Endless debates, controversies and heresies have plagued the church for generations. Teachings that swerve away from the truth about Jesus continue to wreak havoc today. It’s led to cynicism, resentment and to many abandoning the faith altogether. How should we respond? There’s a temptation to allow fear, anger, the desire to win an argument or gain the approval of others to drive us, but 2 Timothy 2:14-26 presents another way. It’s an appeal to followers of Jesus to hold out what is true without any shame and stand against what is false with a disarming kindness.

Do you need a rallying cry? Something to embolden or encourage you in the face of hardship or suffering? Maybe you need a reminder of what your aim in life is meant to be. That’s what 2 Timothy 2:1- 13 gives us, essentially saying, "You can endure whatever suffering or hardship is coming your way, but there’s a particular source you need to draw from. Don’t get distracted, don't try to take the easy way out, and don’t move away from the source.” Endurance is the call, single-mindedness is the goal, and the grace of Jesus is where strength is found.

Life can feel heavy — like you’re carrying a weight you were never meant to bear. In Matthew 11, Jesus extends a gentle invitation: “Come to Me... and I will give you rest.” The rest He offers isn’t just physical relief; it’s a deep, soul-healing renewal that reorients our hearts and brings peace in the middle of life’s pressures. Will you come and receive the rest Jesus offers?

Can you remember a time when you were at a real low point, circumstances were hard and the future uncertain? Maybe that’s where you are today. The fire that once burned bright is starting to flicker, the cost of following Jesus is starting to take its toll - it feels like a fog has settled in. 2 Timothy 1 is given to lift the fog that we might move forward with renewed vision and strength. It’s a call to steadfast endurance meant to be the spark to a fire that won’t burn out.

Sometimes it takes a crisis to get our attention, to wake us out of spiritual complacency and help us hear God’s call to return to him. In Genesis 35, as Jacob faces a disturbing crisis rooted in personal failures, God calls him back to the place it all began – a place of renewal, rededication and reassurance. It’s a much-needed reminder of who Jacob is called to be and the promises attached to it. God’s mercy is put on repeat in order to bring the reassurance he desperately needed. We all need to hear again what’s been said before. We all need God’s mercy put on repeat.