By Madison Moore

One thing we all know to be true is that life isn’t always easy. In fact, more often than not, you may feel like life is just really hard—like there’s always an obstacle, heartbreak, sickness, or struggle. In these times, we desperately need to cling to God’s promises and remember his character. We’re poor and needy every day, but there’s a reason the Puritan’s titled one of their prayers “The Valley of Vision.” Yesterday I read John chapter 18 and I felt God reminding me of his faithfulness in my life, through all of the hardships, he’s working, even when I don’t feel it, he’s working. If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ and have surrendered your life to him, you can proclaim this over your life as you wake up to each new day.  

A lot is happening in chapter 18: Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by authorities; his disciple, Peter, denies him three times; and he’s taken to stand before Pilate, the Roman governor, to be questioned. I reflected a lot on this chapter and how Jesus was probably feeling, and one thing kept standing out to me: Jesus is faithful and will forever be faithful. He cannot not be faithful. Jesus knew he would be arrested, he knew Judas would betray him, he knew Peter would deny him three times (and even told Peter this beforehand), and he knew that Pilate would hand him over to be crucified. Yet, in his great love for us, died for us so that we might live. In chapter 19, he sat there while solders placed a crown of thorns on his head and mocked him by saying “Hail! King of the Jews” and slapping him. Yet Jesus didn’t fight back. Unto death, he gave himself for us. 

The story doesn’t end there. Jesus also knew that. Three days later, Jesus rose victoriously from the grave defeating death, later ascending into heaven and leaving his Holy Spirit to fill us. 

I want you to be encouraged by this: you can hold fast to your confession of Jesus Christ as Lord with confidence through whatever comes, good or bad, ‘for he who promised is faithful.’ You can call out your sin of unbelief, confess it, and be reminded of Jesus’ faithfulness all throughout scripture, even unto his death. 

If you’re suffering, remember this: He is near to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). He has compassion on those who suffer (Psalm 103:13). You will have trouble, but take heart, He has overcome the world (John 16:33)! He is faithful to his people!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

—Lamentations 3:22-23

Peter denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus’ plans for him prevailed and Peter went on to spread the good news of the gospel and lead a Spirit-filled life. And we too can live a Spirit-filled life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let Ephesians 3:14-21 be written on your hearts: 

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”