Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 4th August 2025 (In Touch) Monday Message
TOPIC: Praise: Important but Not Always Easy
SCRIPTURE READING:Â Matthew 5:10-12
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God’s commands sometimes defy human logic. In today’s passage, for example, He said we’re to rejoice in persecution. That doesn’t make sense until we realize the effect of praise: It keeps us focused on Him and the good things He can bring out of hardship.
The apostle Paul faced greater abuse and suffering than most of us ever will. He was beaten, put on trial, and imprisoned, yet he looked beyond those difficulties to what the Lord was accomplishing through his life.
If we believe God is in control and keeps His promises, then we must trust in the principle of Romans 5:3-5. This passage assures us that our hardships have a purpose. Specifically, they develop our endurance, strengthen our character, and solidify our hope. We’re able to rejoice because we are maturing believers whom God can use for His purposes.
The Lord will bring good from our times of adversity, just as He did for Paul. We all experience times of doubt, but if we allow it to linger, we will struggle to praise what God is doing in and through our life. And if we can’t rejoice, we are in danger of giving up before the Lord’s good work can be completed. Rejoicing keeps us focused on Him and His purpose so we may see our trial through to the end and receive our reward.
Bible in One Year: Isaiah 50-53
MEDITATION: Rejoicing in times of trial keeps us focused on the Lord and His good 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