God Will Meet You Where You Are - Greg Laurie Devotion - August 5, 2026
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
God Will Meet You Where You Are
“To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” (Psalm 18:25-26 nlt)
Some of the most exciting passages of Scripture involve theophanies, occurrences when God made Himself known in observable and tangible form. What’s especially fascinating about these encounters is how God appeared to different people in the Bible. To Abraham, He came as a traveler. According to Genesis 18, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one day when three messengers arrived. Two of the messengers were angels; the other was God Himself. Centuries later, Jesus commented on the encounter. “Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad” (John 8:56 nlt). Why did the Lord come to Abraham as a traveler? Because that’s what Abraham was: a traveler.
According to Joshua 5:13-15, on the night before the Israelites began their siege of Jericho, God appeared to Joshua as the commander of the Lord’s army. Why? Because Joshua was the commander of Israel’s army.
According to Genesis 32:22-32, when God appeared to Jacob, He came as a wrestler. Verse 24 says that God “wrestled with him until the dawn began to break” (nlt). Why did God choose that guise? Because Jacob was always fighting, conniving, resisting, and wrestling to get what he wanted.
Maybe you can relate to Jacob. Maybe there’s something you want from God, perhaps even a good thing, such as the salvation of a loved one. Maybe you’re tired of being single and want to get married. Or maybe you want to serve God in a ministry. Don’t resort to conniving, because you may get what you want, but at a great cost. Jacob got what he wanted and paid dearly for it. I believe that if he had waited on God, he would have received what he needed and what God had promised. And perhaps God would have appeared to him in a different form.
These three biblical accounts reveal an amazing truth about our heavenly Father. He meets us where we are. That’s not to say you can expect a theophany in your life. You don’t need one. If you’re a believer, you have something better. God’s Holy Spirit dwells within you. That’s what Jesus was talking about when He told His disciples, “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you” (John 16:7 nlt). God communicates to us from within, through His Spirit. And He does it in ways that resonate powerfully with us, just as He did with Abraham, Joshua, and Jacob.
The bottom line is this: God wants to do His will in your life in His way and in His time. If you need something from God, be patient and wait on Him. God will meet you wherever you are to lift you to where He wants you to be.
Reflection question: When has God met you where you were?
Copyright © 2026 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/MixMedia
Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Some Christians think Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and sharing their faith are things they eventually move beyond. The truth is just the opposite. In What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know, Pastor Greg Laurie explores the foundational practices that help believers grow spiritually and stay strong in their faith. Whether you're a new believer or have followed Christ for decades, this practical guide will help you focus on the things that matter most. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
