Patrick Whitchurch

“Never again look at your sins apart from Christ. You can’t handle them. You’ll either suppress them and deny that they’re there, or if you see how bad they are, they will overwhelm you. Learn to view your mistakes, your failings, and your transgressions in the light of Jesus’s forgiveness.”
― C. John Miller, Saving Grace: Daily Devotions from Jack Miller

“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

“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

“The Puritans were masters of meditation. Let me sum up their advice: [44] • Begin with prayer for the Spirit’s help (Psalm 119:18). • Focus on one verse or doctrine—something clear and applicable to your life. It may be a Scripture addressing backsliders (Jeremiah 2; Psalm 25, 32, 51, 130; Hosea 14). Or take a topic like God’s character, or Christ’s person and work, or the sinfulness of sin. • Repeat the verse or doctrine to yourself several times, and think about it carefully. • Preach it to yourself. • Turn it into prayer and praise. • Make specific application. Feed and inflame your soul with the Word. Don’t just chew on the Word, but digest it and incorporate it into your life.”
― Joel R. Beeke, Getting Back in the Race: The Cure for Backsliding