Resting between Milestones - Your Nightly Prayer - May 15th

Resting Between Milestones
Your Nightly Prayer
By Candice Lucey

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” - Psalm 116:7

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Some milestones in my life include the births of my two daughters, graduating from university, and becoming a department manager. Those are the positive ones. Then there are the harder milestones: divorce, surgery, the deaths of my parents. Each of these milestones reminds me of God's goodness, even now. I have the privilege of reflecting back on the ways he has shaped and helped me; he has forgiven my pride and rescued me from despair.

I often think that every intense event I endure must be the culmination of something the Lord has been teaching me, and that milestones are like markers along a marathon. They should help me strive to be a better runner. Certainly, I learn from them. But I remember a pastor once explaining that teaching a lesson is not necessarily God’s purpose. Sometimes, significant good and bad things happen because they are part of God’s overarching plan - period. I will grow in spiritual maturity if I look to the Lord, certainly, but when milestone events take place, I must not always assume they are about some lesson I need to learn. Jesus leads me to his amazing promise: " Abide in me, and I will abide in you.” (John 15:4) Jesus invites me to call HIM home, and to view my life from the safety and peace of this position of simply being in him.

He has been sanctifying me, sometimes painfully, but always with the purpose of loving me, helping me grow my faith, and glorifying himself. And as he has sanctified, God has been so very close, calling me to draw close also; to rest in him, build my home with him. He is my starting place, my ending place, my wholeness, and my peace. I can rest here, whether the situation is good or bad, as an ongoing, joyful act of devotion.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Lord,
Forgive me. Although extreme highs and lows happen in every life, I sometimes wait for them to happen before I truly lean on you. I want so badly to be independent and to feel strong, but really, I am weak, and only in weakness can I know you. Otherwise, I am too busy making myself into a god and worshiping at the temple of my self-sufficiency. I want you to be impressed with me, but all you want is for me to abide in your Son. Why do I settle for less than the abiding love you offer and, instead, yearn for a short-term sense of accomplishment? Root out this sin and get rid of it, Father, so that I yearn for you more and more and my pride withers.
 In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

THREE POINTS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. We live in a world that measures people by their stoicism in the face of hardship. We respect those who strive more than those who rest. God measures individuals by the saving work of Jesus, and by whether or not we trust the sufficiency of that work; whether or not we are in a relationship with the only One who defeated sin and death. What can we do that will ever match such a feat? Nothing
2. That does not mean we are supposed to stay in bed with a book or sit around with a cup of coffee waiting for the Lord. Colossians 3:23 instructs us to “work at [your job] with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”. But we recognize our salvation comes from Christ, and God’s love is not earned; it is grace. When we stop striving to earn his love and our salvation, we can work for the Lord because we love him in return, and it brings us joy to obey and serve.
3. When we become discouraged, thinking the Lord is not active in our lives, milestones help us remember that He is. It is easier to see his answers to prayer and the why of his “no” when our stories have played out for several seasons. It is easier to see spiritual maturity if we give ourselves time, rather than measuring ourselves against yesterday. If a year has passed, change is really noticeable. Take time to consider events of this past year or even a decade or two and give thanks for how Jesus is making you more like him by his Spirit, not by your own efforts. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes

Candice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia, Canada, where she lives with her family. Find out more about her here.

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