Listen

When I was comfortable, I said, “I will never stumble.” Because it pleased you, Lord, you made me a strong mountain. But then you hid your presence. I was terrified. I cried out to you, Lord. I begged my Lord for mercy.

Psalm 30:6-8

Think

When life is good, we sometimes look to God less frequently and drift into a self-reliant pattern of living. In our prosperity, we might think, “I will never be moved.” When we feel carefree, we’re convinced, “I will never be shaken.” We all can get comfortable with the status quo and believe, “I will never stumble.”

Life can change in an instant. The wind gets knocked out of us. We can feel terrified, crushed, or dismayed. A neglected relationship with God suddenly receives our full attention. The idea that God decides to hide from us or ignore our cries emerges from our seasons of self-reliance. We might even unknowingly dictate the outcome we seek with our prayers.

The brave move in those moments is confession on our part: acknowledging our self-reliant behavior and asking God to forgive us. As we allow God to confront the past, we can more fully sense God’s Spirit giving us the strength for today.

Brian Abel

Pray

God, I need to depend on you and your strength each day. Forgive me for being too self-reliant. Thank you for the ways you pursue me and receive me. I love you. Amen.

Go

God’s strength allows us to be brave – to love fearlessly.

The journey may include challenges, discouragement, rejection, and betrayal.

Stay focused on the One who calls us forward and holds us up.