Join us for Day 8 of Living the Surrendered Life and then join us for discussion and community in the comments below!
Text: Ezekiel 36:26
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25 thoughts on "day 8"
day 8
I just want to say thank you so much for this, your devotion has been such an encouragement to me! I know this is one of your older studies, but this is exactly what I needed to hear right now, not just this particular day's devotional, but just this whole study. While truly surrendering your life to Christ is difficult, it's also incredibly freeing. This study has helped to put me back on track to where I need to be in my spiritual walk, so thank you!
This one stuck me to the heart. i haven''t spoken to my parents in almost 2 years. They are non-believers, and they are broken, blind, and hurting. they take their pain,m and instead of asking God for help, they blame others for their ills. My husband and I have been a couple for over 20 years, yet they never accepted him. We adopted an older child, they didn't accept that. It was always negativity and criticism. I though if I broke off contact it would serve as a wakeup call. It didn't. I pray for God to heal them, and I hope that it happens before it is too late. My husband and I lived with this negativity for years, until we became Christians, then parents.
Sooz, I once read a devotional that said that we are like silver, we need to be put to the fire so the impurities in us come out, much as a silversmith works silver. I think that Poppy is right, we have to be broken in order to be remade, kind of like the Marines ;-)
Sooz. I am new here, but think that the brokenness you pray for in another is for that person to be broken of pride, broken of self-reliance, broken so that they can then be open to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In the breaking of their human-ness comes the opening for the Holy Spirit to enter. It is only by being "broken" to this world that can we be rebuilt as followers of Jesus Christ.
Barbie – Don’t quit! I started late too and just read a couple a day to catch up. After I finished each devotion, I came here to read the daily comments. It worked for me and now I am caught up!
Thank you Sooz. I'll keep going!
I can't read the posts…am I missing something? All I see is the colorful block that says Day 8 and that is all. Help!
Are you looking for the devotionals? Those are actually read over at youversion.com or on the youversion app, and then looking for the Life Surrendered there.
Ok, I am so far behind. I think I am on day 2. Should I quit? I really need accountability!
Don't quit! I ended up skipping a few days to keep up with people here on this blog, and I'm still a day behind, because I started a day later than everyone. So I'd say to keep going, no matter how far behind you may be!
Thank you Erica! I will not quit!
One thing that bothered me about this devotion is praying for someone’s “brokenness.” I can’t imagine asking that for someone. That’s not for me to decide or wish for. When I pray for others, I always ask that His will be done. Anyone have thoughts on praying for “brokenness”?
I can also relate to this. I’ve learned the hard way that no matter what I do or say I can’t change someone else. It’s up to God to make the change and His time and plan is perfect. Well said Rebekah!
Thanks Katie for your honesty. It is nice to know I am not the only one struggling.
Same here, Rebekah!
What I took from this verse is to let God do his job. We do have a part to play, but our part is to pray for others and let God do the rest. I want to be in control of the situation sometimes; I need to learn to let God be in control.
The biggest truth that came out of this for me is not only to pray for others and the change that God would have for them but to pray for myself to be changed, to accept others more where they are, and for my own heart to be softened. Sometimes, that is the real problem and when that change hits you, you find that the other person wasn't so in need of change after all.
This is a hard pill to swallow. Accepting people where they are, praying them where He wants them to be.
Lisa! I just read your post. I am sorry to hear about what you are going through. However, you should know you really encouraged me! I was encouraged mainly in one smple sentence: "But, I rarely prayed for him." I was encouraged not by your weakness, but your strength in realizing your weakmess. Prayer is not only the ANSWER, it is our RESPONSIBILITY. I don't pray like I should.
I am realizing through this and a Bible study I am doing with some ladies locally that lack of prayer comes from lack of true, earnest humility. i honestly don't think I need God or else I would be praying like I did. :( So we press on trusting that we will trust God more, pray like it, and so be able to trust God with confidence in every situation and relatuionship!
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
"lack of prayer comes from lack of true, earnest humility. i honestly don't think I need God or else I would be praying like I did."
This is so clearly what I needed to read today! Thank you, thank you! That is the truth.
Aaaw, Rachel Anne I am happy to know that encouraged you. :) loving this whole community!
I am in a similar situation with my fiancé. We are both faithful, but I tend to lean on the Lord more. I needed the reminder to take a step back instead of force things.
When we are in Christ we are made new! God is the only one who has the ability to change us- and we are the only ones who can make the choice to be in Him.
Lisa- I will be praying for him too. And for you to have the ability to wait for God to change your husband, and to simply concentrate your efforts on being a Godly wife!
Wow, this one spoke right to me. I have been trying to change my husband. He stopped going to church a while back, and he has distanced himself from all of our Christian friends. He doesn't have peace, and is constantly depressed and looking for things to fill the void. For almost a year now I've tried to influence him, tried to talk him back into the Christian walk. Guilted him into coming to church with me, berated him for not reading the Bible, even blamed him for my falling out of touch with our friends. But I've rarely prayed for him. Who am I to think I can bring him closer to God? Who am I to think I can change anyone but myself? I've wasted so much time and energy worrying about what I should do next to help him, when all I need to do is pray. God is so much more powerful than I'm letting him be. Time to step back and pray, pray without ceasing, pray for my husband. Time to be patient and wait on the Lord. Time to stop leaning on my own understanding and trust in the Lord instead.
This is a truth I've been realizing lately as well, that I just don't pray as much as I would like to for my loved ones.
Thank you for your honesty!