Dear God, thank you for being with and in me. You are always present, always acting on my behalf and in my best interests, even when I don’t see or sense it. Lord God, you are my Abba Father; you comfort and sustain me. Your love knows no bounds, no conditions; you care for me more than I will ever comprehend. You are also the ruler of the universe, almighty, sovereign over all that is, has been, and will be. Nothing is too great or small for you to handle; you have foreseen and allowed everything that happens.

Your word tells me that all will be well in the end, that your kingdom will be established here on earth as it is in heaven. Along the way, though, there will be suffering and trials, for I live in a fallen world; there is no way around this. It is natural to want to avoid hardship, suffering, and adversity, but it isn’t always possible or even desirable. Mercifully, you will not abandon me or let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. You stay with me, protecting, nurturing, and lifting me up, giving me courage and strength to go on, making my paths straight and giving me a future worth having. All I have to do is trust in you.

You have told me that I am to trust you with all my heart and mind, especially when my understanding fails, to hand you my worries and burdens because you care for me. Help me remember this when I am overwhelmed by my circumstances, when I am tempted to control, avoid, or lash out, when I measure what challenges me against my abilities, not yours, when I forget, discount, or resent you. Forgive me my waywardness, my unbelief.

You are the lover of my soul, the king of the universe, good, powerful, and wise beyond all I can imagine. You use whatever happens to me for good; this I can count on. I do not need to understand in order to trust; all I need to do is turn to you, calling on your name, Lord God, asking for the help and guidance only you can give, opening myself up to your presence and deliverance.

I join you in the mighty work you are doing in my life and in the world, taking refuge in you, I find safety, rest, peace, joy, and hope. You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. You have the big picture; I do not. Whatever is to come, I trust that you will use my circumstances and dependency to draw me closer to you, deepening my relationship with you, and advancing your kingdom here on earth, even when my immediate wishes differ from yours. I will trust and work with you, not against you. You alone are able to take what happens, no matter how random or wrong it may seem, and work it into your master plan.

And so, I ask that you strengthen me to run the race set before me, give me a sense of your presence every step of the way, guiding, leading, carrying, nurturing, and fighting for me. Let me put on your armor as I battle the seen and unseen forces of darkness. In you, I will overcome them. Help me walk the surrendered path of those who have come before me, following the example of you, Lord Jesus, of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Job, and others, placing my wishes at the altar, submitting to your divine will, trusting you to meet my needs.

Empower me to cope and lift me to a better future. Going forward, I will fix my eyes on you, Lord Jesus, instead of what troubles me. I will call on your name, remembering that you are my Shepherd and Savior, lighting my way and guiding me along the dark paths of life. You understand better than anyone what I’m going through, and you have overcome it. In you, I shall as well. Remaining close to you, I stay strong, thanking and praising you through my struggles. I trust that this is not the final chapter but merely a season, a means by which I enter more fully into the life you have called me to, into the transformative work you are doing within me and the world.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to serve and work with you like this, for empowering me to live on a supernatural plane of Grace and abundance. I am grateful. I love and trust you with all my heart, mind, soul, and body. In your holy name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.

May 3 2025