The Reverend George B. Duncan, former pastor of St. George’s Tron, Church of Scotland, Glasgow; and one of the most popular speakers at the English Keswick and Keswick’s around the world.

Spiritual Priorities

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection. Philippians 3:10

You may be disappointed, because of some dreadful failure in your life.  I want to say to you that the intention of God is surely not that His children should be disappointed.  Do you read anywhere in the New Testament that God’s intention is that you and I should be depressed and disappointed and cast down and dismayed?  I do not.  Instead, I read a note of confidence coming again and again- ‘I can do all things through Christ.’ ‘This is the Victory’- not maybe, or ought to be, but ‘This is the victory that overcometh the world.’  ‘Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God.’ An amazing note of confidence runs all through the Word of God.  It is not the intention of God that we should be disappointed.  Provision is made for our confidence; the power of His risen life.

Does any feel downcast to the point of despair because of some tragic failure?  Do not add to your sins the sin of under-estimating the measure of God’s forgiveness, and having got the measure of God’s forgiveness which has no limit, take this to your heart, disappointed, defeated- it may be even disgraced- child of God;  that you have resident within you ‘the power of His resurrection’. God can give no more than that.  God has no more to give; and God gives this to every child of His.  So we must be confident, not in ourselves, but in Him.

Preached at the Historic Keswick Christian Life Convention, Keswick, England, Summer 1951

Taken from: Daily Thoughts From Keswick, A Year’s Daily Readings, Hebert Stevenson, editor