Verse from Habakkuk

“他说：耶和华啊！我呼求你，你不应允，要到几时呢？我因强暴哀求你，你还不拯救。”

哈巴谷书 1:2 

“How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, "Violence!" Yet You do not save.”

Habakkuk 1:2 

Are you waiting on God? The prophet Habakkuk was well acquainted with that feeling. In the seventh century bc, he cried out to the Lord (Hab. 1:2–3). He prayed for a long time, struggling to reconcile how a just and powerful God could allow wickedness, injustice, and corruption to continue in Judah. As far as Habakkuk was concerned, God should have already intervened. Why was God doing nothing?

Like Habakkuk, the psalmist David understood that life’s challenges get harder the longer they last. David asked “How long?” four times in just two verses, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Ps. 13:1–2, emphasis added).

When you struggle, can you identify with Habakkuk and David? Does it feel like help is far away? Consider Lamentations 3:22–23, and let it encourage you to trust in God’s faithful care.

Verse from 1 Peter

“愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父上帝！他曾照自己的大怜悯，借耶稣基督从死里复活，重生了我们，叫我们有活泼的盼望，”

彼得前书 1:3 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

1 Peter 1:3 

Imagine meeting Jesus face to face—after knowingly denying ever knowing Him. Would we tell Him we haven’t been able to forgive ourselves? Would He know our heart and understand?

During the Last Supper, Peter couldn’t imagine he would deny Jesus once—let alone three times (John 13:37–38). But then the unthinkable happened (Matt. 26:69–75). Later, however, Jesus gave Peter three opportunities to express love to the One who so mercifully forgave him (John 21:15–18).

In that love and forgiveness Peter found a way forward. We too can move forward from the sins of our past through the love and forgiveness of Christ.

Verses from Deuteronomy

“耶和华在旷野之地遇见了他，在荒凉之地和野兽吼叫的荒野，遇见了他，就环绕他，看顾他， 保护他，好象保护自己眼中的瞳人一样。又像老鹰搅动巢窝，飞翔在雏鹰之上，搧展翅膀，接取雏鹰，背在自己的两翼之上。”

申命记 32:10-11 

“"He found him in a desert land, And in the howling waste of a wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye. "Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, That hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions.”

Deuteronomy 32:10-11 

In the book of Deuteronomy, the Lord reminded His people how, when they were wandering in the desert, He cared for them as a loving parent who hovers over its young. He wanted them to remember that although they experienced hardship and strife in the desert, He didn’t abandon them.

We too may face challenges of many kinds, but we can take comfort and courage in this reminder that our God will never leave us. 

God’s faithful, abiding love remained His response to His people. That same love continues today, and His perfect love never fails.

In your times of struggle, do you find it easy to question God’s love? 

How does God’s faithfulness to Israel encourage you to trust in His faithfulness to you?

Verse from Luke

“耶稣站住，吩咐把他领过来，到了跟前，就问他说：「你要我为你做什么？」他说：「主啊，我要能看见。」”

路加福音 18:40-41 

“And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!"”

Luke 18:40-41 

Experts agree that a staggering amount of time is consumed each day by interruptions. Whether at work or at home, a phone call or an unexpected visit can easily deflect us from what we feel is our main purpose.

Not many of us like disruptions in our daily lives, especially when they cause inconvenience or a change of plans. But Jesus treated what appeared to be interruptions in a far different way. Time after time in the Gospels, we see the Lord stop what He is doing to help a person in need.

While Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where He would be crucified, a blind man begging by the side of the road called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:35–38). Some in the crowd told him to be quiet, but he kept calling out to Jesus. Jesus stopped and asked the man, “‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Lord, I want to see,’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you’ ” (vv. 41–42).

When our plans are interrupted by someone who genuinely needs help, we can ask the Lord for wisdom in how to respond with compassion. What we call an interruption may be a divine appointment the Lord has scheduled for that day.

Verse from Psalms

“上帝啊，求你怜悯我，怜悯我！因为我的心投靠你。我要投靠在你翅膀的荫下，等到灾害过去。”

诗篇 57:1 

“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.”

Psalms 57:1 

Psalm 57 has long provided rich inspiration for worship songs. When David declared, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens” (v. 11), he was fearing for his life, was hiding in a cave.

“I am in the midst of lions,” David said in the psalm. These “ravenous beasts” were “men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords” (v. 4). David’s praise was conceived in crisis. Although he was cornered by enemies who wanted him dead, David could write these amazing words: “My heart, O God, is steadfast . . . . I will sing and make music” (v. 7).

Whatever crisis we face today, we can run to God for help. Then, we can praise Him as we wait expectantly, confident in His infinitely creative care for us.

Verse from Romans

“谁能定他们的罪呢？有基督耶稣已经死了，而且从死里复活，现今在上帝的右边，也替我们祈求 。”

罗马书 8:34 

“who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

Romans 8:34 

We never pray alone, because Jesus is praying for us. He hears us as we pray, and speaks to the Father on our behalf (v34). We don’t have to worry about the eloquence of our words, because no one understands us like Jesus. 

He helps us in every way, presenting our needs before God. He also knows when the answers we ask for would not be good for us, handling every request or concern with perfect wisdom and love.

His prayers for us are beautiful beyond words, and should encourage us to always pray with thankfulness.

Verse from Ephesians

“凡事谦虚、温柔、忍耐，用爱心互相宽容，”

以弗所书 4:2 

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,”

Ephesians 4:2 

While we accept that it takes time for children to mature, we may grow impatient with ourselves or fellow believers who show slow spiritual growth. We rejoice when we see the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22–23), but are disheartened when we observe a sinful choice. The author of Hebrews spoke of this when he wrote to the church: “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again” (Heb. 5:12).

As we continue to pursue intimacy with Jesus ourselves, let’s pray for each other and patiently come alongside those who love God but who seem to struggle with spiritual growth. “Speaking the truth in love,” let’s continue to encourage one another, so that together we may “grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Eph. 4:15).

Words of truth spoken in love can guide us all toward maturity in Christ.