Letting God Set the Pace - Your Nightly Prayer - October 10th

Amanda Idleman

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Your Nightly Prayer

Letting God Set the Pace
Your Nightly Prayer
by Amanda Idleman

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” - Isaiah 30:15

SOMETHING TO PONDER

For those rushing to catch up, this reflection slows the soul to God’s rhythm of grace.

So few of us know how to slow down. Productivity, entertainment, and achievement are drilled into us. Some of us may think maybe in a few years we will slow down, we believe maybe in retirement I will do the things I want to do, but then talk to almost any empty nester or retired person, and you will hear the same lament: I am so busy, I don’t have time to do what I’d like to be doing. For most of us, the grind appears never to end.

This constant push to fill our time, to be so rushed that there is no intention behind our choices, is a way the enemy of our souls distracts us from living a purpose and grace-driven life. The deceiver wants us to believe we have no control over the time we’ve been given, no responsibility to steward it in a godly manner. We are just at the mercy of whatever the next task is ahead of us. But as Christ followers, this is not how we are called to live.

God’s way is defined by moments of intentional quiet, rest, and sabbath, and the things we have to do should always be done with purpose. In the rest comes the full revelation of our salvation. We are strengthened through quietness and trust. Let’s say no to constant stress and say yes to God’s pace for our lives—a pace that makes room to serve, give, rest, and reflect.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Jesus,
We thank you for your way being better than ours. We can trust you to fill in the gaps in our lives. To guide us and provide what we need. Please help us to embrace the pace of grace. Let us not live our lives running in constant circles, but thoughtfully choose wisely how to use the time you have given us. Help me remember that you reveal yourself best in the quiet moments of our lives. We love you.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. When was the last time you took time to rest and repent? Make space to carefully rest in the revelation of God’s grace and salvation.

2. How can you make more margin in your schedule? How can you better prioritize creativity and joy?

3. Remember, God isn’t stressed. His way is not hurried. Prioritize purpose over productivity in your life.

Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is encouraging others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for Your Nightly Prayer, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, Your Daily Prayer, and more. She has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com, Biblestudytools.com, and Christianity.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas, alongside her husband’s companion devotional, Shepherd. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.