Dear Heavenly Father,
There are many people that are hurting and struggling during this season, and some of them feel they don’t have any hope. They may feel as though they don’t even have the strength to lift their heads above their circumstances. They can’t even think about having hope because they are so bogged down. This time last year, many people felt optimistic about what the new year would bring. Things were looking promising and they believed life would continue as it always has. Now, we are forced to deal with the reality that things can change within the blink of an eye. These changes reveal how unprepared we are. They show us that we were never in control.
Many have said that 2020 is the worse year of their lives. They are happy to see it go, but the truth is that 2020 has taught us many spiritual lessons and learning them well is essential to making 2021 all that You desire it to be for us. One of these lessons is being thankful to You for all the years that we enjoyed the bounty of Your provision, and never thought to give You thanks in the way You deserve. We didn’t thank You when our jobs were not threatened in the way they are now. We didn’t thank You for allowing us to get up each morning with the soundness of our minds and the activity of our limbs. We were able to get to work each day and do our jobs because You made it all possible.
Another spiritual lesson that this time of struggle has taught us is that seasons do indeed change. For years now, people have been focusing on trying to get back to a place where we once were. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14(NLT), “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Our focus has been on the wrong thing. Instead of looking back, we should have been looking to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. We should have been consumed with trying to be the men and women that You want us to be. Forgive us Dear Father, for not opening our eyes and keeping them focused on our relationship with You.
One of the most important spiritual lessons that all of us need to learn, no matter how challenging the circumstances and situations, is that our trust must be always firmly planted in You through Jesus Christ. Making up plans to steal our joy, kill our dreams, and destroy our hopes is the devil’s mission. Jesus Christ told us in Romans 10:10 that the enemy is in the earth to kill, steal, and destroy, the devil wants to wipe us out, but the Good News of Jesus Christ is that he came to give us life, and a life that is more than abundant. He commands us in Mark 11:22 to have faith in You, because with You all things are possible.
Dear Father, please help our unbelief. Please help us to recognize that You have not left us, nor will You ever leave us. We are not alone through all the storms and struggles of life. Please help us to see that through all our troubles, we have an opportunity to draw closer to You, to repent of our sins, and to correct our thoughts, attitudes and actions so that our lives are pleasing to You. Thank You for giving us Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for our sins. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit and Thank You for blessing us all so richly. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.
“Please Help Us through Storms and Struggles”, written by K. Lizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.