Who I Am In Christ Devotionals

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good thing you do or say. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NET) I lose hope sometimes. It seems like the smallest bump in the road and boom, I go from got-it-all-together to the sky is falling. And I try to keep that stress to myself, but somehow it leaks out and gets on everything.  One minute, I’m like Peter who trusted the Lord so much that he jumped out of a boat on the sea of Galilee. He did not jump into the water. He jumped on top of it. Walking to Jesus. What a thrill! Then, he noticed the waves. And down he went.  And but for the arm of the Lord right there, he may have drowned. He lost his hope in an instant. When he was actually in the physical presence of Jesus! (Hey, I’m so thankful that God gave us Peter in the scriptures) And I can lose it too, just that fast.  I so need hope and encoura...

You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, but you will revive me again. You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Therefore, I will praise you with a harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing to you with a lyre, Holy One of Israel. Psalm 71:20-22 This verse makes my head spin around and say, “Wait, what did that just say?” The Psalmist, talking to God says, “You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes.” God caused. Not the devil. In my imagination, when I hurt, I can wrongly think that God is far away from me. I can think He wishes I wasn’t going through it. That’s not what the verse says. God causes my troubles and misfortune. That’s heavy.  And of course He loves me. How can I get those ideas to synch together? Here’s the question: Why would a loving God do such a thing? Here’s my thought: over and over in the Bible God tells His covenant people to depend on Him. This ...