2 Timothy 4:17 – But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Paul had just said, in the previous verse to the one above, that no one stood with him and that all had forsaken him. But here in this verse he proclaims that Jesus will never leave him and has given him the strength he needed. Even if everyone in your life were to let you down and walk away from you, the Lord will never leave your side. You have a purpose in this life to fulfill and God will make sure that purpose is carried through to completion. You can be certain that there will be trouble along the way and there will be setbacks that are unavoidable. But you can rest assured that with God on your side, He will deliver you through to the very end. Paul lived a life that honored Jesus and because of that fact God used him in a special way to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. God was with him at the beginning of his ministry and here we see Paul testifying to the fact that God was with him to the very end.

Challenge:

Are you letting God use your life for the very purpose you have been created for? Have you seen the Lord protect you and strengthen you through hard times? I bet if you stopped for a moment and thought about all that the Lord has done in your past, you would see His hand of support, protection and guidance. Your challenge this week is to raise your awareness of the existence of God in your life through the presence of the Holy Spirit. When you feel all alone and as if no one knows what you are going through or experiencing, remind yourself that God is there with you and He sees your position. At those times when you are feeling especially weak and wore out, pray that the Lord will give you the emotional strength and physical energy you need to move forward. Finally, just as Paul did here, do not forget to give God the credit for being there for you every step of the way. Let the world know how He is working in your life and carrying you through. God bless you.