Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 23rd July 2025 (In Touch) Wednesday Message
TOPIC: Responding to Hardship
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Peter 4:12-19
When you face a trial, what is your first response? You probably try to escape it as quickly as possible. Though this is a common goal, God likely has a different plan in mind.
First, trust Him. Believe God’s Word and reflect on ways He has been faithful in the past. He is with us in our trials and enables us to endure.
Second, persevere. Even when we don’t understand and the suffering seems too great to bear, we should never quit. Continue seeking the Lord through His Word and prayer. Cling to hope in Christ, and praise Him in the midst of the pain.
Third, remember that our sovereign God is in control. He’s allowing this adversity for a reason and will demonstrate His sustaining power through it. Even if the pain feels intolerable, the Lord always uses such moments to help His children grow. Scripture compares our spiritual development to gold, which is refined through fire (1 Peter 1:7).
We will encounter difficulties—sometimes intense and painful trials that seem too great for us to overcome. Yet we can rely on our heavenly Father to deliver and mature us in ways we could never imagine. He doesn’t demand that we endure on our own but instead gently asks us to respond and trust Him.
Bible in One Year: Isaiah 4-7
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: In the midst of pain, cling to God and keep doing what is right.
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