Patrick Whitchurch

“As you despair of yourself—agonizing over the desolation wrought by your failures, your weaknesses, your inadequacies—let that despair take you way down deep into honesty with yourself. For there you will find a friend, the living Lord Jesus himself, who will startle and surprise you with his gentle goodness as you leave Self behind, in repentance, and bank on him afresh, in faith.”
― Dane C. Ortlund, Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners

“If you feel stuck, defeated by old sin patterns, leverage that despair into the healthy sense of self-futility that is the door through which you must pass if you are to get real spiritual traction. Let your emptiness humble you. Let it take you down. Not to stay there, wallowing, but to shed the facile optimism that we so naturally believe of ourselves.”
― Dane C. Ortlund, Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners

“How can we be sure we are encountering the real God and not the God we want him to be? Only through the Word. The Bible is “the primary means by which God presents himself to us, in such a way that we can know him and remain in a faithful relationship with him.”
― Timothy J. Keller, The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms

“COURAGE FOR HIS SAKE. “Steadfastness” (see verse 1) is courage—standing one’s ground and doing right regardless of fears and consequences. Where does courage come from? Primarily it comes from wanting something more than your own safety. David wants all to see God’s glory (verse 5). True courage is not “I can do it”—that is self-confidence. It is, rather, “This is more important than me.” In the animal kingdom the mother undauntedly faces any size foe, not because she thinks she can win but for the sake of her young. David will face any foe for the sake of his Lord, whom he loves above all. He’s not looking at himself. That is the secret of courage. Prayer: Lord, give me such a sense of your living reality in my life that I live a more fearless life. Fear is just thinking of myself and my abilities instead of having my mind focused on you. Give me enough love for you to be brave. Amen.”
― Timothy J. Keller, The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms