In the past, I’ve struggled with an insomnia of sorts. If I take a sleeping aid, I fall asleep quickly—but then wake in the middle of the night, wide-eyed and alert. If I don’t take a sleeping aid, I lay in bed for hours with my mind racing. I should put a little notebook at my bedside where I can jot down all the brilliant ideas I’ve had as my husband and pup snore softly in the darkness of our room. I would probably be more productive in the morning, armed with a list of midnight solutions.
Along with those sleepless moments of clarity, though, there have been painful realizations about my character and personality—things I’m less likely to want to collect in a bedside notebook. Areas of my heart where fear, guilt, or shame arise. Places I’d rather the Lord not see or address in my thought-patterns or ruminations. I feel my frailty in those night-time hours, far more than I feel them the following morning.
The psalmist, too, knew the vulnerability of the night and of God’s discipline to him in it.
I rise at midnight to thank you
for your righteous judgments.
—Psalm 119:62
In sleeplessness, this author thanked God for His righteous judgments. He thanked God for keeping His promise to deal with sin and to not overlook it. The fact that God disciplines sin enough to keep the author awake at night shows God to be attentive to sin and to His children who wrestle with it.
Jesus Christ has taken our punishment in full, the recompense for our sin. But the pressing discipline of God, shaping and forming us more in His likeness, is the promise of the Father to all His children (Hebrews 12:5–6). In Psalm 94, the psalmist speaks again of the Lord’s discipline, describing it as a “relief from troubled times” because “the administration of [His] justice will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it” (vv.13,15). And so by pressing into God’s discipline, instead of away from it, we will gain His wisdom and understanding—“a garland of favor” on our heads, a “crown of beauty” (Proverbs 4:9).
I don’t know when those moments of restlessness and conviction happen for you, when you see the discipline of God as both painful and good, difficult and righteous. Maybe it’s when you’re up late into the dark morning hours. Or perhaps when you are confronted with a difficult situation or person. Or maybe it happens when you’re simply bored or sad, withdrawing just enough to finally be still and listen.
I can choose to be thankful for God’s attentiveness as He reveals my heart to me, or I can continue to run from His discipline. But I want to have a heart like the one in these psalms—intentional with my waking moments and grateful to God that He never sleeps or slumbers through my life (Psalm 121:4). He is always with me, ready to awaken me to His righteous judgments, which are always for my good and His glory.
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52 thoughts on "Give Thanks for God’s Discipline"
Lord, I repent. Thank you for your discipline, grace, and love everlasting.
I needed this lesson today. I need to listen to the discipline.
Lord, you are so awesome!
To think I’m up at 4am feeling guilty about slipping back into something that I said I will not do as it goes against everything I believe as a Christian. & I open the app and this is today’s read.
Lord I thank you for your discipline.
Man I really hate it when a good friend that is a Christ-follower is honest with me and love me enough to help me understand the error of my ways. It’s in regard to my aging mother who lives with us and also my husband who is not being the head of our home spiritually. I get so angry and annoyed with Mom and husband for doing things that really get under my skin. My dear friend is acting on God’s behalf to help me see things His way and that I need to be the change that I want to see in my family dynamic. I don’t want to be wrong in this situation but I am. It’s very difficult when you feel that you are the only one doing what you think God wants you to be doing and everyone else is in the wrong. Had a big piece of humble pie sliced up for me. GOD does love me and I thank him in thru my friend. I have so much anxiety with Mom being here and just being annoyed with almost everything she does. I have been a lot about all of it. Thank you God for bring attentive to my errors and short comings enough to tell me.
I have to press through God’s discipline in order to gain His wisdom and understanding. At the moment my partner and I are budding heads about certain things but I know it’s God’s way of humbling the both of us.❤️
♥️
My husband and I are going through a very humbling season. God is lovingly correcting us
I feel that He is speaking to me through these verses and feel convicted to be honest with myself about my own heart. ♥️
Thank you, @TINA, for sharing those lyrics with us today. Thank You for reminding us of His faithfulness and what our role is in our relationship with Him.
Father, help us to remain faithful and accept Your discipline and grace. Thank You for leading us in the way we should go.
Thank you very much, fellow Shes, for your continued prayers for my father and me.
I received another call from my father’s rehab this morning about how my dad fell out of bed at or about 0430 ET and has an abrasion on his knee. They are not sure how or why he fell. It’s hard to be so far away from my dad and not be able to help or run to his side when things happen. When I told my husband about the call & my father’s fall, he said he had been woken up by of our little ones in the night and found himself praying for my father at 0330 ET. It reminded me that God is very aware and with my dad at all times. He still has not forgotten him.
I will be seeing my primary doctor tomorrow (11/29) for an evaluation after the medical issues I’ve been going through with my heart to see if I’m ready to return to work and drive again. I’m nervous about going back to work after being out since the first full week of November. I’m concerned that the stress and anxiety of returning to that work environment may bring back some of the symptoms. I know my fear is irrational, but after five years of having intermittent medical complications that seem to have the common denominator of stress, it’s not too far fetched. Pray that I would believe what I believe about God concerning my dad: God is very aware and with me at all times. He still has not forgotten me. He has gotten me through each and every trial that I have ever faced. He will not stop now.
I am continuing to lift each of you and your requests up in my prayers. “May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace,” (Numbers 6:24-26).
I was raised in a “hell and brimstone” church which scared people into getting saved. They also preached that if we were not in the perfect will of God, He was going to take something very dear to our hearts away in order to discipline us. I spent many nights begging God not to take away someone I loved. As I got older, I just knew God was going to take my husband, my daughter, my family, my home, etc. because I didn’t feel like I knew that perfect will of God. Eventually, I got away from that church and joined a church that actually taught about God’s love, and that He didn’t want me to live in constant terror of Him, but to live in such a way that showed my love for Him – love that comes from a grateful heart rather than life altering fear. What a change. But I have to admit that the word, “discipline,” still conjures visions of terror for me. I ran into many people in my work who believed they had a terminal illness because God was punishing them for some awful sin in their life. Many asked me what they had done wrong to deserve this punishment from God. I find that heartbreaking. God loves us. He isn’t like some ogre in heaven, looking down on us, just waiting for us to mess up so He can use His mighty hand of punishment on us. Illness and death are a natural part of life on earth that entered the earth from Adam. Because sin exists, so does death exist.
I guess I told you all that to share that this is a truly difficult topic for me. I struggle not to live in abject fear that one of my many sins is going to be the one that kills one of my loved ones. I think that is a warped view of God’s discipline. He loves me so much that He already sacrificed His Son, the one and only blood sacrifice that could cover my sin. He wants me to live for Him and respect, love and praise Him because He loves me.
I’m 66 years old, and I’ve struggled with this more during some times of my life than others. When I spend time with God through prayer and through His Word, I know that I am forgiven, and can offer heartfelt praise to Him.
I’ve been enlightened by reading all your comments today. Thank you for your willingness to share your deepest thoughts and feelings. It is truly a community of love and support. I’m praying for all your requests as I read them, and often throughout the day.
Thank you for sharing your testimony. I grew up fearing god too. I was raised Catholic and the church we went to put more favoritism in the pope’s and priests then Jesus almost as if they were modern day Jesus’ wjich took away the whole point of Jesus in my opinion. It wasn’t until I was saved when I started to love scripture more and love God more than fear the outcome of my actions.
Happy Monday! Choosing to be thankful in times of uncertainty is hard. Finding discipline to choose thankfulness is hard. @RHONDA J I completely agree that none of us really enjoy discipline but it does help have a better attitude. As somebody who was angry for years being “the single one” and not understanding Gods timing I understand how hard it is to decide to find joy. Even though I’ve been in a steady relationship for six months I can see now how God has shaped my heart over the years. Praying for people to feel that same thing while they’re in the midst of hard times vs. being able to see it once they’re out of it. I know I should have chosen to lean on God and his timing much more when I needed it the most. Asking for prayers for my sister as she has her new apartment but is leery to move in and wants to get rid of it. I think she’s afraid to leave her situation even though she knows it’s best. It’s hard to not get frustrated with her and chose mean words instead of being patient. Praying God helps her make the right choice and patience for me.
Thanks be to God
* areas he wants me to grow in
I was definitely feeling convicted last night. I used to think I had it more together, but I think God has been showing me areas he wants me to try in ; by revealing my sin. It can feel like I have taken steps back in my sanctification; but really I think it’s that he wants me to take steps forward with him. I pray that I would choose to follow his leading to choose to be different. I know that I can only be the person he wants me to be with the Lord’s help. I hope all of you ladies find comfort in the Lord’s discipline today. ❤️
I think maybe the purpose behind this very difficult season has been God pruning things He knew would hinder our relationship if I got what I wanted. He is disciplining me. He is asking me if He is enough for me. He is revealing that He is not and why. I pray that with this pruning comes great growth in me and adoration for Him. Thank you Lord for your blessed discipline
The discipline of the Lord is a beautiful thing. Think military if you will. My husband is in the military and discipline is not negotiable. It is expected. Rebellion is not advisable, and is absolutely a foolish thing! The army values a bed well made, corners perfectly square, sharp punctuality, clean polished shoes, no thread hanging on clothes, clean shave, utmost respect to superior, utmost obedience to orders and commands, and the sacrifice of self before others, no man left behind (team before self). Why do these matter so much? These are noble, difficult and righteous training, making up strong and brave-hearted men (no chicken). The little things they always train focus on habits, and habits determine the course of one’s life. I thank God for His disciplines, His training, His long suffering toward the stiff necked humanity, and I thank God that He disciplines my husband through the experiences with tough and respectable men. Without pain of disciplines/training, we cannot be transformed, stretched and increased. God always seeks Himself within us, we must decrease, so He will increase. May the Lord’s discipline reflect His great love for us, and may it be received as such (Hebrews 12:6).
Thank you SO MUCH dear shes who have extended your wisdom and encouragement to me. I treasured them so much. The Lord has been helping me to grow out of fear in certain areas that I did not know I have fear. He confronted it, exposed it, and pulled it out. And yesterday he was asking me on my why. “Know your why” is what He was asking me. He told me, along with increase, there will be suffering and sacrifice, along with knowledge there will be grief, and if my “why” is my temporary needs, it is not enough to build for the foundation of sacrifice and long suffering, my “why” has to be Him. God is so kind! My “why” needs to be bigger than “this little me”, that calls for some alteration of heart intentions. I heard Him laugh, a light chuckle of a father, of an old man, the Ancient of Days, looking on a little kid, and He was glad that I came to the end of myself (which has happened before, and again, and again…). God has a way to bring us to the end of our efforts. It is always a beautiful thing. Glory to Him.
Praying along the prayers and requests presented.
May the Lord be with you all, in thoughts, in deeds, and in all things around you, in you. May we meditate on God’s goodness in various moments of our day. Behold the glory of the Lord and feast our eyes on His beauty. He is worthy.
I hope you all have a great start of your week, by His abundant grace.
Be blessed dear sisters.
I posted earlier today, but I just wanted to hop on and give a praise report. God has been really repeating a few Scriptures to me in regards to my family (Nehemiah, Psalm 90, Psalm 127:1) I just wanted to pause for a moment and say THANK YOU for praying, but also give God glory for giving me confidence. I feel so called to rebuild the faith of this family. Not in my own strength, of course. I appreciate your prayers and just wanted to update. It doesn’t make life easier, but it gives me the strength to know exactly what my assignment is. ❤️
Allison, I really love this! Happy Monday!
I recently read some where that in order to be disciplined we must first be a disciples (walking with God, learning from God and sharing with others about who God is) !! Happy Monday She’s!
GM!
When my back pain wears me down, I remember that there are probably lots of people keeping my back pain in their prayers! And then I will actually see my name listed, thank you Teresa!! It really means so much when that happens, it puts a lift in my spirit! And even though I can’t remember the names of the requests to list, I pray through them at night as I am laying there to go to sleep!
I don’t think anyone actually enjoys discipline, but when we keep close to the Lord, and stay in constant gratitude it always helps our spirit and attitude! I love that God is constantly refining us (santifying)! What father doesn’t guide and put boundaries on their precious kids, if not, then the kids get into terrible situations that could have been avoided. But God- even then, even if…He is still there with open arms and a wing to gather us back beneath, to feel his arms around us or nestled in his warmth. It is just unfathomable how deep and wide his love is!! Rest in this during the anxiety, the unknowing, the strife and affliction. Love you sisters What a gift to even have other people’s prayer reach our heavenly Father on our behalf!!
@Tracy- I too have a friend that was cancer free and now it’s back and the prognosis is not good. She is in our pain group. It’s heartbreaking, but she is at peace and resting in God’s hands. But I can’t imagine how scary that would be. I would be a big baby, even though I would hope to be as I preached above ^^^ :/
I definitely needed this one this morning! Praying for all❤️
Lore, I too know how the past can creep in during the night and sleep is short. In those times and during the day, I thank my Savior and Shepherd for walking my path with me. Redirecting, sometimes carrying always near. As I get older I can look back and realize when I needed His correction and how He handled it. Thanks be to God!❤️ You are all lifted in prayer , on here or quietly behind the scenes.
We headed to the other side of Florida this past weekend and guess what I saw…a store named CHURCHMOUSE! Oh I miss her. I know she said she had an illness and I pray that she is okay.
I have an old friend that had fought ovarian cancer and was cancer free for a year. It is back. She doesn’t have a good feeling about it. I am so so saddened by this news. So many people I know are sick or have passed. It’s just crushing. How would I handle all this without my Savior! Thank you God for holding me up when the world feels like too much.
“I can choose to be thankful for God’s attentiveness as He reveals my heart to me, or I can continue to run from His discipline.”…Isn’t it wonderful that God always gives us a choice! God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked – He desires that all turn to Him and live, He gives us a choice even in life and death. His discipline is for our good, if he didn’t love us, He wouldn’t discipline us. Many times it is not pleasant, but it is so needful. Lord, help me to always give thanks – even for Your discipline, keeping in mind – it makes me a better child.
@Alieda – continued prayers for your new (old) home situation and also for Victor. Praying God’s wisdom, direction and protection!
@Krisitine Loughman – praying that God will calm all your anxiety and that you will have rest and peace in Him.
@Sharon Jones – praying for this little boys adoption.
Have a blessed Monday sisters!
Reading everyone’s comments have shed some beautiful insights into our study. Even the struggles of each of you, shows that God still meets us in our humanity. He cares for each of His children and loves us enough to discipline us in love. We may be looking for God in our circumstances but If we just turn toward Him, He is right there! God’s discipline always leaves me with hope, it never makes me feel hopeless. Trust God’s hand. Praying for all of you.
I am an older woman, probably old enough to be the mother to most of you on here. I can finally say I’ve learned to love the Father’s discipline. Its like this: if you decided you wanted to redo your kitchen by yourself, and you started in the project and came across troubling things, struggling with how to do things. But an expert came a long and wanted to help, show you how to do things easily and correctly. We’d all let the expert help, wouldn’t we? Well, our lives are in a constant state of reconstruction and we need the Father to come along side and show us how to do things. God’s discipline can be very comforting and loving, not harsh. God’s discipline is His way of showing us a better way. He brings healing and restoration with His discipline, and so now I lean in to His discipline because His very presence is there with His discipline. I want to learn His ways, I want Him to let me know when I’ve wandered off course, I want to do things His way. Blessings on all of you today!!
I thank God that he loves me. Oh how he loves us. He loves us enough, to settle us. To remind us of his truth. To ignite the promise and purpose he has for us. It is so good to be loved by God.
ADRIENNE, SEARCHING, and MARI V – ❤ that little trick is helping me. ☺ Glad it helps yoh, too! MARI V – Thank you for sharing the older quote/question by CHURCHMOUSE. I miss her, too!
Thank you to each of you who shared your personal reflection/experience with discipline. God in His Sovereignty will do what is necessary to chisel us into a more Christ like image. Just like childbirth, the pains are not pleasurable, but the joy from the outcome is out of this world!
Praying for all and for our personal disciplines from God and wisdom in applying discipline in our walk with Him.
I am one to be up in the wee hours of the night with thoughts racing through my head regarding my day. What words did I say? Did I wrong anybody? Maybe I shouldn’t have spoken that way to that person or could’ve made better choices so on and so on. I pray, and ask God to help you fall back asleep. I need sleep. But, I’ve also taken advantage of those wakeful moments to pray for people and then I eventually fall back asleep. even though I really need to sleep, I’m thankful for these moments when I can take uninterrupted time to pray. And of course I pray for strength for the day since I’m a little sleep deprived. Today is one of those days.
Love all your posts and stories today, ladies. Loved reading the story of your son, Heidi. It is beautiful to see the fruit of your diligent parenting. I pray that would be hope for others. ❤️
I know I am slightly embarrassed for the teenager I once was – rebellious and seeking love in the wrong places … God is good to bring us to Him in our weaknesses. It took a few years for me to see the gift of His indwelling Holy Spirit’s “No.”
May we have patience and trust in Him when we watch those struggling to heed Him. Aren’t we all struggling in some way, anyway? I have not reached perfection at least … Lol.
❤️
Righteousness sometimes and repentance sometimes… we experience both. As I look at the goings on in the world currently, it seems like repentance is needed so much!
But as I tell my preschoolers, focus on what YOU are doing, and don’t be concerned with others. If everyone did that, it would all work out, you know?
Let’s keep praying that repentance and/or correction (and not shame… a good comment, JEN JANSSEN and AMY GLASSER) will happen in all areas that we are praying for.
Give thanks in all circumstances, sweet sisters, as this is His will for you!
Please pray for a little boy’s adoption that he would be able to stay where he is in a Christian home. The Lord knows the details.
Deanna, the first thing that comes out of my mind when I read your post, “I hear your pain, frustration, love, and maybe even anger, in those words regarding your 18 year old son”. As a parent of a now 26 year old son, this was our family when he was 18. Such trying times and it didn’t matter what we said or did. I used a phrase, which he came to hate, “I love you too much to argue….” Repeatedly when he would become combative or argumentative or pushing against our rules and expectations. He longed to be totally independent to which we wanted him to be, however, his actions often didn’t show the wisest decisions. I guess that is why we continued to push and “parent” him as he was walking through his senior year. Our love for him so great. We worked hard to remain steadfast in our clear expectations with consistency and open communication so that he would feel a part of owning decisions that were agreeable to all while maintaining our nonnegotiable like drinking and driving. We weren’t naive to his desire to push the rules but knew we also couldn’t bury our heads in the sand. We definitely used our community of grandparents, friends, teachers, and others that loved our son to help us through those tumultuous years. Those people helped us pray him through those years. When he was 20 he texted us and apologized for being a “bad roommate” after experiencing a negative roommate situation that was impacting their friendship. He’s 26 now and shares that he was a “butthead” and realizes that our loving discipline was what helped him get through those tough years. Hang in there Deanna. Keep praying for God to protect your son and giving him the wisdom needed as he matures but also the wisdom you need to lead him to be the man God intends him to be.
Good morning She’s! I am also one who balks at the idea of God disciplining us, but it is always a good reminder that it is BECAUSE He loves us. I pray I can lean into God’s wisdom and obey His leading in my dating life.
Lifting up all the prayer requests <3
When I first wrote a prayer thanking God for discipline, I felt uncomfortable. I hate correction, because it feels like it’s just another thing I got wrong. But as I continued writing my prayer, God revealed to me the times he has corrected me. How it has benefited me and others around me. How it has taken the load I carry that I was never meant to carry alone. He has shown me to look at the world through His eyes and not the sad and cynical ones I sometimes wear. I thank Him for loving me enough to not want me to stay where I am at, but to elevate me.
Such a good reminder that Gods discipline is always for our good but isn’t shameful. God because of his love for us helps us to become more like him. I would rather experience his discipline for a moment then not know the fullness of a life that is enriched by the depths of his love. His care for us is endless.
Too much to relate to in this morning’s commentary..! I am in the deep throws of anxiety over upcoming projects, end of semester deadlines, etc. Some of it is normal- just the stress of the final few weeks. Some of it is quite intense as I got out of my study/work routine for about 2 weeks and those two weeks have put unnecessary pressure on the “right now”. I opened this devotional already praying “God I feel myself resisting you even though I know it’s you I really want and need right now..” I’m fearful my own lack of discipline these past two weeks has left me ineligible for “saving” (not in an eternal sense, but out of my own stressful situation).
However- though my circumstances have not changed, the reminding to me of the character of God that I serve has brought a calm I haven’t experienced in a while. Evil likes to really pound home my inadequacy, poor choices, faults and run them over and over in my mind. It likes to keep showing me “you’re simply not good enough”. I’m so grateful for the reminder today that God already knows I’m not good enough and has no expectations of me to suddenly be perfect. He’s sitting there in love hoping the best for me and my choices, while simultaneously correcting and showing me HE is the only one perfect in this relationship. I have an open door to apply His wisdom and understanding in my life, but NEVER for the sake of suddenly “getting it aaalllllll right” – but instead just as an act of true worship and glorification of Him and HIS greatness.
“Jesus Christ has taken our punishment in full, the recompense for our sin. But the pressing discipline of God, shaping and forming us more in His likeness, is the promise of the Father to all His children”. Sometimes I equate discipline to punishment for doing the wrong thing. However, today’s readings and especially the passage from Proverbs reminded me that discipline is actually training. A few years ago I trained to run a half marathon with a friend of mine. We worked through a program that talked about establishing your running discipline. It wasn’t that we’d started off on the wrong path and needed to be corrected, that discipline was all about training ourselves to do it right the first time. Oh, that I would learn from the Lord’s discipline to do it right the first time and not need a course correction later!
ALEIDA- continuing to pray for Victor, especially through this holiday season.
RHONDA- praying for your back pain and your ministries this morning
I sometimes fear discipline, especially from God, because of the shame it brings. I simply hate doing anything wrong to disappoint him or others in my life. This was such a beautiful reminder to me that his discipline isn’t to shame, but to correct, restore and heal; to make me more like Christ. That his discipline always comes hand and hand with forgiveness when I repent.
Thank you KELLY (NEO) for the 1 Corinthians and Hebrews references! When your comment posted, I had just looked back at the list of Scriptures to make sure I hadn’t overlooked any because I knew there was encouragement in the New Testament. The Scriptures you shared are (to me at least) vital to our understanding of the importance of God’s discipline and His love for us shown in the discipline. I was raised by strict parents – at the time the rules seemed unbearably strict and my rebellious self fought them constantly. Looking back, I can see the love that those boundaries showed, that they cared enough to set them to protect me from harm, to protect me from immature and inexperienced choices. And if I had children, I realize now that I would have set those same rules …
This also ties in with ADRIENNE’s comment yesterday, being thankful in all things even if we aren’t thankful for all things. As time passes and we see more pieces of God’s intricate plan for our lives, often we can find thankfulness ‘for’ many, if not all, of those things.
HELEN JERRY – praying for marriage
ALEIDA POLANCO – praying Victor will be led to apply for the job that is best for him, and for the housing he will need.
NATASHA R – praying sleep issues are resolved
TINA – thank you for sharing those lyrics! ❤️
DEANNA RASCH – praying for your son to be able to see the love in the rules, the blessing to others when the house works together. I was that child and changing my mindset would have saved me from countless problems and mistakes.
KRISTINE LOUGHMAN – praying for anxiety to be gone! Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.NIV
It feels good to be back with SRT this morning before the house wakes up and gets ready for the bustle of an another school week after our Thanksgiving break. Being out of my routine means I wasn’t as diligent about getting on here and I can feel it in my bones how much I’ve missed gathering here. I love the comments – one person was comforted by this devotional, another person felt discomfort… I love that we all take something different based on our circumstances and what God needs us to hear. I’m battling anxiety right now – thoughts that keep spiraling in my head. May these thoughts be replaced by the promises of God – I wouldn’t mind those! Love and hugs to you all!
Struggling with our middle kid, he’s 18 and just refuses to follow house rules, no matter how small. It’s such a struggle to discipline him the way that is *needed* vs what I *want.*
In 1 Corinthians 11:32, Paul wrote, “When we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world.”
Then in Hebrews 12:11, we are given the reason to be thankful. “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
TINA – thanks for sharing those song lyrics
ELLE K. – has the biopsy report come back for your mom?
ADRIENNE – praying the Lord gives you clear direction about the forceforhope opportunity?
CHANGED LIFE – how is the relationship temperature in your home?
HELEN JERRY – praying you lean into the Lord as you work through your marriage issues.
Aleida, praying for Victor in the challenges he is facing. Good morning She’s it is my first day back at work after taking the week of Thanksgiving off. This reading was a bit uncomfortable for me, probably because I don’t prefer confronting the parts of my heart where I lack or am far from God. The part of the podcast I listened to this morning mentioned thinking of God’s discipline as guardrails and I really like that analogy. The guardrails are there to keep me on the right path forward and protect me.
Today’s reading was comforting to me. I’m always grateful for the Lords company when I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. But sometimes I have the same thoughts and I feel the Lord reminding me of things that I need to make right. I’m grateful for His guidance and for Him holding me accountable. Wisdom sometimes comes to me in the middle of the night but I won’t complain about the interruption to my sleep. I would rather have the opportunity to fix myself. ❤️
Praying
As I am awake with anxiety of unknown specifics I trust in You Lord. Show me where I am to repent or change paths. In Jesus name, Amen
Mario Lanza, great tenor of the 50’s sang this song in the film ‘The student Prince’
I’ll walk with God
From this day on
His helping hand I’ll lean upon
This is my prayer my humble plea
May the Lord be ever with me
There is no death though eyes grow dim
There is no fear when I’m near to him
I’ll lean on him forever
And he’ll forsake me never
He will not fail me as long as my faith is strong
What ever road I may walk alone
I’ll walk with God
I’ll take his hand
I’ll talk with God he’ll understand
I’ll pray to him
Each day to him
And he’ll hear the words that I say
His hand will guide my throne and rod
And I’ll never walk alone
While I walk with God.
My song and my prayer today and throughout this week, my intentionality to walk with Him, to lean on Him, talk with Him, pray to Him, give my each day to Him, take His hand through the thick and thin of the day, for He will forsake me never..
BUT GOD..
AMEN.
Happy Monday dear hearts, cosily wrapped in love and hugs.❤️
I thank God for his word this morning. I’ve been facing a very painful time in my marriage and my natural tendency is to want to withdraw. But the Lord has been kindly and gently convicting me that I need to press in to his fatherly discipline, and to see what he would do and how he would shape and form me during this time.
For he is good
For his steadfast love endures forever
Good morning she’s and a joyful season as we begin to celebrate our Savior’s birth! This season will look different for me. Because of our move and the updates we’re having done on the new (older) home, we’ve been living under a construction zone and occasionally having to stay in a hotel or with friends because of all the dust from dry walling and paint fumes. We’re hoping it’ll all get done by January. Therefore for the first time ever, I’m not decorating for Christmas or even getting a tree. I was sad for a short instance and then I realized that in the chaos that we’re living in right now, what better reason than to simply focus on His birth in a dirty, dusty, smelly stable, instead of all the hype and stress that I often place in myself every Christmas so that everything looks and feels “just right”.
Another reason that I feel so at peace with this decision is be our son Victor won’t be spending Christmas with us this year :(
We flew him up from CA last month and flights being so expensive this time of year is just not affordable for us right now. Thankfully we’ve got our extended family (my sister and her family) who he spent Thanksgiving with and plans to spend Christmas as well. This is a first for us too not spending Christmas with one of our kids. He also is still job hunting and will soon need a place to stay outside of his iop program that he’s been in since August. He’s still struggling with anxiety and depression because he hadn’t been able to get a good long term job with benefits (we’ve been paying his Cobra so he has private insurance). So many prayers for him, my sisters. Please continue to pray for wisdom and direction from the Lord for him and of course His protection.
Thank you all!❤️❤️