He says when you’re tempted to lose faith because of your suffering, when things are really hard, rest on the power of God. Rely on the God, “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9-10).

Before a promise was ever broken or a friend ever betrayed or disappointed, before a dream or desire was ever left unfulfilled, our responses were intended, planned by God to make known the glory of his grace in Jesus. He drew us a real-life picture of his love with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, who suffered for us. When we’re feeling discouraged and defeated, we’re called to remember that God loved us from long before we were born. He revealed his purpose to save us and his grace to sustain us in these trials through the life, death, and resurrection of the Savior, his Son, Jesus, the Messiah. (Oh, God. Thank you. You are the breath in my lungs. The only good in me.)

Paul says he abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Immortality means a life that lasts forever. And life means much more than breath in our lungs and a heartbeat. It means a full life, an abundant life, a joyful life, a life worth wanting forever. We can’t pray long enough or prepare well enough for the things He works in our lives. But James reminds us “The prayer of a righteous man has great effectiveness.” In Jesus, not only will we not die, we’ll taste true life, the life we ache for now, and we’ll have it forever. No one can ever take it from us.

Our knees are down, our faces are up, and our Bibles are open but what we need is Heaven wide-open and grace spilled down in a drenching flood. We want God to reveal Himself in a way we can’t ignore or recover from anytime soon. i am praying with all my heart for a revival. He IS faithful. That I know. “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords…To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”