A Birthday Prayer for Guidance, Joy, and Peace
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” - Isaiah 46:4
Read or Listen Below:
There are two types of people in the world: people who love celebrating their birthday and those who do not. Some people switch between these categories; however, many of us are not super excited to see our years go by. One day, we turn twenty, and the next, we turn fifty. It can feel like time is moving too fast, and we just want everything to slow down.
Ever since the pandemic, I have felt time accelerate. Whether it was because I had just finished college and started a new era of my life or the pandemic itself, time started flying by. All these years post-pandemic, time is still speeding by, and it shows no sign of slowing down. This can make us feel stressed, rushed, and short on time.
I used to love birthdays. I would make elaborate plans for my loved ones' birthdays and create my own idea of a perfect birthday when my birthday came around each year. However, all of this ended once my mom passed away. I no longer wanted to celebrate my birthday. I just wanted my birthday to be another day of the year and let it move by quickly.
Since my mom passed away, I haven’t done anything special for my birthday. It has become just another day. Sometimes, this makes me sad, but I still continue to treat my birthday as nothing special. Maybe you have also found yourself in a similar place as myself. You don’t want to celebrate your birthday anymore because you feel there is nothing to celebrate.
We would never feel this way about someone else’s birthday, so why do we feel as though our birthdays should be passed by? After reflecting on this question myself, I found the answer in my past. The depression, pain, and grief tell me there is no reason to celebrate. Since my mom isn’t here, I don't feel like celebrating my birthday or really, any other holiday of the year. God doesn’t want us to think this way, but I am still learning. He wants us to have a joyful birthday celebration because He loves us. We are His children, and He still has to teach us in our lives. He will always be our caring Father, who will surround us with guidance, joy, and peace.
God tells us, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4). As God says in this passage, He will be with us even in our old age and when gray hairs cover our heads. He will sustain us, carry us, and rescue us. Out of His love, He created us, and out of this same love, He will continue to cover us with His goodness.
Our Heavenly Father wants you to have a birthday celebration to celebrate His wonderful child: you. He will teach you much this year and bring spiritual growth into your life. Whatever might be frightening you for this upcoming year, bring it all before God and trust Him with your year. A great way to begin your new year of life is to pray to Him more often, read the Bible daily, and be involved with other believers. God will help you see life's beauty, including the joy of celebrating your birthday. He is good, and He will bless you with beautiful promises this year.
Let’s Pray:
Dear God, I’m offering a birthday prayer for guidance, joy, and peace this year. I need guidance, joy, and peace in my life this year because I’ve often missed out on it throughout my life. Please bless me with these things and help me to know that You will always sustain, carry, and rescue me. Even when I’m old, and my head is covered with gray hairs, I know you are with me. In truth, I know that You are with me regardless of my age and regardless of what I am going through. Thank You for being there with me through every birthday. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Antonio_Diaz
Listen to the Your Nightly Prayer Podcast
We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer, where you can sign up to receive it every evening in your inbox. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on God. Check out an episode below:
Now that you've prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below
Originally published Thursday, 24 April 2025.
SHARE
