No matter what... prayer, scripture, truth
- Christine DiGiacomo
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
In the last Morning Briefing, I talked about fuel for our spiritual tanks and just how vital it is in maintaining our faith walk with God. Life has a way of squeezing us, and of course, it does that differently in each of us.
The gift of prayer, combined with the truths of Scripture, strengthens our faith muscle and gives us assurance. In recent interactions, I know several who are having to dig deep, knowing that God is good and that he is indeed worthy of our trust in him.
It seems prayer is in order.
Dear Heavenly Father,
It seems like I make up my mind to trust you in everything... heck I even memorized these verses: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.1
Then I did it! When anxiety came knocking at my door, I prayed. I asked you for strength, I asked you to answer my prayer… I even looked back and remembered your goodness to me in the past. I thanked you that I am not alone, that you are with me. And then I experienced the promise in the next verse: Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.2
But Lord, I’m only human. When the fear of what might happen overwhelms me again, coming like waves that will surely knock me down, how my heart races! When the fatigue of ‘again…seriously?’ threatens to choke me… What then?
Speak to me, Lord, won't You? In the back of my mind I remember something about You being the lifter of my head… I am looking to You in the vast unknowing of the days ahead. Will You speak to me, Father?
And then, drawn from Scripture, these thoughts:
"Indeed I will, my child. You are correct about your memory ~ David prayed
“But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”3 Look to Me to be your shield, look to Me to lift you up; do not depend on anyone else to do that for you. I am there in the middle of the night; I am there when you drive down the road, seemingly alone with your thoughts… I know when you are overcome with what might come next. So, run to Me. Look then for My presence. I am the friend who stays closer than a brother.4
Permit me, Child, to remind you of My promise: “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”5
As you awaken in the morning, greet the day by declaring, “This is the day the Lord has made…I will rejoice and be glad in it!”6
Before your feet hit the floor,
Determine to walk in My presence today, taking Me with you wherever you go.
Look around you - see how the birds sing ~ why, I created them for your delight.
Look up at the skies above ~ for surely the heavens speak of My glory and My limitless creativity!7
Clear your mind and your conscience as David did, by praying
‘Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.’8
Surrender the day ahead to Me… go ahead: Commit everything you do to Me. Trust Me, and I will help you.9
Two more thoughts I have for you, dear Child - remember that I am the same God who divided the Red Sea for my children to escape captivity on dry land.
I am the same God who raised Lazarus from the dead.
I am the same God who forgave my good friend and disciple Peter for denying he ever knew me, then I made sure he knew I forgave him when I met with him on the shore of the Galilee, water lapping at our feet. O, and then just days later, that same scared Peter preached so powerfully about Me that 3,000 people put their trust in Me that day. Yes, that was Me then and it is Me now.
I was the God of the miraculous then and I am the God of the miraculous today. Remind yourself with this: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.10
Child, I know that when you hurt, it is natural to think mostly of yourself and how you are feeling, how upset you are inside; stop it. While it may feel natural, it will make you self-centered and cause you to be selfish, even if you are unaware. Look around you - see who you might encourage, who you might lift before Me in prayer. And as you think of others, see if it doesn’t give you the sweetest attitude!
And obey Me in this, as hard as it may seem at times:
Always be joyful.
Never stop praying.
Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.11
Thanking Me changes you. It changes your outlook, lifts up your countenance and makes you pleasant to be around.
I love you, you know. Nothing you can do will change that, but it is wonderful for both of us when you choose Me each day. Trust Me. Period. No. Matter. What."
Thank you, dear Lord, for your words which are always true. Thank you, Lord, that no matter what is happening in my life, You will be with me, and you see the future I cannot; you will keep me close to your heart always. Lord, I believe - and when my faith is weak, help me believe all the more! Amen.
Friends, take another look at these emboldened scriptures - is there one you ought write down, meditate upon, perhaps memorize so you have it in the middle of the night? We cannot change our ways of thinking and feeling unless we introduce transforming truths to reshape our thought patterns.
And this I pray right now over you - no matter where you are in the world just now: May the God of hope fill you with joy
as you trust in him.
So that you may overflow with hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit.12
Listen: Make It Well, Mercy Me,TimTimmons:
Even If, same artists:
With love,
Christine
Holy Spirit: Who or What? no.15
1 - Philippians 4.6, NLT
2 - Philippians 4.7, NLT
3 - Psalms 3.3 ESV
4 - Proverbs 18.24, ESV
5 - Hebrews 13.5 NLT
6 - Psalm 118.24
7 - Psalm 19.1
8 - Psalm 139.23-24, NLT
9 - Psalm 37.5, NLT personalized
10 - Hebrews 13.9
11-1 Thessalonians 5.16-18
12 - Romans 15.13
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