Pastor Stephen Dedman

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬

Question
How might God be using your weakness to reveal His strength today?

Context
In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul speaks openly about a “thorn in the flesh”, a persistent struggle he asked God to remove. Three times Paul prayed for relief, yet God did not take it away. Instead, the Lord gave Paul a deeper revelation: his weakness was not a liability but an opportunity for God’s power to be displayed. This moment reshaped Paul’s understanding of strength, suffering, and grace.

Application
We often assume that God’s greatest work happens when we feel strong, capable, and confident. But Paul learned that God often works most powerfully in places of limitation. The very thing Paul wanted removed became the place where God’s grace was most evident.

Identify an area of weakness, frustration, or limitation in your life. Instead of resisting it, surrender it to God and ask Him to reveal His power through it.

Truth For The Day
God’s grace does not always remove the struggle, but it always supplies the strength.

Pray
Lord, thank You that Your grace is more than enough for me. Teach me to rely on You in my weakness and to trust that You are working even when the struggle remains. Let Your power be made perfect in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6

Question
Where are you struggling to trust God’s guidance right now?

Context
Proverbs was written primarily by King Solomon to pass along godly wisdom for daily living. In chapter 3, Solomon is instructing his son to live a life rooted in trust, humility, and obedience to the Lord. These verses contrast human understanding with divine wisdom, reminding God’s people that true guidance and blessing come not from self-reliance, but from wholehearted dependence on God.

Application
Proverbs 3 reminds us that the straightest path forward is not found in perfect planning, but in complete trust. Leaning on our own understanding can feel safer because it keeps us in control, but God invites us to surrender that control and rely on His wisdom instead.

To “acknowledge Him” in all our ways means to invite God into every part of life including our work, family, ministry, finances, and even our worries. When we do, He promises direction. That doesn’t always mean an easy road, but it does mean a guided one. God’s paths are shaped by His faithfulness, not our foresight.

Try to identify one area of your life where you’ve been relying on your own understanding instead of trusting God. Pause, pray, and intentionally place that area back into His hands.

Truth For The Day
God directs the lives of those who trust Him fully.

Pray
Lord, I confess that I often try to figure things out on my own. Help me to trust You with my whole heart and to acknowledge You in every area of my life. Guide my steps today and align my heart with Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬

Question
What competes with your time and attention that pulls you away from abiding in Christ?

Context
Using a familiar Old Testament image, Jesus describes Himself as the true vine, the Father as the gardener, and believers as the branches. In the Old Testament, Israel was often called God’s vine (Psalm 80; Isaiah 5), but Israel failed to produce faithful fruit. By calling Himself the true vine, Jesus declares that life, fruitfulness, and faithfulness now come through Him, not through religious systems or heritage.

Application
Life moves fast, and it’s easy to measure our days by productivity, results, or how much we get done. Yet Jesus invites us into a different rhythm, not striving first, but abiding. A branch does not strain to produce fruit; it simply stays connected to the vine. Fruit is the natural result of connection, not effort alone.

When we feel dry, weary, or unproductive spiritually, the issue is often not effort but proximity. We may be busy for Christ while neglecting time with Christ. Abiding means remaining or staying close through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and trust, even when life feels ordinary or hard.

Take a few intentional moments today to “abide.” Open God’s Word without rushing. Whisper a prayer throughout the day. Choose obedience in one small area. Let your relationship with Christ shape your actions rather than trying to power through on your own.

Truth For The Day
Fruitfulness flows from connection, not pressure.

Pray
Lord, help me remain in You today. Teach me to rest in Your presence and trust that fruit will come as I stay connected to You. Prune what distracts me and deepen my dependence on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.