Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 17th April 2025 (In Touch) Thursday Message
TOPIC: By Our Side
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 26:36-46
When you are suffering, where do you go for help? God’s Word assures us that He will bring life, hope, and promise to otherwise hopeless situations. When we respond to trials the Lord’s way, the difficulty that threatened to harm us actually enriches our character and enables us to do greater works for Him.
The Bible provides a record of Jesus’ intense suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. Christ knew that by bearing our sin, He was about to endure not only a gruesome crucifixion but also the full force of the Father’s wrath. That’s something no other child of God will ever have to experience, because Jesus’ agony achieved mankind’s redemption. We know that whatever trial awaits, God will be by our side, supporting us through it (Isaiah 41:10).
What trial are you facing? Do you have confidence that God is in control? Let Jesus’ Gethsemane experience be your example in times of trouble. Our Savior fully trusted His Father and accepted His will. Don’t forget that our sovereign, omniscient God limits the length and intensity of the pain. Though seeing His children suffer hurts Him, He loves us enough to allow the difficulty because of the way we will ultimately benefit. There is a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose when we embrace His road for us and apply the lessons we learn from His holy Word.
Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 10-12
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: When trials come, will you trust God to both help you and bring a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose?
Dr. Charles F. Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. Throughout his ministry, he demonstrated a keen awareness of people’s needs and provided Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life.