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Nov 07, 2025 06:00am

When Others Let You Down, God Still Shows Up

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“I’ll be there.”

But as little eyes roamed the crowd, searching through the mass of people for the one who mattered most, that person couldn’t be found.

It’s a classic story many of us can relate to—a broken promise. We needed them, but they weren’t there. Maybe it was work, maybe they forgot, maybe it was…

The reasons pile up over time, and the result is mistrust.

We want something or someone we can depend on. We want reassurance that what they say or promise is true—that they will stand by their word. Our hearts desperately search for someone we can rely on.

I don’t ever want my “kids” to have to search the crowd and not see me. If I say I’m going to be there, I’ll do all that I can to be in the stands—cheering them on. Because they need that. They need someone to show up. They need to be encouraged. They need to know they have someone they can trust.

I don’t know your story, but maybe you’re still in that search. Maybe people have failed you your whole life, and you’re searching for someone you can trust—not just with surface-level things, but with the big stuff.

There’s someone you can trust with everything—even your life.

2 Corinthians 1:17–22

“You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say ‘Yes’ when they really mean ‘No’? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver between ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ 19 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate ‘Yes,’ he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes’) ascends to God for his glory.
21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.”

Paul had plans to visit the church in Corinth again. But he changed those plans and decided to write to them instead. Why? Because he had already told them how to correct the issues within the church and how to follow Christ. Yet, many had not corrected their behavior or taken care of the issues. Paul wanted his visit to be full of joy and not just time spent rebuking them. So he changed his plans. Because of this, some said Paul couldn’t be trusted.

He reassured them that as a servant of Christ, he could be trusted. He meant what he said, whether it was yes or no.

Just as God can be trusted.

How can we know—how can we believe—that God can be trusted?

Because of Jesus.

I love verses 19–20.

Jesus is God’s ultimate Yes.

He is the greatest measure of God’s faithfulness. Isn’t that beautiful?

God promised to redeem mankind after sin entered the world (Genesis 3:15). He promised to send someone who would crush the head of Satan, defeating him. He promised to take away the sin of the world, which brings about death.

God can be trusted because He fulfilled that promise.

Jesus, the Son of God—perfect and holy—gave His life as a sacrifice for us. He was tortured and crucified on the cross for our sins. He died, was buried, and three days later Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered the hold that sin had on us. No longer do we have to be a slave to sin.

That’s how we know we can trust God!

We can be saved from the punishment of our sins by putting our faith and trust in Christ.

Paul reminded the believers in Corinth that they had the Holy Spirit within them to stand firm against the worldly influence and false teaching that surrounded them.

They could stand firm in their faith because of the Holy Spirit.

And so can we.

God can be trusted. You can be sure of that. He has fulfilled His promise to you. You just have to believe in Him.

Are you ready to trust Him? To save you? To lead you? To use you in His plan of redemption?

Jesus is God’s ultimate Yes to us! We can trust Him completely!

Paul finishes by saying, “Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.”

He wanted to show them, not just tell them, how to follow Jesus. He was an example for them.

Let me show you.

Let me disciple you. Let me help you learn what it means to follow Jesus. Go to follow.lifeword.org
and learn what it means to be truly devoted to Jesus.