Thursday, June 19, 2025
New Testament Reading Plan: 2 Timothy 2
On October 30, 2024, I lost my job due to downsizing. Two days after that, my dad’s health started to rapidly decline. This has been a season of waiting and not having any idea what the future holds. The unknown can be very scary, and it is easy to lose heart.
Losing heart means to be discouraged or to give up hope when we face challenges. The only way to have peace and joy through these difficult times is to remember how amazing our God is and that he will never fail or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5b).
God is our heavenly Daddy who loves us so much. He can handle all our problems and difficulties. We don’t need to lose heart or be discouraged.
Why? Because God is our hope, our ever-present help.
When we go through difficult times, it is easy to stare at our lives and glance at God, but that’s out of order. Rather, we need to stare at God and glance at our lives. The Bible study, Jesus and Women: In the First Century and Now by Kristi McLelland highlights this importance.
Staring at God and glancing at ourselves can be a very difficult thing to do, but it’s possible by remembering God’s character. He is our almighty and holy God, our Creator. He cares for us and loves us deeply. He is a faithful and trustworthy God. When we reflect on how he has blessed us in the past and gotten us through difficult times, we are reminded of these truths and driven to know him better.
One way we can build a relationship with God is through meditating on his Word and praying Psalms like this:
Psalm 33:20-22
20 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice for we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
We should always be rejoicing and praising our amazing God - because he is our help and our shield. We don’t need to lose heart. Our hope is in him, alone.
Hallelujah!
Questions:
Do you stare at God or your life?
How has God helped you through difficulties in the past?
Next Step:
Reflect on how God has worked in your life through answered prayer and miracles. Praise him.
Check out the following verses:
Write a couple of your favorites on index cards, and meditate on them daily over the next week.
Prayer:
God, you are such an amazing and holy God. I praise you and worship you. Help me every day to stare at you and glance at my life. I trust you and place my hope in you at all times. Thank you for loving me so much. Amen.
Series Theme Verse:
2 Corinthians 1:20
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
This post was written by Marsha Raymond, an Oregon attendee, and a regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.