I do not consider myself a strong person. I have faced adversity and been able to stand up and even guide others through difficult times, but my natural inclination is to retreat and turn inward. It is only through God’s provision of power that I am able to behave in a courageous manner in stressful circumstances. It is the assurance of his Love and his commandment to love others that enables my efforts.

Self-discipline is another matter. I am a great procrastinator and have been since my days in elementary school. The project is due Friday? I might not start until Thursday, but I will get it done! As I’ve gotten older, I have realized that procrastinating only makes things more difficult, but I still tend to push those deadlines.

The one part of my life where I have learned to honor the urgency is in Bible study and prayer. If I don’t make my Bible study a high priority and commit to it, my attitude and behavior change, and not for the better. It is the daily reading and study that allows me to continue my journey to become more like Christ, and that is my ultimate goal.

As for prayer, I have learned to respond to thoughts and nudges about certain situations and people. When someone, perhaps someone I haven’t seen or talked with for a long time, pops into my mind, I honor that thought with a prayer for their well-being and peace of mind. Most of the time, I never know why that person came to mind, but I believe praying for someone else is never wasted. Many of my prayers are brief and specific, but I know God honors them wherever and whenever they are spoken.

I thank God for his Spirit which makes us brave, powerful, loving and self-disciplined. I am a work in progress, but every step along the way moves me closer to Him.

Heavenly Father, You never promised that our life’s journey would be easy, but you did promise that You would be with us all the way. It is through your Spirit that we can face our challenges and remain focused on the ultimate destination – Eternity in Your presence. Amen.

This devotion was written by Pat Scruggs and read by Leslie Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.