Pray:
Ask God to orient or reorient you to Himself. Confess any known sin. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Be still and reflect on Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s Word. Pray for others in your life that they, too, would know and love God today.
Read:
Psalm 55:22
“22 Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Understand:
David is confident that the Lord is enthroned. He encourages the people of God to cast their worries on the Lord. He wants the people of God to reflect on God’s justice. David wants them to know that the Lord will sustain the righteous so that they will not be overcome.
David knew that the best course in times of troubles is not to run away from them, but instead to cast our burdens on the Lord. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us the same thing; it says to “Cast your worries on Him because He cares about us.”
Apply:
There is something freeing about knowing we don’t have to go it alone. The Christian walk was never intended to be lived in isolation on an island; we we’re made to be in fellowship with God and with others.
You may be starting this year off with the weight of worry bottled up inside you. Maybe one reason you feel this weight is because you’ve not fully trusted God with your life. Would you admit your need for Him right now?
It takes humility to admit that we need help, that we can’t do this on our own. Our liberation comes when we recognize that God cares enough to come along side us and carry our burdens. One way He does this is by bring others alongside us.
Here are a few questions for you. Are you holding on to burdens you need to let go of today? Are you willing to admit your need for Christ in your life? Will you let Him bear the weight of your struggles? Is there someone He has brought into your life that can walk alongside you?
Live:
(Personalize this prayer today; make it specific to the circumstances that face you.)
Ask God to lead you through His Spirit as you go through your day. Ask Him to bring to mind the truth of the gospel and its implications for what you will encounter today. Tell Him “Yes” to His will and ask Him for His power and protection to live this “yes.” Ask God to create and reveal opportunities to proclaim the good news today. KEEP PRAYING THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY.