Our struggles often come because we’re trying to earn, protect, or reach for what we already have and can never lose: God’s unfailing love.
Negative thoughts kept piercing my soul like arrows. It’s a spiritual battle I’ve fought many times. Scripture reminds me to meditate on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and excellent (Philippians 4:8 NIV). Truth frees us from the devil’s lies.
Beginning with “what is true,” I searched the Bible, our source of truth.
Here are 15 foundational biblical truths we can meditate on:
1. Jesus Loves Us
Our struggles often come because we’re trying to earn, protect, or reach for what we already have and can never lose: God’s unfailing love.
Jesus taught, “As the Father has loved Me so have I loved you…I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:9-12 NIV).
Our perfect Savior, Jesus Christ, loves me completely even when I feel unloved or rejected. His love sustains and fulfills my soul.
2. Jesus Died to Save Us from Sin and Death
When faced with our sin and rebellion, God could have given us up to destruction. He might have removed all people in the flood rather than sparing Noah and his family. Instead, God made a plan to redeem us.
He sent His own perfect Son to be born as a man. Perfection was wrapped in human flesh. Jesus did the unthinkable: choosing to take the punishment for our sins and offer us His righteousness in return. “You see, at just the right time, when we are still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8 NIV).
Even when feeling uncertain and helpless, I’m safe in the hands of Christ.
3. Jesus Offers Forgiveness
Facing the reality of my sinfulness is discouraging. Guilt pulls me down when I see my selfish, prideful tendencies until I remember this truth: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us” (Ephesians 1:7-8a).
When guilt comes, I confess my sin knowing Jesus has separated my sins from me as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12 NIV).
4. Jesus Will Return
Talking to Jesus face-to-face and hearing His voice must have been incredible! Those of us who love Him long for His return, when we will once again talk to Him face-to-face. Scripture promises, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44 NIV).
When my soul grows weary from daily pain and sorrow, I remind myself that Jesus will return at just the right time.
5. God Is in Control
Fear is rampant when anarchy threatens. Who can we depend on? Scripture teaches we can trust God’s sovereignty: “The LORD Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen’” (Isaiah 14:24 NIV).
When humanity is bent on self-destruction, God is still in control.
6. God Will Make All Things Right in the End
We all long for justice as we face many tragedies and sorrows. We see this moment; God sees all eternity. Someday we’ll know how He worked everything together for good.
John the Baptist, a New Testament prophet, proclaimed about Jesus, “‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation’” (Luke 3:4-6 NIV).
Jesus will make the crooked paths straight, and He promises, in the end: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4 NIV).
When I’m discouraged by injustice, I know God is trustworthy.
7. His Word Is True
How do we know what is true? We need an authority to base our beliefs on; otherwise, each person does what is right in their own eyes. The Bible is our authority. We rely on the revealed will of God and His plan for mankind.
His Word teaches: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV).
Also, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they are carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV).
When I’m attacked by lies, I stand on the truth of God’s Word.
8. God Hears and Answers Prayers
We can come directly to Almighty God and talk to Him anywhere, anytime, and about anything. What an incredible gift! We're promised: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV).
He also tells us: “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24 NIV).
Whatever I’m feeling—whether sad, happy, angry, joyful, worried, fearful, or any other state of mind or heart—God is always listening and wants me to talk to Him about everything.
9. Jesus Is Preparing a Place for Us
My sister recently spent a week with me. I was busy for days preparing for her: cleaning, making things comfortable, buying her favorite foods, and planning our time. Jesus has spent thousands of years preparing a place for us and will continue until the Father says, “It’s time!”
Jesus promised: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a plan for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3 NIV).
No matter the situation here on earth, I’m reassured knowing Jesus is preparing the perfect place for His children.
10. Believers in Christ Will Live with Him Forever Because He Defeated Death
From the time we’re conceived, the specter of death hovers over us. Scripture teaches that Jesus died to “break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV).
Jesus Christ proclaimed, “‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die’” (John 11:25 NIV).
When the fear of death casts its shadow on me, I’m assured our greatest enemy has been defeated. My soul will never die.
11. God’s Grace Is Sufficient for Us
I’m constantly reminded of my weaknesses and inability to be good by my own strength. I get discouraged by my failures. The Apostle Paul, a New Testament writer, shared what God taught him: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).
We can’t be good in our own strength, nor does God want us to try. He wants us to lean on His grace. When my failings once again slap me in the face, I’m reminded His power is made perfect in my weakness.
12. We’re Complete in Christ
I often feel inadequate. I doubt I have what it takes to live a life pleasing to God. Then God reminds me that “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3 NIV).
He also promises: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority” (Colossians 2:9-10 NIV).
In Christ, we are complete. When I’m thinking, “I can’t do this,” Jesus Christ has already given me everything I need to live for Him. I need only to trust Him and lean on His strength.
13. We’re Wonderfully Made
We may be dissatisfied with our looks, personality, intelligence, or abilities, but God sees us as His beautiful creation. We can say with David, an Old Testament king: “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14 NIV).
When negative thoughts about myself come, God’s Spirit reminds me that I’m His wondrous creation.
14. Greater Is He (Jesus) in Me Than He (the devil) That Is in the World (1 John 4:4)
Our enemy, the devil, is fierce and determined to destroy us, but God’s power is superior to his. He’s nothing next to our Lord.
Scripture teaches, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NIV).
When Satan comes to steal from me, I rely on God’s power in me that overcomes the enemy. All the devil says and does is based on lies.
15. God Will Never Abandon Us
We know that all our loved ones could leave us at any time. But we can trust the absolute truth that God will never leave us.
We stand on this Scripture promise: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).
He promises: “That neither death nor life…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV).
When I’m afraid of being left alone, God will always be with me.
Meditating on these truths helps me overcome the enemy's lies.
The Bible, God’s Holy Word, is the source of absolute truth. I will stand on His Word.
Photo Credit: ©Paola Aguilar
Susan Aken writes devotions and articles for Wholly Loved Ministries, is an Oklahoma native who’s lived in Nebraska since 1987 and has been in public education for over thirty years. She and her husband have one son and a wonderful daughter-in-law. Besides writing she has a passion for special needs and prayer ministries. She enjoys time with family, reading, photography, movies, walking in nature, and a nice cup of tea. She believes life is a journey and we’re all in different places. Jesus is everything to her and it’s all about grace. Visit her at susanaken53.wordpress.com or on Facebook.
