A Prayer

      

Image Copyright Grace Hood

 

        Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
        Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
        Where there is injury, pardon.
        Where there is doubt, faith.
        Where there is despair, hope.
        Where there is darkness, light.
        Where there is sadness, joy.

        O Divine Master,
        grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
        to be understood, as to understand;
        to be loved, as to love.
        For it is in giving that we receive,
        It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
        and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

        Amen.

        (Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)

Enough

For the millionth time in my life, I question, "But what if I can't do enough, be enough, love enough, be faithful enough? What if I'm not enough?"

His gentle answer, "I AM enough."



"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17, emphasis mine)


Exodus 6:6-8

“I am God. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment. I’ll take you as my own people and I’ll be God to you. You’ll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I’ll bring you into the land that I promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and give it to you as your own country. I AM God.” (emphasis mine)

Under the Weight

Have you ever been so tired, that when you wake, you feel as though you are a ship sailing through a thick fog? I have. What about spiritually? Have you ever felt that connecting with God was about as easy as wading through a bog, wearing cement ankle bracelets? Oh boy, have I been there!

In times like these it's easy to get discouraged and to feel that things will never be different, but keep pressing on (Philippians 3:4). The Lord knows you, how much you can take, how you feel, and where you are right now. He has promised in His Word to never leave or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5b) -- and you can take that to the bank! God's Word is true and eternal -- that's a hope worth holding onto!

 Unlike our words, God's Word is enduring, faithful, trustworthy, eternal, and full of life. In fact, His Word is ALIVE, because it is Christ Himself! "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1.

Image Copyright Grace Hood

In the dry times, take hold of Him, trusting, "that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6. It's hard to do sometimes, but don't look to yourself, your circumstances, or others, but look to Jesus,  "the author and finisher of our faith," Hebrews 12:2a.

So relax, take a breath, look to Him, and take heart. After all, your faith is His work in you. Thank Him that He can handle what  you cannot, and He has your back! Don't give up, but keep pressing on, Friend. I'm pressing on with you and praying for you today.