The Upper Room 18th January 2024 Devotional
The Upper Room 18th January 2024 Devotional, Thursday Message by Courtney Canion (Texas, USA)
TOPIC: Giving It to God
TODAY’S READING
Philippians 4:10-13
Paul wrote, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” – Philippians 4:11 (NIV)
After I learned that I had torn my other ACL, my spirits sank. I had just recovered from the same injury to my other knee eight months prior, and now I was going to have to go through the same grueling journey all over again. Surgery, crutches, ice, and physical therapy would be my main focus for the next two weeks. I felt as if I would never understand where God was in all this or how God could possibly use this injury for my good.
It was around this time that I came across Philippians 4. I was familiar with this passage of scripture, but I had never spent much time studying and meditating on it. After reading it, I decided that although I did not understand why I was going through this trial, I knew that turning to God would be the only way I could get through it. I took a leap of faith and decided to trust God. Now I have found joy and a peace that I did not have when I was healing from my first knee injury. Giving this struggle to God is something I have to do every day, and doing so helps me remember that I am not going through this hardship alone.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, help us give our struggles to you daily, and remind us that the trials that we go through will strengthen our faith and trust in you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I do not have to go through any struggle alone because God goes with me.
PRAYER FOCUS
Physical therapists
The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. The meditations are stories of real people working to live faithfully with the Bible as their touchstone. Every day, readers of The Upper Room around the world read the same story in many different languages and pray the same prayer together.
