I Was There
Even when the journey sways and shakes, what matters most is that you held on.
Devotional Credit: Days of Heaven on Earth by A.B. Simpson
Photo Credit: Unsplash
A.B. Simpson reflects on the weight and wonder of living this life of faith—not as an easy path, but as a battlefield where grace is our strength and Christ our victory. He captures the ache of knowing how deeply loved we are by the One who poured out His life for us, and yet how often we falter or miss the mark. Yet he doesn’t leave us in regret or shame. Instead, he lifts our gaze to that final moment when, standing on Heaven’s shore, we’ll look back and say, “The road was hard, but Jesus kept me. He brought me through.”
There is a tender yearning here—not to achieve perfection, but to arrive at the end knowing we were present in the fight, present in the faith, present in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and triumphs. “I was there,” not as a boast, but as a humble testimony to the One who carried us every step.
Simpson reminds us that eternal life is not merely future—it is something to take hold of now (1 Tim 6:12). The call is not to strive in our own effort, but to cling in faith to the One who has already fought and won. This is the good fight—the fight of resting in the sufficiency of Christ.
📖 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
Beloved, I have never asked you to win the battle in your own strength. I have only asked you to remain in Me, for I have overcome the world. The good fight is not one of self-effort, but of clinging to the truth when lies whisper loud. It is the quiet defiance of faith, declaring, “I am His,” even when the darkness presses in.
You were not called to survive in shame, but to live from My life within you. The eternal life to which I have called you is already yours, not just awaiting you on the far side, but pulsing through you even now. Hold to Me. Trust Me when the way seems long, when your knees grow weak. You are not alone on this battlefield.
When you stand at the edge of time and look back, you will not see failure—you will see My faithfulness. Every tear, every burden, every moment you leaned into Me will shine like gold. And etched across the span of your days will be the quiet testimony of My keeping: I was there... and so were you.
Scriptures: 1 Timothy 6:12, John 16:33, Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 2:14
🔑 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like holding onto the strap in a crowded subway car. The train lurches, sways, jolts, but you remain standing—not because you have great balance, but because you’re holding on. You didn’t power the train or steer its course; you just trusted the One who did. You held on, and you arrived.
🙏 Prayer of Confidence
Jesus, thank You for already securing the victory. Thank You for indwelling me with Your eternal life and making the good fight one of trust rather than toil. I rest in the truth that You are the One who keeps me. I will look back one day and rejoice—not in my endurance, but in Your faithfulness. I stand today with the quiet assurance that because You are here, I am upheld. And when I finally see You face to face, my heart will whisper, “You brought me through... and I was there.”