Joel Osteen Devotional 4 April 2024: In Tough Situations

“Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him.”

In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail was the wife of a cruel man who had so offended and outraged David that he and his men were on their way to kill Nabal and all his men. Abigail intervened and persuaded David that her foolish husband was not worthy of any response. She saved many lives, and she kept David from losing an everlasting dynasty through unjust vengeance.

That’s what happens when you don’t let what’s unfair, a bad situation, or a loss cause you to get discouraged and give up. What stops us many times is we have a good reason to live sour and defeated—a bad childhood, a bad relationship, the company let us go. We wouldn’t be talking about Abigail if she had used her husband as an excuse to not do the right thing. She was honoring God, being her best, a person of integrity, despite her situation. That’s a test. Don’t let an excuse keep you from your greatness. Take your stand, knowing that what tries to stop you is only setting you up for something greater.

“Father, thank You that it’s possible to rise above very difficult situations and relationships and walk in integrity. Thank You that I can keep honoring You and overcoming what could easily cause me to live sour. I will not let an excuse keep me from my greatness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

About Joel Osteen
Raised in Houston, Texas, with a loving family of seven and world-renowned parents in full-time ministry, Joel Osteen never imagined that he would follow so closely in his father’s footsteps. As a young man, his training and interests were behind the scenes in television production, though he was close to his father in ministry.