Peace for What Lies Ahead - Your Nightly Prayer - November 10th
Your Nightly Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com

Peace for What Lies Ahead
Your Nightly Prayer
By Amber Ginter
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance” - Psalm 65:11, NIV
SOMETHING TO PONDER
If you could predict and know the future, would you? It sounds like a silly question, but I think most of us wish we could know when things are going to happen before they do. Why? Because we’re a people who like to be prepared.
I thought about this question one Saturday evening in September. My husband and I walked into Hobby Lobby, and I saw this sign: “Thank you, Lord, for all the things that didn’t go the way I planned.” It stopped me in my tracks. I wonder if it stops you in yours?
There’s a reason why Isaiah 55:8 says that God’s ways and thoughts are not our own. We also know from Scripture that some things will forever be beyond our cognition and understanding. And you know what, that’s okay. Not only does not knowing keep us reliant on Christ, but it also protects us from trying to take charge of our lives.
The NLT of Isaiah 55:8 explains this best: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine”.
I used to read verses like these and shudder. How can God relate to me if His thoughts are nothing like mine? But then I understood this: Just as a loving Father protects His children from harm, God prevents us from knowing and seeing all for our good. He, too, is our loving protector and provider.
We can have peace for whatever may come, not because we can predict the future, but because we trust God who created that future. He will lead and direct our next steps, and as we trust Him, that path will become clearer.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says it this way: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Friend, you can trust an unknown future to a known God. When we place our hope in Him and not what we can control, we will experience everlasting peace that surpasses understanding. We don’t lean on our limited knowledge, but on His omniscience.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Dear God,
Most of us struggle with not knowing the future. It can be scary, unpredictable, and overwhelming. When we fight for control, peace is elusive. When we relinquish control and trust you amidst our fears, we can access an everlasting peace that only you can bring. No matter what lies ahead, help us to have confidence in your ways that are greater than our own. Forgive us when we try to take matters into our own hands, and remind us that you’ll be waiting, like a loving Father, arms wide open.
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Make a list of Bible verses that talk about God’s peace. Then, make a list of things you’re worried about. Compare the two lists, and use Scripture to help you reframe.
2. Meditate on Psalm 65:11. Commit to memorizing it and recite it when you’re tempted to trust in yourself instead of God.
3. Journal about Isaiah 55:8. Tell God your struggles with peace, and ask Him how you can experience that peace in a small way today. Then, go out of your way to share that peace with others.
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/EmilyNorton
Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
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