THANKFUL

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, I get so physically and spiritually weak, trying to be all I need to be. As a husband/wife, father/mother, brother/sister, maybe single head of the household, I’m often overwhelmed. I know what I should be, but I fall short of that ideal. Lord, what can I do? I must admit to You my weaknesses and shortcomings. Help me be open before You, since You know the depths of my heart anyway.

In our humanity, we’re hesitant to admit we’re afraid of failing, afraid of disappointing You. But even as Christ-followers, we still sin and fall short of Your standards. Chapter 11 of Hebrews openly exposes how men and women of great faith failed but You still used them to change the world. Lord, cause our failures to make us run to You. Correct us in Your tender mercy, strengthen us to keep plugging away to live for You and do Your will. Open our spiritual eyes to see how You change our stumblings into stepping-stones to higher levels of faith. We don’t have to lean on our own understanding to figure out how You will perform Your will. That’s not our job anyway, since Your ways are higher than our ways and Your thoughts are not our thoughts. Your plan for every believer is not remain spiritually impoverished but be ever increasing our trust in who You are, becoming more like You. By the Holy Spirit’s help, use us to change our world and keep moving forward with You, Lord God.

Forgive our sins. Heal our nation. May we as individuals and as a people turn from our wicked ways and return to You.

Thankful You, Jesus, that You use us even when we fall short. Amen.