Foster faithful endurance in seasons of suffering, tragedy, and loss with Bible stories, real-life stories, and reflection questions.
Our Daily Bread
Day 1
Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-17
Strong in the Lord
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. -Ephesians 6:10
Peggy was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia at fifty-seven years old. For nearly a decade, the neurodegenerative disease slowly robbed her of all her physical abilities until she was completely dependent on her husband and daughters for her care.
At her beautiful funeral service, I was initially surprised that the minister chose Ephesians 6:10–18 for the eulogy to describe Peggy’s life. The passage begins, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
How could a woman who couldn’t even feed herself be strong? But perhaps that is exactly the point Paul, the author of Ephesians, was encouraging his readers to understand.
If we solely depend on our own strength to face overwhelming situations, we’re all as seemingly helpless as Peggy in the face of not only disease and discouragement but ultimately the “mighty powers in this dark world” (v. 12) as well.
Yet we’re not defenseless. Even when we appear to be at our weakest, Paul encourages us to put on the armor of God to access power far beyond our physical abilities.
One piece of the spiritual armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v. 17). It allows us to fight lies, fear, and discouragement with truth from Scripture.
The Bible strengthened Peggy during her most difficult journey. Scripture and the power of God are available to sustain and empower us for whatever we’re facing today.
Lisa Samra
When have you tried to depend on your own strength during a difficult time? How can you depend on God instead?
Dear Jesus, in my weakness, help me not to depend on my own strength but to realize I have access to Your mighty power when I put on the spiritual armor of God.
Day 2
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-11
The Gift That Can’t Be Returned
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. -1 Peter 4:10
After a medical emergency landed Virginia in a physical rehabilitation home, members of her church visited her daily.
Some delivered treats. Others brought cards to play with her while they helped pass the time. A few people simply showed up to sit with her.
Their willingness to give of their time to be with her assured Virginia that she wasn’t alone during her ordeal.
Noticing the continual stream of visitors and calls from friends, a nurse said, “You sure are loved!”
“I am,” said Virginia. She thanked God as her church family continued making time in their busy schedules to show they cared for her.
The Bible says that God’s gifts of grace come in “great variety” (1 Peter 4:10). God equips His children with special ways of communicating love. He provides each of us with strengths, abilities, and opportunities to serve others faithfully (v. 11).
He uses our unique gifts to reveal His goodness, unconditional love, and presence in our daily lives. But serving others requires a commitment of a limited resource—our time.
We honor God when we spend time with people and demonstrate love through words of encouragement or acts of kindness. When we pray for others, reach out to let them know we’re thinking of them, or simply sit with them during a difficult season, we’re offering the priceless gift of our time.
Xochitl Dixon
Who’s encouraged you by offering the priceless gift of their time when you were in need? Who can you encourage by simply being present?
Ever-present Father, please help me manage my time well so I can be available to love others.
Day 3
Scripture: Galatians 4:1-7
A Beautiful Vase
Since you are his child, God has made you his heir. -Galatians 4:7
After a failed relationship in my twenties, I felt needy and adrift, yearning to know who I was.
One day as I poured out my feelings to God, an image flashed into my mind of a crystal vase. It was beautiful but filled with mucky, dirty water. I sensed that the vase symbolized me and that I should ask God to cleanse me from my wrongdoing and release me from my feelings of unease.
I then saw, in my mind’s eye, the gunky water being replaced with His living water. The vase could now sparkle in the sunlight.
That time of prayer deepened my understanding of my identity in Jesus: that God created me in His image and adopted me as His child.
Sin dirties us, but God “sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts” (Galatians 4:6), which restores our original sparkle, the beauty He intended for us. In this, we’re “his child . . . his heir” (v. 7).
That prayer became a turning point as I rejected the lie that I wasn’t good enough to be God’s child. When I would sink into unhelpful self-talk, I’d remind myself that God made me and made it possible for me to live in the freedom of His Spirit. With His help, I could look outside of myself as I asked Him to use me for His honor.
Know that if you’ve received God’s loving invitation to believe in and follow Jesus, He welcomes you as His child and heir.
Amy Boucher Pye
How does being God’s child affect the way you live your daily life? How can you live more out of this, your primary identity?
Jesus, You came to redeem me so that I might be adopted by God. Thank You for this marvelous gift.
Day 4
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Still Hopeful
When this earthly tent we live in is taken down . . . we will have a house in heaven. -2 Corinthians 5:1
My doctor’s words slugged me in the gut. It seemed that ongoing pain management for my back might be the only treatment he could provide. Overwhelmed by grief, I prayed silently.
Apologizing, he handed me a tissue. “Did you expect a different outcome?”
I shrugged. “God will keep carrying me through,” I said. “I’m just not ready to give up hoping for an end to my pain.”
“After we get you through the next procedure,” he said, “we’ll talk to another specialist.”
On our way home, my husband and I processed our frustrations. Though neither of us wanted the rest of our lives restricted by chronic pain, our hope wasn’t limited to this side of eternity.
The apostle Paul compared our bodies to temporal tents (2 Corinthians 5:1). Though we’re susceptible to physical injuries, sickness, and aging, God promises we’ll be resurrected and given new bodies like Christ (vv. 2–4; Philippians 3:21).
The Holy Spirit, who dwells in all believers, guarantees our eternal life (v. 5). Even as we face challenges, the Spirit gives us the courage to endure despite our ailments and the ability to please God in this life and when we’re with Him in heaven (vv. 6–10).
Facing physical afflictions can cause us to sink into despair. But our faithful Father provides what we need to walk by faith.
He helps us thrive in all circumstances, refreshed by His love and still hopeful.
Xochitl E. Dixon
How can the promise of a new body help us endure the pains we experience in our earthly bodies? How can you encourage others?
Precious Father, thank You for blessing me with resilient faith as I wait for my resurrected body.
Day 5
Scripture: Psalms 86
Strong and Weak
Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. -Psalm 86:1
When I was struggling with some difficult health issues last year, several people told me I’d discover that I was stronger than I thought. This was encouraging to hear, and I did find it to be true.
Because of what God and I had already been through together over the years, He gave me strength and the ability to press on. But I also learned another lesson quite quickly: I’m weaker than I thought.
Physical problems were new to me, and my trust in God’s goodness and my emotional stability wavered at times. That felt unnerving. Sometimes all I could pray was, “Jesus, You’re wonderful. Jesus, You’re powerful. Please bring healing today.”
The psalmist David recognized that he too needed help (Psalm 86:1). He understood his need to rely on God’s truth (v. 11). He also reminded himself that God is “a God of compassion and mercy . . . filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” (v. 15). He begged God to have mercy on him and to show His strength on his behalf. And he cried out, “Save me” (v. 16).
David was looking for and asking for signs of God’s goodness (v. 17). He was vulnerable with God and talked honestly with Him, and God always proved Himself faithful.
When you learn you’re weaker than you thought, pour out your heart to God by praying Psalm 86. He hears you.
Anne Cetas
During what experience did you discover that you’re weak? How did you experience God’s presence and power?
Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Day 6
Scripture: Romans 5:6-8
This Love Is Real
Christ [died] for us while we were still sinners. -Romans 5:8
“I felt like the rug had been pulled from under me,” Jojie said. “The shock of the discovery was like a physical blow.”
She’d found out that her fiancé was seeing someone else.
Jojie’s previous relationship had ended similarly. So when she later heard about God’s love at a Bible study, she couldn’t help wondering: Is this another scam? Will I get hurt if I believe God when He says He loves me?
Like Jojie, we may have experienced troubled relationships that left us feeling wary—or even afraid—of trusting someone’s promise of love. We may even feel this way about God’s love, wondering where the catch is. There is, however, no catch.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).
“Eventually, I realized God had already proven His love,” Jojie says, “by dying for me.”
My friend discovered that when our sinful state separated us from God, He reached out to us by giving Jesus to die on our behalf (5:10; 1 John 2:2). Because of this, our sins are forgiven, and we can look forward to eternity with Him (John 3:16).
Whenever we wonder whether we can truly trust God’s love, let’s remember what Christ did for us on the cross. We can trust His promises of love, knowing that He’s faithful.
Karen Huang
When or why have you found it difficult to trust God’s love for you? How can knowing Jesus died for you change your response?
Dear Jesus, thank You for the great love You showed me by dying for me. Let Your love change me, and let it heal and direct my relationships.
Day 7
Scriptures: Luke 7:36-39, Luke 7:44-50
Without Shame
Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” -Luke 7:48
“I am that woman,” Tania said.
“Long before I knew Jesus, I filled an empty and broken life with drinking and men. I lived on the fringe of polite circles where everyone knew what kind of woman I was, some personally.” But, she said, “Jesus reached out to me, a woman like that!”
A woman, she continued, like the one who entered the home of Simon the Pharisee, when he hosted a dinner to honor Jesus (Luke 7:36). This woman who lived an immoral life (v. 37) wet the feet of Jesus with her tears and anointed them with perfume (v. 38). She did so out of her deep love for Him.
He received her gift and responded: “Your sins are forgiven” (v. 48). Not only did He release her from the burden of her shame, but He said in front of those who judged her, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (v. 50).
Like the woman so many years before her who received Jesus’ gift of peace, Tania too accepted the forgiveness of Jesus. The freedom she embraced, she remarked, gave her “the courage to stand and tell my story without shame.”
We can confess to Jesus any and everything we’ve done wrong, asking for His forgiveness. He sacrificed Himself on the cross so that we can accept the gift of being saved by faith—so that we too can “go in peace.”
Amy Boucher Pye
How has your life changed through an experience of forgiveness? How might Jesus call you into a deeper and closer relationship with Him?
Saving Jesus, thank You for the amazing gift of love when You died on the cross to save me from my sins. Help me to love You all the more.
Day 8
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Don’t Lose Heart
We never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. –2 Corinthians 4:16
I don’t remember a time when my mom, Dorothy, was in good health.
For many years as a brittle diabetic, her blood sugar was wildly erratic. Complications developed and her damaged kidneys necessitated permanent dialysis. Neuropathy and broken bones resulted in the use of a wheelchair. Her eyesight began to regress toward blindness.
But as her body failed her, Mom’s prayer life grew more vigorous. She spent hours praying for others to know and experience the love of God. Precious words of Scripture grew sweeter to her.
Before her eyesight faded, she wrote a letter to her sister Marjorie including words from 2 Corinthians 4: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day” (v. 16).
The apostle Paul knew how easy it is to “give up.” In 2 Corinthians 11, he describes his life—as one of danger, pain, and deprivation (vv. 23–29).
Yet he viewed those “troubles” (4:17) as temporary. And he encouraged us to think not only about what we see but also about what we can’t see—that which is eternal(vv. 17–18)
Despite what’s happening to us, our loving Father is continuing our inner renewal every day. His presence with us is sure. Through the gift of prayer, He’s only a breath away. And His promises to strengthen us and give us hope and joy remain true.
Cindy Hess Kasper
What’s causing you to be discouraged or to want to “give up”? Which Scriptures are especially encouraging to you?
Precious Father, thank You for Your faithful love for me and the assurance of Your presence. Help me to trust You.
Day 9
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:11-20
A Choice
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. . . . Choose life . . . ! –Deuteronomy 30:19
A few weeks after the death of a dear friend, I spoke with her mom. I was hesitant to ask how she was doing because I thought it was an inappropriate question; she was grieving. But I pushed aside my reluctance and simply asked how she was holding up.
Her reply: “Listen, I choose joy.”
Her words ministered to me that day as I struggled to push beyond some unpleasant circumstances in my own life. And her words also reminded me of Moses’ edict to the Israelites at the end of Deuteronomy.
Just before Moses’ death and the Israelites’ entrance into the promised land, God wanted them to know that they had a choice. Moses said, “I have given you the choice between life and death . . . . Oh, that you would choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
They could follow God’s laws and live well, or they could turn away from Him and live with the consequences of “death . . . and disaster” (v. 15).
We must choose how to live too. We can choose joy by believing and trusting in God’s promises for our lives. Or we can choose to focus on the negative and difficult parts of our journeys, allowing them to rob us of joy.
It will take practice and relying on the Holy Spirit for help, but we can choose joy too—knowing that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28).
Katara Patton
How can you choose joy in spite of your circumstances today? How is choosing joy similar to choosing life as God described to the Israelites?
Dear God, Giver of Joy, please help me to choose to follow You and believe and trust You this day.
Day 10
Scripture: 1 John 4:7-18
Victory over Fear
Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. -1 John 4:18
Traci was crippled by fear and anxiety from early childhood. She was afraid of being taken from her parents, of her family dying, and of a host of other things such as horses and airplanes. Worse, she feared she would always be that way.
She says, “I wasn’t living. I was solely breathing.”
Her life finally began to change when Jesus entered her life.
“Overcoming fear was a process of learning who Christ is and who I am . . . as a daughter of His.”
She began to understand that Jesus loved her and died for her, so she could be victorious over fear (1 John 4:9–10). Now when fear creeps in, she prays for God to help her through.
Throughout the Bible, we read God’s encouraging words to Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Mary, the shepherds, and many others: “Do not fear”; “Do not be afraid.”
This phrase is the most repeated instruction in all of Scripture. Why? Because God longs for us to gain courage through Him instead of letting fear cripple us.
When we experience God’s perfect love expressed through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can entrust our fears to Him and begin to overcome them because “perfect love expels all fear” (1 John 4:18).
He gives the Spirit to guide us and counselors to help us. Through His victory over sin and death, we can journey into true freedom.
Alyson Kieda
When has God helped you overcome a fear? What fear(s) do you still need to entrust to Him?
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect love for us! Help me to overcome my fears. I give them to You.