our relationships aren’t obstacles to love—they are often the very instruments through which divine love shapes us. What if the difficult conversations, the uncomfortable truths, and the struggles we’d rather avoid are actually evidence of a higher plan at work? What if the people who challenge us most are the ones loving us best?
THIS SPEAKS TO ME BECAUSE…
Today, ask yourself: Is there a truth someone has been trying to tell me that I’ve been resisting? Is there a confrontation I’ve been avoiding that might actually be an invitation to transformation? Sometimes the greatest act of love is allowing ourselves to be confronted—and the greatest act of faith is trusting that these difficult moments are part of a higher plan for our lives.
GET THE BOOK
This passage is from “Voice Of Jesus 2” by Michael Canfield — a profound journey into love, faith, and the voice of the divine.
📖 Read more at: https://peacespeaks.earth
“To remind the world that Jesus is Love — and that love is the guide to a life fully lived.”