Letting God Finish What You Can't - Your Nightly Prayer - October 18th

Chelsea Ohlemiller

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Your Nightly Prayer

Letting God Finish What You Can’t
Your Nightly Prayer
by Chelsea Ohlemiller

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber (Psalm 121:3, NIV)

SOMETHING TO PONDER

I don’t live near mountains, yet somehow, it feels like I’m catapulting down one. My life has become an avalanche of to-dos, fears, anxieties, and things I’m unsure how to complete.

There are dishes in my sink. There is a bin of dirty clothes waiting in the laundry room. There are more things undone and unaccomplished in this house than things that are finished and complete. The house is a mess. I am a mess. My mind is a mess. I’m sure you’ve felt the same, if not today, another day.

I stare at the chores, the adult responsibilities, and I wonder if I'm doing enough. Am I enough? And more than anything, I wonder if God can handle this mess, my mess.

There is no easy button. I’ve looked. However, hope and my faith's promises tell me I do not hold this mess alone. A truth that can be difficult to embrace in moments where my aborted tasks or uncompleted responsibilities are piled high, evident and bold, yet still true. Still accurate and promised.

God’s care doesn’t waver when your faith or your stamina do.

We hold the mess. He holds us. We are never on a solo mission, even when it feels like it. Nor are we alone in our struggles or overwhelmed. God holds us, knows us, and always supports us, holding us firm in his care and attentiveness.

When it feels like you must hold the world together, know that he already is. You can rest, truly rest, because he never does. In fact, your ability to rest shows the impact and bold proclamation of your trust that God’s care is constant and his work is never done- always healing, guiding, and providing in ways only He can.

You might be on a mountain of responsibility, a hill of overwhelm, shaken and unsteady. Don’t forget who holds your footing—God does. When you are anxious and uncertain, when you are fearful and unsure, remember that you are safe and steady by Him. Life will not be perfect. It will not be easy or free of pain. However, it will be purposeful and protected.

God is always alert, always on duty. Rest in His vigilance and his perpetual care.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Lord,
Thank you for your attentiveness and your protection in everything that I do. I need your help tonight. As I intentionally seek rest, remind me that every single day, when my limit has been reached, yours has not, for it is limitless. Help me rest, not because my work is finished, or my to-do list is less, but because you never stop working even when I must. Let me rest in the comfort that your care is constant and that your presence and protection have me covered in all moments, always.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1 Was there a time when your confidence was low and your anxiety was high? Were you trusting God with your steps? Were you confident in his ability to guide what happened next? “He will not let my foot slip.”

2 How can you find trust that God’s hand never trembles, and his care never wavers? Can you find evidence of this truth in your life?

3 When you’re sitting in a place of unknowns, can you remind yourself that God is present beyond and before outcomes? He’s in the in-between, too. Ask yourself, am I trusting him there?

Chelsea Ohlemiller Chelsea Ohlemiller is an author and speaker passionate about raising awareness of grief’s impact on life and faith. She has an active and engaging social media presence and is well-known for her blog, Happiness, Hope & Harsh Realities. Her first book, “Now That She’s Gone,” will be released in August. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three children, who are the driving force behind all that she does.