1 00:00:10,230 --> 00:00:14,590 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a calming 2 00:00:14,670 --> 00:00:19,180 Speaker 1: scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end each day 3 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: with God's Word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:25,060 --> 00:00:28,020 Speaker 1: Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll reflect 5 00:00:28,140 --> 00:00:41,860 Speaker 1: on tonight's scripture and 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. Tonight's scripture 6 00:00:41,900 --> 00:00:46,090 Speaker 1: reflection is written by Amber Ginter and read by Carrie Eichberger. 7 00:00:46,090 --> 00:00:53,030 Speaker 1: 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. So when we could stand it 8 00:00:53,110 --> 00:00:55,770 Speaker 1: no longer, we thought it best to be left by 9 00:00:55,810 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother 10 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,210 Speaker 1: and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, 11 00:01:03,750 --> 00:01:06,490 Speaker 1: to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that 12 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:10,150 Speaker 1: no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you 13 00:01:10,209 --> 00:01:13,979 Speaker 1: know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, 14 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: when we were with you, we kept telling you that 15 00:01:17,380 --> 00:01:20,260 Speaker 1: we would be persecuted, and it turned out that way, 16 00:01:20,340 --> 00:01:23,620 Speaker 1: as you well know. For this reason, when I could 17 00:01:23,660 --> 00:01:26,410 Speaker 1: stand it no longer, I sent to find out about 18 00:01:26,430 --> 00:01:29,140 Speaker 1: your faith. I was afraid that in some way the 19 00:01:29,180 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have 20 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: been in vain. But Timothy has just now come to 21 00:01:35,900 --> 00:01:38,750 Speaker 1: us from you and has brought good news about your 22 00:01:38,850 --> 00:01:42,330 Speaker 1: faith and love. He has told us that you always 23 00:01:42,370 --> 00:01:44,990 Speaker 1: have pleasant memories of us and that you long to 24 00:01:45,050 --> 00:01:49,210 Speaker 1: see us just as we also long to see you. Therefore, 25 00:01:49,250 --> 00:01:53,140 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters, to all our distress and persecution we 26 00:01:53,180 --> 00:01:57,330 Speaker 1: were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now 27 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,919 Speaker 1: we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 28 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,740 Speaker 1: How can we thank God enough for you in return 29 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,260 Speaker 1: for all the joy we have in the presence of 30 00:02:07,380 --> 00:02:10,590 Speaker 1: our God because of you? Night and day we pray 31 00:02:10,650 --> 00:02:14,190 Speaker 1: most earnestly that we may see you again and supply 32 00:02:14,250 --> 00:02:17,329 Speaker 1: what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God 33 00:02:17,370 --> 00:02:20,930 Speaker 1: and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way 34 00:02:20,970 --> 00:02:23,810 Speaker 1: for us to come to you. May the Lord make 35 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,990 Speaker 1: your love increase and overflow for each other and for 36 00:02:27,110 --> 00:02:31,210 Speaker 1: everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He 37 00:02:31,270 --> 00:02:34,110 Speaker 1: strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and 38 00:02:34,210 --> 00:02:37,090 Speaker 1: holy in the presence of our God and Father when 39 00:02:37,180 --> 00:02:44,100 Speaker 1: our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones. It 40 00:02:44,139 --> 00:02:47,820 Speaker 1: was one of those days, the kind where from sunrise 41 00:02:47,860 --> 00:02:51,970 Speaker 1: to sunset, nothing seemed to be going my way. Even 42 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,429 Speaker 1: the dog seemed to have an attitude when I asked 43 00:02:54,450 --> 00:02:59,530 Speaker 1: him if he wanted dinner. By 9 p.m., I was exhausted, discouraged, 44 00:02:59,970 --> 00:03:04,609 Speaker 1: and stretched thin. As I crawled into bed, small tears 45 00:03:05,050 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: pooled down the sides of my face. I was helpless, weak, 46 00:03:09,380 --> 00:03:14,180 Speaker 1: and weary. Can you relate? As humans, we tend to 47 00:03:14,260 --> 00:03:17,340 Speaker 1: try to fix things that go wrong. It's what many 48 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,260 Speaker 1: Type A people, including myself, like to do. But when 49 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:25,019 Speaker 1: we do this, we often try to find strength within ourselves. 50 00:03:25,750 --> 00:03:30,550 Speaker 1: our power, our solutions. The reality is that our strength 51 00:03:30,590 --> 00:03:35,309 Speaker 1: has limits. We are finite human beings with limited time, energy, 52 00:03:35,730 --> 00:03:39,810 Speaker 1: and capacity. But many of us try to live as 53 00:03:39,900 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: if we are God. It's a difficult question for even 54 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: me to answer, but when you think about your life, 55 00:03:46,340 --> 00:03:51,940 Speaker 1: where do you need strength? What challenges, responsibilities, or emotions 56 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,060 Speaker 1: have been draining your energies? Now the most painful one, 57 00:03:56,670 --> 00:04:01,690 Speaker 1: where are you looking for your strength? In 1 Thessalonians 3, 58 00:04:01,690 --> 00:04:07,010 Speaker 1: Paul reminds Timothy that self-reliance will always leave us empty-handed, 59 00:04:07,910 --> 00:04:14,810 Speaker 1: but God-reliance provides powerful results. Will we still face troubles? Absolutely. 60 00:04:15,470 --> 00:04:20,150 Speaker 1: But it's not our power sustaining us. It's Christ's. And 61 00:04:20,330 --> 00:04:23,170 Speaker 1: other people have the ability to see this same kind 62 00:04:23,210 --> 00:04:27,500 Speaker 1: of faith in you if you faithfully live it out. Today, 63 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,099 Speaker 1: I don't know where you turn for strength when you 64 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:35,170 Speaker 1: feel weak. Maybe it's a friend, family member, counselor, or pillow. 65 00:04:35,990 --> 00:04:38,830 Speaker 1: And none of these are bad. But might I gently 66 00:04:38,890 --> 00:04:42,710 Speaker 1: remind you to turn to God first, and then the 67 00:04:42,770 --> 00:04:46,250 Speaker 1: resources He's given you here on earth. Then remind your 68 00:04:46,310 --> 00:04:49,510 Speaker 1: soul where God's love has sustained you in the past, 69 00:04:49,980 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: through difficult seasons and exciting ones. What would it look 70 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: like to depend on Him more fully tomorrow. This passage 71 00:04:58,300 --> 00:05:02,620 Speaker 1: reminds us that God's love strengthens us and helps us 72 00:05:02,700 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: remain steadfast in our faith. The good news about this 73 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:11,450 Speaker 1: strength is that it's always just enough for each day. Why? 74 00:05:12,170 --> 00:05:15,110 Speaker 1: Because we were never meant to carry life's burdens alone. 75 00:05:16,089 --> 00:05:21,060 Speaker 1: As we learn to trust Christ more, our spiritual strength grows, 76 00:05:21,820 --> 00:05:24,950 Speaker 1: and we become more connected to Him. the root source. 77 00:05:25,950 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: God's love is present with us in both joyful and 78 00:05:29,860 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: difficult seasons. As you prepare for rest, ask yourself, where 79 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 1: did I see God's love at work in my life today? 80 00:05:38,940 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: What burdens do I need to release to Him tonight? 81 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: How can I rely on His strength rather than my 82 00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:53,630 Speaker 1: own tomorrow? Dear Jesus, tonight I want to thank you 83 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,370 Speaker 1: for being my ultimate source of strength. When I try 84 00:05:57,410 --> 00:06:00,529 Speaker 1: to take matters into my own hands or be strong enough, 85 00:06:01,130 --> 00:06:05,270 Speaker 1: remind me I don't need to be. Forgive me and 86 00:06:05,310 --> 00:06:08,510 Speaker 1: help me look to you alone. I bring all my 87 00:06:08,550 --> 00:06:12,420 Speaker 1: weariness and burdens to you, trusting that your love will 88 00:06:12,460 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: sustain me through every challenge this life throws at me. 89 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 1: I will rest knowing that you're working in my life 90 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,250 Speaker 1: for good and you love caring for me. I will 91 00:06:24,310 --> 00:06:30,570 Speaker 1: find strength in you alone. Amen. How did tonight's scripture 92 00:06:30,610 --> 00:06:33,510 Speaker 1: speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly 93 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:34,859 Speaker 1: Scripture Forum discussion. 94 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:48,150 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 95 00:06:48,589 --> 00:06:53,380 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. all 96 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 2: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, Your 97 00:06:59,380 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following Your 98 00:07:04,740 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be 99 00:07:09,140 --> 00:07:13,380 Speaker 2: sure that your day begins and ends centered on the 100 00:07:13,420 --> 00:07:27,620 Speaker 2: Word of God. Thank you.