FCA: Strong DevotionalSample

Never Alone

Sarah Rennicke

Ready:

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.” Isaiah 41:10a

Set:

We all long for the soul-fusing bonds of relationship and hope for that perfect fit on our teams, with training buddies, or even our coaches. We may start our season optimistic for that magical year with those who just get you and have your back, where it seems like you can read each other’s minds and the flow seems supernatural. But slowly, that perfect veneer of optimism begins to crack and uncover a disappointing reality. Friends say they’ll stick with you, but at the first test of loyalty when you’re struggling and need support, they are nowhere to be found.

Teammates can abandon you, coaches can lose faith in you, and it’s amazing how quick the affection of fair-weather fans can change when you make a misplay that costs the game. Long after the lights of the field turn off, you’re still slouched against your locker, feeling completely alone. 

Then you hear a whisper, clear and certain. “Never will I leave you nor for sake you.” There is One who is closer than you imagine, who has always had your back and always will. No matter how you may fumble in life, God will not abandon you. His eye is always on you, His love never changes, and He has placed His spirit within you as a promise of His devotion. When you are tempted to fall into the lies that you’re alone, remember God’s assurance that He is your God and ever with you.

Go:

1. When have you felt most abandoned by a friend, teammate, or coach?

2. What lies have you believed about yourself through this experience?

3. How can you replace these lies with God’s truth about His loyalty to you?

Overtime:

This can be a lonely world, and I can feel abandoned and let down. Give me the courage to believe Your Word that You are always with me, always loyal, and always loving. Amen.