A Prayer for Navigating Our Unchanging Circumstances
By Christine Perry
"We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the
body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may
be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you." - 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 NKJV
I showed up at the office, trying not to grumble. But unfortunately, we had gone through a leadership change, and the outcome was proving detrimental. Communication could have been better, access to things we had access to before was slowly being closed off, and the morale overall was tanking. During this time, I had several job interviews. For one job, I was waiting for the official offer. I waited and waited and then sent a follow-up email. Thinking I probably did not get the job, I heard otherwise. The woman who was doing the hiring had to leave town for a family emergency.
Things at my current job continued to crumble. We found out we needed to move several of our offices to new locations within a month. So, it was pretty much chaotic all summer as I continued to wait for the email saying I got the job. After roughly a month, I sent another follow-up email. "We are doing some internal structuring," was the reply I received. Since there was still a lot going on at my current job, I believed God had a plan, but in full disclosure, I was ready to leave. I was praying one night, and I believe the Lord impressed me to "stay steady." It felt like a death sentence. In my mind, I had stayed there long enough. I had added value, and I was ready to move on. But I also felt like I had learned about as much as I was going to. "Lord, please don't ask me to stay longer," I prayed.
Fast forward two months and the job I applied for finally told me about their decision. Unfortunately, in their restructuring, they realized they needed someone in a managerial position, so the position I applied for became obsolete. And the boss at my current job put in her notice. The Lord kept me at the job for another eight months. In those eight months, many things that had been damaged, including several relationships and morale, were restored. Misunderstandings had been cleared up with some of the managers, we hired an excellent boss to lead us, and by the time I left, everything was in order. Only God knew what was ahead and why I needed to stay steady. To this day, I am still very close friends with everyone I worked with.
Why do I say this? Because that season gave me the training, I need for my current season. There have been unanswered questions and situations where I need to remain steady. It's a lot easier said than done, and it takes the Lord's help because He is the one who never changes! It is only because of Him that I am able to stay steady.
Let's pray:
Dear Father,
Thank You that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Thank You that despite our unanswered questions on earth, our eternity is secure because of Jesus' work on the cross. Thank You that You are with us; because of You, we can remain steady. Thank You that Your love for us is patient, kind, and not easily angered. Thank You that Your love endures, hopes, and bears all things. I pray that You would help us to love like You. Help us to be long-suffering. Help us to wait on You. You promise that You are good to those who wait on You (Lamentations 3:26)
Lord, thank You for Your goodness toward us; help us to be more like You. I pray that our eyes are fixed on You, not our circumstances. Please help us to be faithful. Help us to rely on You for our strength. Please be our song in the night and our joy in the morning. I ask all this in Jesus' name, Amen!
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/LumiNola
Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine's work at her website: Learning to be fearless and her Patreon.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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