The Word of God speaks into our circumstances because God wrote it through ordinary people who had real-life problems. Paul here, in 2 Timothy 4, was alone. Also, everyone had left him while he was fighting a great spiritual battle (v16). Today, although for different reasons, many of us are alone. Those of you who have had the virus have had to further isolate from people and you have faced a great physical and spiritual battle alone.
“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.” (v17) Being alone is hard, especially when we face battles in our bodies, minds or spirits but the Lord is with you. Even when our feelings tell us that we are alone, the fact is that the Lord is with us. You are still here, despite the battles, because He has strengthened you.
He is with you and He is giving you strength, because He has a purpose for you – “so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed.” (v17) You are still here because there are still ways that you are going to have opportunity to share the gospel.
“The Lord will… bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom” (v18). He is with you and giving you strength now and, however difficult the battles in your life are, He will keep you safe and He will take you to His heavenly kingdom. You are immortal until it is your time to be with the Lord.
Until that day, you are never alone; the Lord is with you.
The best is yet to come 