Overcoming Morning Worry with God's Truth - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - May 30, 2024
Overcoming Morning Worry with God’s Truth
By: Kristine Brown
“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” - Psalm 90:14
When I wake up in the morning - during those first few moments between sleep and lifting my eyelids - I begin thinking. I try and will my muscles to come to life and pry themselves away from the warm covers, but with futile attempts. It seems my mind wants to start working before everything else does. Most days, my first thought is about that steaming cup of coffee waiting for me in the kitchen. But then that one innocent thought takes an unexpected turn, and before I know it my thoughts land on the worries of the day before.
It’s hard to gain control of our thoughts when we wake up. Especially if we went to bed rehashing the problems of the day and wondering how everything could possibly work out. I’m guilty of praying and giving my thoughts over to God, but then trying to figure it all out on my own.
The first few moments of the day have the potential to set us on a positive course. What a difference it makes when we fill those first few moments with joy-filled thoughts! However, they can also leave our minds vulnerable to wandering thoughts. Worry can happen first thing, when we’re most unaware of the danger. In order to train our minds to follow the desired path, we need to be intentional and prepared. Having a verse memorized to begin our day will help us wake up focused on God’s Truth.
“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14 NIV
Possibly written with the coming of the next generation of Israelites, this prayer of Moses shows us that even in the most difficult times, our God is over all things. His people who were rescued from a life of bondage knew the consequences of their disobedience, but with their children and grandchildren came fresh hope for a new start. Moses asked God on their behalf to show his love and mercy. Leaving the past behind, they could look with gladness toward God’s promise for their future.
If winning the battle for your morning thoughts is a challenge for you, be encouraged by the truth of today’s psalm. Allow it to remind you of the power of new beginnings. Through those groggy moments between peaceful sleep and being fully awake, we can choose God’s truth for the day ahead. His love is unfailing. We have joy and gladness every day because of Him.
Every morning brings a new chance to experience the satisfaction of God’s sovereignty. When we commit this Scripture to memory, we can call it back to mind as worry tries to take over. Before we head for that first yummy cup of coffee, let’s trust God’s promise and give our day the hope-filled jumpstart it needs.
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
