Daily Devotional

God is the present God! He does not abandon you when the crisis tightens or when sadness comes. Unlike all who have abandoned you, He is a strong fortress in times of distress. Every difficulty you are going through can be eased by the mighty hands of the Lord! He is great and is by your side, even if you don't feel it. He renews your hopes and transforms your darkness into light...

Jesus is the great Immanuel - “God with us.” He could have lived above us or far from us, but He did not! He lived among us and cared for the weak and helpless. He became a friend to sinners and a brother to the poor. He is present, and He sustains you through every storm. Trust in the Lord persistently!

God came to us

• God of us all! Jesus did not limit or restrict His company to a specific group: He is the present God with all — men, women, small and great, nationals and foreigners, sick and healthy, weak and courageous. He is our God!
• God is present in the mountains and in the valleys. He accompanies you in suffering and joy. Remember this every day.
• Pray for His presence to be noticeable in your life. Acknowledge God in your ways.
• Cling to the Word of God every day. It will teach you and strengthen your faith.
• You are not alone! You are secure in the hands of the Savior of the world. Rest in the Lord!

Let’s Pray:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

When we think of a life of power, we immediately imagine someone who is strong, unshakable, full of authority and abilities, right? Yes, that's usually what everyone thinks, but the reality isn't quite like that... Sometimes we only discover great strength when we are at our weakest... It's intriguing how God's logic seems to confuse our natural understanding of strength and power. But when we are weak, in our own strength, then we are strong, in God's strength.

In this verse we read the answer given by God to Paul, after he had prayed three times asking for great suffering to be taken away from him. God's grace is enough! And His power is perfected in us when we are weak. Paul's "thorn in the flesh" served to activate his total trust in God's strength. So too, when we are weakened by life's sufferings, we find the greatest power that comes from Jesus Christ. We can only live with real power when we rely on God's strength and not on ourselves...

Live empowered by God's grace

• If you feel weak, debilitated, "broken" physically or emotionally, gather all your strength to believe in God with all your heart.
• Pray and cry out to the Lord when you go through afflictions, He will give you grace and power to overcome!
• The Holy Spirit gives you power to overcome sin and authority to testify about Christ (Acts 1:8).
• Take advantage of your troubles to develop a deeper friendship with God.
• Give thanks for God's grace and presence in your life. He makes you strong!

Pray:

Lord God, help me to live with power through the grace of Jesus Christ! I am small and weak, Father... Without you I can do nothing! Your grace alone is enough for me. You are good, you are the almighty God... Teach me to trust in you in the moments of greatest weakness and suffering that I face. I thank you for your presence, which renews me every day. Be with me, now and always, God! In the name of Jesus, I ask you, amen!