A prayer when you are tired, weary and ready to give up - Your daily prayer - June 27

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A Prayer When You Are Tired, Weary, and Ready to Give Up

By Kelly Balarie

“Brothers and sisters, I do not yet consider that I have grasped it. But one thing I do: forget what is behind and reach out to what is ahead,I press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14

I continued down the sidewalk, not paying much attention to how I was walking. Of course, I knew my friend couldn’t keep up with me. And, yes, I knew not to turn around when talking, but I continued anyway. My friend was dragging his feet. Meanwhile, I was chatting, walking forward, looking behind me – and before I knew it, I almost crashed into a telephone pole. This story has probably almost happened several times, but the point remains the same…

We cannot advance effectively by looking back. We cannot advance by looking back. We cannot easily win the prize to which God has called us after being struck by a stake of defeat. Do not look back.

Paul says in this verse that he does one thing. Simply one thing. In other words: “Forget what is behind and reach out to what is ahead.”

The irony here is that this a thing reads as if it were two things:

1. Forget what is behind, and

2. Look to what lies ahead.

Yet these two things are, in many ways, one and the same. You can’t forget something without filling that mental space with a new thought. So it’s a pursuit.

What does this “forget and force” process look like?

It looks like:

I forget my mistakes and move toward God’s grace to help me do something new in this season.
I forget how this person offended me (by forgiving them) and I move towards my highest calling: to love.
I let go of all the trauma and stress of sharing the lessons I learned in order to serve others in traumatic situations.

Try this exercise in any situation you might find yourself in.

Say: “I choose, today, to forget _____ and I decide to move towards _____. »

This decision not to look back keeps fatigue, weariness, or defeat from nipping at your heels. It keeps you from looking back when you’re trying to move forward. It prepares you not only to move forward, but to look up to Jesus Christ, the promises of God, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It’s more powerful than you probably realize. There is a purpose to “win the prize” that God has called you to. There is His will to accomplish. There is a purpose for which you were created. No one can ever move forward while looking back.

People who get tired and give up are usually so focused on what is wrong or what is going wrong that they cannot see the God who was, is, and is to come. They miss the Great I Am. Instead, they become self-centered, self-focused, and stuck in self-pity. They see walls. They see strict boundaries. They see lacks and restrictions. Of course, I am not judging pit dwellers, for I have been in huge pits too. I simply lament the lost time that occurs when we enter these pits, especially when God is calling us higher. Namely, to be seated with Him in heavenly places.

However, I apply the rule “forget and make effort.” I forget the time lost and I make an effort to fix my mind on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, admirable, commendable and praiseworthy. And in doing so, I discover that the pit has an open door, which leads me easily upward and out.

Let us pray:

Father, I’m stuck. I’m stuck, feeling sorry for myself. I’m stuck, I’m angry. I’m tired. I’m exhausted. I admit that parts of me want to give up. As Redeemer, will you redeem and restore me? I need your help. Do you want to strengthen me internally? I need your faith. Will you guide me in all the paths I must take? I want you as my shepherd. You are my only hope. I’m counting on you to save me today. Give me the strength to forgive, to forget, and to strive toward all that you have called me to do. I want to do all that You created me to do in this world and enjoy the prize as I move toward heaven in Christ Jesus.
In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Kelly lifts up believers by stimulating faith; be encouraged each week by receiving Kelly’s blog posts via email. Kelly, a faith cheerleader, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take every thought captive, rest now, ready for battle, And Fight against fear. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the look on women’s faces when they realize their God is faithful! Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant and The Christian woman today.

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