A tried-and-true life-verse

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Renewed hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “A tried-and-true life-verse”

When it comes to finding a renewed sense of hope during those times when you are struggling with life, few things are more helpful than to have a life-verse to lean on and to claim from God. A life-verse is a verse or passage of Scripture that speaks to you in a personal and powerful way, to the point that you adopt it as a touchstone or guiding principle for your life. It is one that you refer to often and which helps you in deep and profound ways.

For more than thirty years Proverbs 3:5-6 has served as my primary life-verse. I have a few others as well, but Proverbs 3:5-6 is my primary one. I have faced many challenges in my life over those thirty years, there have been many times when life was hard and the way forward wasn’t clear. Often perseverance was required for extended periods while there was no apparent end in sight. During those times Proverbs 3:5-6 kept me going. It encouraged me to seek God, keep my focus on Him, then lean into the situation, put one foot in front of the other, push forward, and just keep on going, trusting that God was guiding me along the right path even if I couldn’t see past the next moment or the next day.

I’m very glad I have had thirty years of learning how to use that principle during the tough times in life because I am currently knee-deep in the hardest period of life I have ever faced. It has now been four months since my wife Linda left us and went to heaven, and it has been three months since our son Rick died too.

I miss Rick very much but after forty-seven years with Linda, I find that I don’t know how to live without her. I don’t know what to do each day except to pray, study my Bible, write sermons and daily devotional messages, preach, teach, conduct weddings and funerals, make hospital visits, counsel others, and lead our church. I know how to do those things, and God has called me to do them. I also know how to exercise each day, and how to ride my motorcycle and mountain bike, go kayaking, play golf, and read books. I know what I’m supposed to be doing and I know how to do those things, so that’s what I do.

I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I do know who holds the future. And so, I just live. I just move forward. And I trust Him. I can do that with confidence because I know from experience that my life-verse, Proverbs 3:5-6, is true.

Do you have a life-verse a life-verse that you turn to and rely on that helps you deal with the tough times in life? Would you tell me what it is? I would love to know. Few things are more helpful in restoring hope and keeping you going during the tough times of life than a tried-and-true life-verse.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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