A Prayer to Trust God and Hand Over Worry
By Chelsey DeMatteis
"Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! Psalm 143:1"
There are some parts of this life I truly believe God didn't intend for us to have figured out. I assume you know what I mean; we all have those 100 questions we'd love to ask God. To name a few of mine: Why did the fall have to occur? Why do awful things happen to the most vulnerable? Why do our minds so easily get caught up in worry when you tell us not to fear? The best conclusion I've come to is this: not having all the answers causes me to have to trust God even when I cannot see what He is doing and how He can always make good come from evil.
Maybe if you're like me, you'll relate to this. In the seasons when I want to shake my fist at people or find myself nearly begging Jesus to come for us now, He reminds me that the enemy of this world does not have the final say. God has already had the final say: He defeated death by sending His son, Jesus, to the cross, and this still carries full authority in our generation today. I no longer have to fear, wonder, and worry if God will take care of things because I can look to His Word and trust in the completed work of the cross. I can also look back at my life and see how good God has always been.
The same God who stood in the gap for His people thousands of years ago is still standing in the gaps for us. Remember what David penned in Psalm 143: 1-10,
Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
This is one of my favorite portions of Scripture in the entire Bible. We have all felt this way. We have all felt as though the enemy had pursued us or those we love in crushing ways. We have seen the world stray farther and farther from what God desires for His people, but in this trouble, we still see God faithful. Again and again He shows up, He leads us, and reminds us that He's got it.
His goodness, holiness, and justice will reign forever more. One day, all my questions and your questions will no longer matter because we will be in the most holy, perfect, heavenly place with our Creator. This world and our time here is but a vapor. God's eternal glory will be forever, and that is what we can place our hope and trust in.
Let's pray:
Lord, thank you for being the One we can bring all our questions, sorrows, and worries to. I praise you for bridging the gap between life and death for your people. In the moments when I cannot understand why you've allowed something to happen, would you remind me that you are a just God, you are timely, and you know every detail. You continue to be faithful. Help me recall the goodness you've poured out over my life. I pray that my heart will always be faithful to you and to the work you've called me to on this side of eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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Originally published Friday, 23 August 2024.
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