In Touch - Oct. 27-28, 2007

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

October 27-28, 2007 – Suffering Alone – Psalms 88:8-18

If friends vanished while you were facing a personal crisis, perhaps you’ve forgiven them for abandoning you in a time of need. But that doesn’t mean they have come back to offer support. In situations like this, it’s important to remember the One who promises to be there for you.

When Paul was suffering from a “thorn in the flesh,” the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In other words, He was saying, “I’ll take care of you.”

During our most trying moments—when we have nothing left to sustain ourselves—we can find strength in God. He doesn’t set aside a reserve of grace and assistance to help us six months from now. We get exactly what we need when we need it. He has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 nlt). And our Father has no intention of breaking that promise.

We may never know why the Lord allowed friends to forsake us in a time of need, but here’s one possibility: He might have been trying to teach us how to rest upon Him. Sometimes, the only way we will learn to lean on God is by finding that all other supports are gone.

At some point, we all experience the heartache of abandonment. But one thing is certain—Jesus Christ will be standing by our side to strengthen and deliver us in our time of need. One day we’ll have the privilege of looking back over our lives and seeing how He proved His faithfulness over and over again.

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