November 17, 2020
Life is So Daily!
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9, NLT).
Friend to Friend
Life is so daily, isn’t it? Hard times come … and they usually come with big doses of discouragement, fear, depression or anxiety. We often attribute the presence of those nasty emotions to the difficult circumstances we are currently facing. Anyone would struggle when faced with trials - right?
Yes! But what if my frame of mind has less to do with stress and more to do with not being able to see what God is doing all around me? What if regular doses of gratitude could actually be the antidote to freaking out in times of stress?
Four of our grandchildren spent the night with us last week. They are beautiful and bright and very well mannered. In fact, I was almost shocked by how grateful they were for everything Dan and I did for them. And how they expressed their gratitude was just mind blowing.
Mimi and Papa, thank you for dinner. It was delicious.
Thank you for inviting us to spend the night. We love it here!
Your house always smells so good and looks so pretty, Mimi!
Thanks for letting us rent a movie to watch.
When our son came to pick them up, I told him how sweet and kind the kids had been. Jered said, “We have been talking about all of the things Covid19 has made us appreciate – the things we took for granted before the virus hit. I challenged them to look for the good things in their lives every day and thank God for them.”
Jered is so right! We have lost the art of gratitude. But one way to regain it is to look around and recognize how God is working in our lives today – and give Him thanks.
One way to praise Him is by praying verses of scripture. Joshua 1:9 is one of those verses I especially love to pray.
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9, NLT).
My prayer might be: Father, help me see how You are working all around me. Help me choose faith over fear. Let me be strong and courageous, knowing You are with me everywhere I go.
The power of praying through scripture is that you are asking God to do what He has already promised to do.
You are asking God to do what He already wants to do.
In fact, you are asking God to show you what He is doing right now – all around you and in your life!
I know you might be thinking, “But my life is a mess! I’m trying to work from home while homeschooling our children. I’m terrified to leave my house because of Covid19. I miss my friends. I want to go to church. Online church is just not the same! I am sick and tired of Zooming! I am so over all of this! Where is God possibly working?” Ask Him! Ask God to show you what He is doing and to let you in on what He is up to.
I love the story in 2 Kings 6 where Elisha and his young apprentice are surrounded by enemy troops and horses and chariots. The young man panics and asks, “What will we do now?” Elisha responds by telling him: “Relax! Those that are for us are greater than those that are against us.” And then Elisha prays for his young servant’s eyes to be opened. The young man is suddenly able to see that between them and their enemies were the angels and chariots and armies of the Lord.
When times are tough and stress is high, we must recognize that God is at work – and praise Him. When we feel surrounded by enemies that will overcome us, we need to ask God to open our eyes and let us see what He is about to do – and give Him thanks. Can you sense the presence of God in your life? Remember His promise - that greater is He who is in you than is in the world. Let’s remember that promise and give thanks.
Let’s Pray
Father, in the midst of my stress and panic, please open my eyes. Show me what You are doing. Remind me that You are greater than all those who are against me. Help me see where You are at work and give me Your joy and encouragement.
In the Name of Jesus, who is for me, I make this prayer,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Make a list of the tough circumstances you are facing right now. Ask God to let you see how He is working in each one. Invite Him to take up residence in the middle of that circumstance and by faith, praise Him for what He is doing. Keep asking and keep listening for His voice. He will come through for you!
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© 2020 by Mary Southerland. All rights reserved.
Originally published Tuesday, 17 November 2020.
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