“For All” – Day Twenty-One (Close)

19 Sep “For All” – Day Twenty-One (Close)

As a child, I spent a lot of time in church. Most of the time, I didn’t mind. One thing that I didn’t enjoy, though, was singing those old hymns. They were slow, somber, and really long. No wonder they never really resonated with me, right? I later realized, as I got older and actually experienced difficult seasons in life, that I had never really listened to or empathized with the words of those songs.

Over the years, I’ve become particularly fond of one of those old hymns – “It Is Well With My Soul”. It was penned by Horatio Spafford who lost four children and nearly lost his wife in a shipwreck at sea. My favorite verse says, “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blessed assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and shed his own blood for my soul.” Even in the midst of unspeakable tragedy, Spafford found strength to be encouraged, hopeful, and confident in the God of the universe. That’s exactly what our “For All” devotional has been about. As these twenty-one days come to an end, we want you to remain encouraged, hopeful, and confident in the same God. 

Our theme for the past three weeks has centered around Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” During Week one, we were reminded of God’s promises—that nothing can separate us from his unconditional love. During Week two, we were reminded of God’s plan and purpose for our lives—that he uses our trials for good. Finally, during Week three, we were reminded to walk in courage—that God has chosen us to lead and love others well. 

We hope this devotional is only the beginning of your chasing after God, his promises for your life, his protection during difficult times, and his provision in the lives of others through you. 

Here are some simple ways you can continue to tap into all God has for you moving forward. Go deeper and read through the book of Romans. Here is a great YouVersion devotional that will help you walk through Romans and guide your Slot and Spot. Also, be sure to gather on the weekend, get connected in J-Groups, and serve on the J-Team. Gathering will help you experience God’s presence. J-Groups will help you find the encouragement and support that we all need. And serving will help you use your unique gifts to share the love of Jesus! 

Many of those hymns that I dismissed as a child have become part of me as an adult. They remind me of God’s promises, his love for me, and the security that a relationship with him offers. The words are anchors that help ground and stabilize me, even when the world is raging around me. My prayer is that this devotional has anchored your faith in much the same way – with encouragement, hope, and unshakable confidence in God. 

Cresean Hughes

Production Area Coordinator

Cresean and his wife Jade have been coming to The Journey since 2018. He serves on the Production, Communications, and Devotional teams. Cresean especially enjoys sharing the life-giving message of Jesus through the written word.