Welcoming a New Season with Worship - Your Nightly Prayer - October 9th
Welcoming a New Season with Worship
Your Nightly Prayer
Amber Ginter
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." - Psalm 100:4, NIV
SOMETHING TO PONDER
October is my husband's favorite time of the year. From the crisp leaves to the cool air, he loves nothing more than bonfires, hiking in the woods, and enjoying the changing season. Unfortunately, I'm not much like my husband. I cry when fall arrives, long for summer year-round, and despise the cold. I know there is value in every season, but I struggle to find it. Can you relate?
Not all of us are fall lovers, and that's okay. But Psalm 100:4 reminds us to praise God at all times and in every season. It doesn't matter if we're spring, summer, fall, or winter, people, God desires the praises of His people year-round. Why? Because, unlike the seasons, our God never changes. He's steadfast, loving, faithful, and true. And yet, in every season, He reminds us that there is beauty to be found. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says it this way:
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace" (NIV).
Friends, I know that change is scary. Not just in the seasons, but in your life. Change is inevitable, unpredictable, and sometimes downright stressful. Ecclesiastes reminds us that amidst these changes, there is a time for everything. And everything will be okay. At the end of the day, God can and will use everything for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). We're called to trust that promise and worship in the process. Not because we fully understand or have 20/20 vision, but because we know Him who holds our future.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Dear God,
Embracing seasons of change in our lives and our world can be overwhelming and scary. Some of us welcome this newness with open arms, while others run away in fear. If we're struggling to welcome this season, would you help us look to you in the process? Remind us that your presence goes before us and is within us. Remind us that we need not be afraid. Please comfort our souls, and show us that there's a purpose in every season we experience. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus!
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Do you struggle with change? Take time to journal to God about your feelings. Tell Him what's on your heart and mind, and be real with Him about this season of life.
2. This season, I challenge you to praise when you're feeling nervous or uncomfortable. It's going to feel weird and wrong, but God still deserves our praise. Pick out a couple of your favorite worship songs and tell God how thankful you are for His presence. Despite the changing seasons of nature and your life, He is good and faithful!
3. Welcome this new season with joy and admiration. When you're feeling anxious, make a list of the blessings this new season brings. It could be as simple as sipping hot tea, sitting by a bonfire, or jumping in a pile of leaves. Then, compare that list to the blessings you can find in the changing seasons of your life.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Trace Hudson
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