A Prayer for an Undivided Heart When Things Fall Apart
By: Meg Bucher
“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” - Psalm 86:11
When my plans fall to shreds, first comes anger. Then disappointment. Unrest. Then all of the possible solutions to try and make things right. Why is this my go-to reaction when my plans fall apart?
David wrote Psalm 86 when he was facing tough circumstances. Plans didn’t go the way he wanted them to, either. I’m inspired by the way he chose to praise God in times of uncertainty. Through the whys?, David believed in the power of worship. He reminded Himself of the unchanging character of God and poured his heart out to Him honesty and wholly.
When we drain our frustrations onto the feet of God, He is faithful, compassionate, and full of mercy. He is forgiving when we’ve sunk our own battleship, and reliable when we are defenseless.
Let’s pray now for an undivided heart that relies on God, not our own plans.
Father,
Give us undivided hearts, that we may rely on your faithfulness. Let us break the pattern of running on the hamster wheel full of anxious thoughts and man-made solutions, and lift our arms, voices, and eyes fully to you in full surrender and praise. You are in control, even when our world is unraveling. Your plans for us are good, and cannot be thwarted.
We were never promised this world would be easy on us, yet we are still shocked by its depravity and injustice. Soothe our wounds, Lord. Save us, Lord Jesus, from ourselves, and our own toxic thought spirals. Develop in us a pattern of turning to you first, every day, so that when our plans are shredded, we default to praise.
Jesus, you died so we could live life to the full, yet so often we allow the devil to kill, steal, and destroy. Increase our capacity to see through those lies, and guard our hearts from evil schemes, Lord. Comfort and encourage us. Help us to stand up, walk one step at a time, and trust You with our shredded plans.
Guide our children to your feet, and use our faithful seeking and worship of you in good times and in hard, as assurance they can depend on you in all circumstances. We know everything you do is done in order to draw us closer to you. Remind us, when the proverbial rug has been yanked from underneath our feet, that your arms are fully capable of holding us.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Meg Bucher writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as an author, freelance writer and blogger at Sunny&80. Her first book, “Friends with Everyone,” is available on amazon.com. She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University, but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters. Besides writing, she leads a Bible Study for Women and serves as a Youth Ministry leader in her community. She lives in Northern Ohio with her husband, Jim, and two daughters.
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Originally published Wednesday, 01 September 2021.
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