WE SHALL NOT DIE - Reading With the People of God #17ნიმუში

God is With You in the Hard Things

There are moments as a dad when I’ve watched my kids take on something way bigger than themselves. Whether it’s stepping up to the plate against a faster pitcher or standing up in front of their classmates for a spelling bee, you can see it in their eyes; that mix of fear and determination. And as a parent, I try my best to not remove the challenge for them (it’s so hard, sometimes, not to just jump in and save them from it). I just remind them: You’re not doing this alone.

That’s the heart of Isaiah 37. King Hezekiah is surrounded, threatened, and outnumbered by the Assyrian army. But instead of giving in to fear, he goes straight to God in prayer. And God answers, not with better weapons, but with His presence and power, and the result was victory. Not because Judah was strong, but because God was.

In Acts 26, Paul is standing alone too, defending his faith before kings and governors who hold his fate in their hands. Yet Paul speaks with boldness, not because of political connections, but because he knows the One who called him, rescued him, and stands with him.

When you feel outmatched, outnumbered, or overwhelmed, it’s important for us to remember that we’re not alone. God may not always remove the hard things, but He never leaves us to face them without Him. He’s with you. He fights for you. And we can keep on going knowing He’ll carry us through.

Primer contributed by Jonathan Knapp, Executive Pastor at Cornerstone Community Church of Chowchilla