A Prayer for Celebrating God's Faithfulness in Hard Times - Your Daily Prayer - January 22
Your Daily Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Christine F. Perry, Crosswalk.com
A Prayer for Celebrating God's Faithfulness in Hard Times
By Christine F. Perry
Bible Reading: "Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass." - Joshua 21:45 NKJV
Read or Listen Below:
By the time this verse was written, Moses had died and passed the leadership of the Israelites to Joshua. With the Lord's help, Joshua successfully led the Israelites into the promised land and assigned and distributed the land God promised to each tribe.
God had faithfully protected and provided for them in Egypt, throughout their wilderness journeys, and even into the promised land. Psalm 105:39-45 provides a brief overview of all He did for them while they were in the desert. It says:
"He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night. The people asked, and He brought quail, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it ran in the dry places like a river. For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. He brought out His people with joy, his chosen ones with gladness. He gave them the lands of the Gentiles and they inherited the labor of the nations, that they might observe His statutes and keep His laws. Praise the Lord!"
In the midst of hard times, we have a tendency to forget what the Lord has already done and the battles he has already won. Instead of thinking of God in the best light, like he does with us, we often think of him in a negative light. My pastor did a sermon series on 1 Corinthians 13. He said, "1st Corinthians 13 is the Lord's resume. This is who he is and how he loves." It is a comforting and convicting thought. Comforting because the Lord's love is not based on conditions and how I perform. Convicting because if I am supposed to be like him, I fail daily.
While listening to that series, I realized I was not being very loving to the Lord. I was in the midst of a hard season. My career had taken an abrupt left turn, and I was experiencing back-to-back losses. I was struggling to dwell on the truth. On the hard days, I would ask God to remind me or show me one thing a day that would help me see his love for me. And, I also would pray and ask him to help me love him in return. It still was a dark season, but each day, the Lord faithfully reminded me of his love in some way or another. From a beautiful sunrise, coffee with a friend, another client for work, or an unexpected gift from a friend. I began to see blessings or things not from the hands of people but from the hands of God.
If you're facing a hard time, ask God to remind you of his love for you. Look and cling to the promises in His Word and ask others to pray for you during this season. We all need each other.
Let's Pray:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for already knowing that this season would take place. Thank you that no matter what we face or are going to face, you are already there. Father, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for being committed to loving us and caring for us, even when we do not deserve anything but your wrath.
I pray for my brothers and sisters today who may be struggling in their faith. Please remind them that when we are faithless, you remain faithful. Help us to remember that you're the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can snatch us out of your hands.
Father, please remind us all that you are for us and not against us and that even when we cannot see it, you are always working. We love you. Help us to trust you in this season and every season we face.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/PeopleImages
Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine's work at her website: Learning to be fearless and her Patreon.
Related Resource: What If God’s Heart Toward You Is Kinder Than You Think?
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