Holy God and loving Father, this is one of Your most lavish promises to me as I suffer:
This is Your promised abundant life, Your promised endurance and strength!
When Jesus tells us He came so that we might have abundant life (Jn. 10:10), I realize that Your promise to strengthen me spiritually IS this life!
“Take up your cross,” the Savior said,
“If you would my disciple be;
take up your cross with willing heart,
and humbly follow after me.”
(“Take Up Thy Cross, the Savior Said,” Everest, C. W., 1833)
By Your upholding and indwelling Holy Spirit, this ability IS more than I could ever ask for or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21).
Your promised strength in Christ, in the PAST
You’re always with me because I’m in Christ (Gal. 3:26), a sheep who’s intimately known by Jesus, who rests in the care of my Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:14)…
Take up your cross; let not its weight
fill your weak soul with vain alarm…
HIS strength shall bear your spirit up,
and brace your heart and nerve your arm.
I’ve already been given treasure…Your gift of the saving work of Jesus on my behalf. You’ve already shone Your light into my former life of darkness, showing me Your glory as I see Jesus.
Your promised strength in Christ, in TODAY’S suffering
Take up your cross; nor heed the shame,
and let your foolish pride be still…
So TODAY, by Your ongoing grace, I can cling to Your promises to hold me up with an enduring, strong faith within this trial.
your Lord refused not e’en to die
upon a cross, on Calv’ry’s hill.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1 ESV).
Even when I fall, You promise to hold me up, as You direct and establish my steps (Ps. 37:23-24). Because I’m so needy and dependent on You right now, I can cling to Your promises of abundant grace, gifting me with Your power to walk through this suffering while loving others as You call me to.
We are afflicted in every way
but not crushed;
we are perplexed
but not in despair;
we are persecuted
but not abandoned;
we are struck down
but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4:8-9 CSB)!
Take up your cross, then, in HIS strength,
and calmly sin’s wild deluge brave;
’twill guide you to a better home,
it points to glory o’er the grave!
Your promised endurance and strength, throughout every earthly day of my future, as I wait for that glorious day
Because I feel so weak and weary, barely hanging on…
this abundant life is in Your sustaining me and carrying me by Your continually sanctifying and powerful presence with me through Your Holy Spirit. You promise to bring me home to see and live with You forever in Your radiant glory and company.
What a gift and treasure, Lord.
It’s YOUR might, gifting me endurance and steadfast faith in this suffering (Rev. 13:10; Phil. 4:13).
Blessings all mine! Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow! Your promised eternal future!
For this?
I can indeed position this trial as all joy, label it as all joy, and view it as all joy, with great hope in Your promised strength of faith (Jas. 1:2-4).
He who calls you is faithful; he WILL SURELY do it (2 Thess. 5:23 ESV, emphasis added).
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways of Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca [a dry, lifeless, weeping valley], they name it a place of springs…
They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion (Ps. 84:5-7 ESV)!
Take up your cross, and follow on,
nor think till death to lay it down;
for only he who bears the cross
may hope to wear the glorious crown.
Strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We MUST endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said (Acts 14:22 BSB, emphasis added).
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial,
because when he has stood the test,
he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him (Jas. 1:12 BSB).
Thank You for Your gift of promised endurance and strength in my suffering. All to Your glory and in Your great name, Lord Jesus, amen.
Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023
A playlist gift for us to hope in our Lord’s promises to give us endurance and strength, abundant life, in this suffering
What glorious hope! He has done this for both of us, hasn’t He, sister in Christ?! As suffering lingers or worsens, my heart needs to sing His Word’s promises daily. How about you? This week’s playlist gift sings His promised truth into our pain and losses, for those moments when we’re barely hanging on. If this would be His strengthening gift to you, sign up below, and weekly playlist gifts will come to your email, professionally curated and made with love for you as we both suffer.
Other resources of the nonprofit ministry of Singing Christ’s Hope
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Blessings in Christ as We Suffer: Scripture Prayers for the Hardest Days, Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
For Scripture devotionals, calming hymns, lots of playlist gifts and encouragement from Lauri, click here for YouTube channel
For those with chronic illness and pain, here’s a music therapy-inspired place to help ease symptoms as we love Him and others
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