renewed hope

 Friday, December 6, 2024 (4:12 a.m.)

Holy God,

I’m saying it straight out… I still feel tired. Mopey. Disconnected. Not all here yet.

Thank You that I can be this honest with You. You provide every single thing we need. I AM grateful. 

For every smile. Every chuckle. All the good You bring to my mind.

THAT’s what’s going on with me right now. My mind is cluttered. With shoulds. And woulds. And coulds.

Thank You that with You I don’t have to stay focused on all the negatives. In You. By You. Through You. For You. “I can do everything I need to do because Christ is the energizing center of my life” (Philippians 4:13).

How incredibly cool is that [Ben Campbell Johnson’s] paraphrase of this favored verse?!

The Passion Translation tells us Your apostle Paul was able to “find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.” 

Father, thank You that The Life Recovery Bible comment for verses 12 and 13 reminds us of the power You have to help us. “When we get discouraged and recognize that recovery is too hard for us to achieve alone, we can claim these verses for renewed hope.”

Mm, yes. Renewed hope! Huge smile. Settling heart.

I confess to You Dearest Dad. I don’t know what’s behind all the unsettled thoughts and accusations swirling around within. I do however believe that You, Your Word, Your strength, Your power, Your Truth, Your promises are far greater than my every whim.

Thank You. That in You my feet are firmly placed. My roots DO “grow down into Him [Christ Jesus]” so that my life is built on Him (Colossians 2:7).

And just as if all this wasn’t great enough in and of itself, here’s another Life Recovery comment for verse 6 and 7. “The same faith that we exercised when we turned our life over to God must continue daily as we walk with and obey Him. Paul urges us to improve our conscious contact with God so that His power will be at work within us, filling us with joy and thanksgiving. Without God’s power nourishing us, we are at the mercy of our destructive habits and dependency.”

This is exactly why I came to You first. Asking (Matthew 7:7) You to take charge. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil (Matthew 6:13).

My own destructive pattern is to set myself up to fail. With huge, unrealistic goals. Temper me Lord.

The internet has much to say about being tempered by You. Likening You to a blacksmith. Knowing “just the right amount of heat or coolness to apply to our lives at the optimal time to deepen our strength (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Talk about renewing my hope! Thank You God!

Use me today. Exactly as YOU know is best! I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Be glorified in my thoughts, words and actions. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(503  words ~ 5:42 a.m.)