In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2022 By Charles Stanley, Saturday Message
Charles Stanley In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2022
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TOPIC:Â When Others Fail Us
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: 2 Timothy 4:9-18
In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2022 MESSAGE
The apostle Paul knew the value of having good friends. Barnabas encouraged him in his ministry, Silas partnered with him in building up churches, and Timothy became like a son to him. But, as we see in today’s passage, Paul also knew the heartache of co-laborers turning away from him when times got tough. We may experience something similar in our life.
Friends may have varied reactions to our struggles. Some hold back because they feel inadequate to help. Others are indifferent to our situation and don’t care enough to get involved. But the most difficult reaction to encounter is a friend turning away from us. In my early days as a pastor, this happened to me. The church was going through a period of turmoil, and only two pastors reached out to support me; the others stood back. This experience taught me the importance of responding in a godly fashion.
When friends abandoned him, Paul asked God not to count their actions against them. He was following the example of Jesus, who prayed for the Father to forgive His persecutors (Luke 23:34). What’s your response when friends let you down? Though it is not always easy, forgiveness is the choice that pleases God every time.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 1-3
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: People we love are bound to disappoint us, but God calls us to respond with grace and forgiveness.
In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2022 By Dr. Charles Stanley . He is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta and founder of In Touch Ministries, both located in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Stanley’s heart’s desire is to get the gospel to “as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, as clearly as possible, as irresistibly as possible, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.