Have you ever been through a season of adversity? If so, you will understand that sometimes we get so caught up in the middle of our situation that we forget how to pray. If we prayed, we might not even know what to pray for because the problems before us seem larger than our ability to express them in words.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Although we may live through loss, grief, strife or setbacks, we are justified by our faith, “called according to his purpose.” God has a plan and a purpose for it all and as we walk through it, He is refining our faith, working all things together for good. Our endurance is strengthened through our individual experiences in adversity, giving us spiritual wisdom and deepening our dependence on God.
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
This tender and beautiful verse was originally meant to bring peace to the hearts of the exiled Jews who had been held captive in Babylon. It was a time of suffering for them and only a loving God could give rest to their weary souls, “fear not, for I am with you;”. We can apply this passage of scripture to our present situation. God is never changed, never moved. His word is true and remains faithful through the generations. We can apply it to our daily living, just as the captives in Babylon. Why should we be afraid when God tells us he will strengthen us and help us? God is all-power and able to sustain, protect and enable us to endure hardship. In this…we are victorious.
Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
Psalms 55:22
Whatever we are struggling with in our daily living, we can cast it upon the Lord. By faith and through prayer, we release our present trials to Christ and He upholds us. Oh, how much richer our lives would be, how much more healthy and full of joy our daily living if we were to cast upon the Lord, our troubles! For some, we fail to communicate with God in our time of adversity because we do not want to relinquish control. We think that we can do it our way and it will work out the way we planned. When we cast our burden upon the Lord, we are surrendering and asking for His will to prevail, for His power to take over our situation.
How often have YOU tried to control a situation where you felt powerless? How much more power would you have if you gave your burdens to Christ?
Let’s pray:
Father God, I know that I am victorious over this present adversity for you give me the strength to carry on. When I release my burdens to you, mountains fall down. When I believe and confess that you are all powerful and have my best interest at heart, you give me the strength to endure. I praise you, that through my adversity, you sustain me. Amen.
Take time today to think about what it would look like and how it would feel in your spirit to give your burdens to the Lord. Write down the adversities that you are currently facing:
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Think about the many ways you can praise God for helping you to overcome adversity and bring you to victory over these situations. Write three praises:
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Write a prayer of victory today. Give God thanks for the many burdens He bears for you.