I know a professional fellow named Martin who once found himself in deep emotional turmoil. His self-image was tattered and torn, and he wondered if his strugglings were worth anything at all. A wise Christian friend spent some time with Martin and paraphrased some of the Biblical promises of Jesus in such a way that they were pointed directly to the suffering man. Martin's "personalized promises" appeared this way:

"Martin, you are my child; I love you more than anyone else in the world. I will never leave or forsake you. You are of inestimable worth, in My eyes. I suffered the torments of hell on your behalf. I care about who you are on the inside, not what you look like on the outside, or your value in the eyes of the world. I will be with you until the end of the world. I will carry you through periods of struggle. I will nourish you, raise you, and make you into a worthy vessel for My service. I will destroy those who seek to destroy you. I will give you My peace, which passes all understanding. Through Me, you have the Way, the Truth and Life. Stay with Me. I want you near Me. I lift your eyes to Me; hold My hand, trust Me, and walk with Me every day. I will eventually receive you in glory, where you can sit at the table with Me. Then we will always be together."

The Christian friend made a deep impression on Martin by sharing those promises at a low point in Martin's life, then hammering them home by asking some penetrating questions about Martin's spiritual life. Did he want to be close to Jesus? Did he really believe in a personal, loving God? Did he really believe the promises of God's faithful love and friendship? Martin's spiritual life was turned around as he answered those questions, and so can yours.