Anything We Give to God Is Never Really Gone - Encouragement for Today - September 8, 2026
Encouragement for Today
Audio By Carbonatix
Crosswalk.com
September 8, 2026
Anything We Give to God Is Never Really Gone
“‘Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?’ declares the LORD. ‘These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word’” (Isaiah 66:2, NIV).
Many years ago, I boarded a flight feeling really tired and not in the mood to talk to anyone. I decided to pull my Bible out of my backpack and lay it across my lap. The plane started filling up, and eventually a businessman sat in the middle seat next to me. I thought my open Bible would deter him from talking, but it didn't. He very quickly said, “It’s interesting that you’re reading the Bible.”
I replied, “Yes, I think it's a very interesting book. What do you know about the Bible?”
He fumbled with his answer for a bit, seeming to know some basic facts about God but not very familiar with biblical Truth. After a few minutes, he asked what I knew about the Bible. I told him a few things and then said, “Why don’t you ask me some questions, and I’ll show you where to read about those things in the Bible.”
He was pretty inquisitive, and as his questions got a little deeper, I started praying for God to direct me to the right scriptures. It turned into a very meaningful dialogue — and all of a sudden, I felt God pricking my heart to give this man my Bible.
While I witnessed to him, I started having a bit of a disagreement with God in my mind. God, I can’t give this man my Bible. This is my Bible, which I use all the time and have had for years. I have so many notes, and my kids have even written in this Bible. It’s very special to me.
But God kept pressing me. Eventually, I closed my Bible and put it on the man’s lap. “I think you are supposed to have my Bible,” I told him.
Astonished, he said he couldn’t possibly accept such a gift. “God told me to give it to you,” I insisted. “Sometimes the God of the universe pauses in the midst of all His creation to touch the heart of one person. Today, He paused for you.”
The man took the Bible and made two promises. First, he said he would read it, and second, he said someday he would pass it on, doing for someone else what I’d done for him. I pulled out a receipt from my purse and scribbled down a few additional verses for him, and he went on his way.
After that day, I only spoke to Ron a few times. Normally, stories like this just come and go, and that’s it. I’ve given away other things through the years and never heard anything more. And as time went on, I only rarely thought about that Bible and this man named Ron.
Until 24 years later, that Bible found me again.
It found me in a place where I was deeply wrestling with the mystery of God. I wanted God to make a little more sense. After all I’d been through in the last decade of my life, it had become crystal clear that though I’ve always viewed God as a protector, He allowed some of my greatest fears to come true: divorce, health crises, losses of people I loved, court battles, and the list goes on.
My prayers begging God not to let those things happen seemed so pointless. And if I couldn’t find safety with God, then I couldn’t find safety by counting on anyone else. My thoughts swirled with desperation and doubt.
Last year, I was speaking at an event in San Antonio, Texas, when my friend introduced me to a few women there who wanted to see me. They were Ron’s daughter, Ron’s sister, and a family friend.
I couldn’t believe it! They told me that after Ron read the Bible, he gave his heart to Jesus. Then he eventually led his family to Jesus. He kept the Bible I gave him, and it became a treasured possession. He had passed away a few years before I met his family, and the Bible went to his daughter.
With tears in her eyes, she told me she’d brought it with her and held it out for me to see. I was amazed. Slowly, I took the Bible from her and opened it up. As I turned the pages, I could see all my notes from years ago. And woven throughout my notes were Ron’s notes. And woven throughout Ron’s notes were his daughter’s notes.
She told me this Bible had sustained her, mentored her, and helped her walk through the devastating grief of losing her father at such a young age.
As I flipped through the Bible, I found a small piece of paper tucked inside. It was the receipt I’d pulled from my purse to write verses for Ron on the back. It was dated October 25, 2001. Twenty-four years ago.
Look at what God did.
As Ron’s family and I processed this together, I cried, and they cried, but mostly we simply stood in awe of this moment. The kindness of God to bring this story full circle astounded me. He didn’t have to, but He chose to let us see Him do what only He could have done.
I took pictures of the Bible and then handed it back to Ron’s daughter. “God sure does love us, you know?”
She nodded. After she was gone, I sat quietly by myself. I wanted to take all this in. And the words that kept coming to me were these:
Anything we place in the hands of our God will never, ever truly be gone. We can feel afraid of loss and grief and sacrifice and disappointment and getting our hearts broken and trusting Him when it makes no sense to us at all. But we don’t have to stay afraid.
There’s a verse I love to bring to mind when I think about placing things in God’s hands: “‘Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?’ declares the LORD. ‘These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word’” (Isaiah 66:2).
How powerful God’s hands are. His hands restore and wipe tears and hold His people with love and care.
He can turn loss into purpose. He can turn grief into healing. He can turn sacrifice into gifts we are delighted to give up. He can take our disappointments and turn them into peaceful perspectives. He can turn broken hearts into a deeper sense of being loved by God Himself. He gives such favor to those who humbly trust Him because they are so moved by His Word.
And I want to be that girl.
Lord, thank You for being trustworthy even when we don’t understand what You are doing. Help us to loosen our grip on the things we’re afraid to surrender, placing them fully into Your hands, knowing You are able to redeem, restore, and bring purpose from every sacrifice and every sorrow. Give us humble hearts that tremble at Your Word, and give us courage to trust You when the path feels uncertain. Remind us that nothing entrusted to You is ever wasted, and let our lives become beautiful evidence of Your faithfulness for generations to come. In Jesus' name, amen.
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If you're struggling to trust the Lord with situations that feel uncertain, painful, or completely beyond your ability to fix, Lysa TerKeurst's new book, Making Peace with What I Can't Control, offers scriptural wisdom and compassionate encouragement for the journey. Through personal stories, powerful biblical teaching, and practical insight, Lysa will help you discover how to release the burden of trying to manage outcomes and instead experience the peace that comes from placing what you love most into God's capable hands. Preorder your copy today, and you’ll receive limited-time resources like a personal audio prayer from Lysa, printable Scripture cards for anxious moments, and the first three chapters of the book so you can start reading immediately!
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
John 2:5, “[Jesus’] mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it’” (AMP).
Is there anything God has been nudging you to do that you keep hesitating to follow through on? It just might be an opportunity to see Him move like never before. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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