Dr. Norman Vincent Peale believed that this verse held the power to change lives. By truly believing and putting your trust in Him you gain greater peace and can achieve victory over your problems.

David’s dancing in the above Scripture is his way of expressing great emotion. He clearly felt God’s presence. Have there been times in your life when you felt overcome with emotion by His presence? Perhaps the birth of a child, the beauty of a sunrise, divine comfort during a gripping moment of grief. Reflect on your divine experiences.

In the above verse, Blind Bartimaeus asked Jesus for mercy and his vision was restored. Bartimaeus’ testimony opened the eyes of countless others who grew in faith and started following Jesus. So many beautiful transformations were made possible simply because Bartimaeus had faith and asked for mercy.

As you know, God is always with you, not just at a planned prayer time, but anytime and every time you need Him. You can pray out of the depths of your soul, thank Him for the simple pleasures, or simply say, “I know You’re here. I know You’re with me.”

This time of year we begin to notice the change of season, the change in light. One of the best ways to counteract the darkness is to pick up your Bible. Take His Word into your heart and ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

When you feel lost and uncertain about what the future holds, pause for a moment and look back at your life. Reflect on the many instances where you were guided and blessed by God; the times when you could clearly feel Him helping you. Know He is with you now. He is helping you.

As Jesus predicted, Peter denied knowing Him three times. Later, after Jesus’ resurrection, He asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?”—giving Peter multiple chances to correct his wrongdoing and respond with love. Like He did for Peter, Jesus offers us His grace and forgiveness, every time we doubt or turn away from Him.

Jesus made seven “I am” statements in the Gospel of John: I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the gate for the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way and the truth and the life, and I am the vine. With these declarations, Jesus went to great lengths to clarify His mission and to help the people understand that He is the Messiah. He is the Light in the darkness.

Some of life’s worst experiences serve as our greatest lessons. Through our struggles, we learn to trust, to have faith and to recognize God’s touch in our lives. Every Christian has a faith story—that “Aha!” moment when they first experienced God’s divine love. When we share how our faith has helped us through tough times, we share His love and offer comfort to those who need a boost of hope.