Trusting God with What You’re Picking Back Up - Your Daily Prayer - September 5
Trusting God with What You’re Picking Back Up
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:” Psalm 37:5
SOMETHING TO PONDER
As a young man, I thought God wanted me to be a Christian rock star.
After several attempts, I realized God called me to other things—missions, pastoring, and authoring.
So when a friend kept pushing me to record music again, I didn’t know how to feel about it. My first reaction was to reject the idea. But then I realized I was thinking about the new project like a 25-year-old instead of who I am today. What did God want from it? What if God’s in it?
After prayer, God brought us a guitar player, and we’re taking the next step. It's a step at a time to see what the Lord has for us.
Often, we approach our responsibilities or resurrected dreams with the wrong expectations, a worldly sense of success. God knows this, and he might have us give up a dream—or reimagine a responsibility—to help us obey and engage with the right motivation and heart.
God is more interested in our why than our actions. He is absolutely interested in obedience, and at the same time, he cares whether we obey with the right motivation. The Father loves us so much that he doesn’t want us to set our expectations on temporary results, which invariably fail us. He desires that we have our sights on the Kingdom with an eternal perspective. Investing there looks different and never fails.
The Father regularly has me question my expectations and motives. In ministry, when writing a book or possibly recording some songs, I must realize that no matter what happens, my “success” is to seek God’s pleasure and will. He is enough.
As Charles Stanley said, “Simply say yes to God and leave the consequences to him.” This applies to our current responsibilities or any new efforts. Let him lead, do our best, and surrender the results to him.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Search my heart and examine my motives. Help me seek your pleasure above worldly success and trust your leading in every opportunity and responsibility. Give me the courage to say yes when you call, and the wisdom to surrender what you don’t want for me. Keep my eyes focused on your eternal Kingdom and not on temporary, fleeting results. Let me obey faithfully, do my best, and leave every consequence in your hands.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. What is a current responsibility you have that you need to examine your expectations and motivations for?
2. What is an opportunity or resurrected dream God’s calling you to reengage with? How can you keep your “why” pure and clear?
3. How do you regularly examine your heart and priorities with the Spirit in prayer and meditation with the Father?
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Emma Simpson
Related Resource: Praying Through Psalm 68: When God is Bigger Than Your Problems!
What happens when the giants you are facing—whether overwhelmingly massive or seemingly insignificant—trick you into believing God doesn't care about your daily struggles?
Join Jaime on the Praying Christian Women Podcast for an inspiring devotional on Psalm 68, a triumphant and powerful psalm that celebrates the unmatched bigness of God and reminds us that no earthly enemy or obstacle stands a chance against Him. If this episode helps you connect with God through prayer, be sure to follow Praying Christian Women on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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