My great God,
On days when my primary goal is pleasing myself, my life is filled with frustration. The attitude that things should go my way is based on a faulty premise: that I am the center of my world.
The truth is, You are the Center — and everything revolves around You.
So I need to make my plans tentatively, seeking Your Face and Your will in all that I do. This is actually a win-win situation. If things go according to my plans, I can thank You and rejoice. When my desires are thwarted, I can stay in communication with You and subordinate my will to Yours — trusting that Your way is perfect.
Please help me remember that I am not my own; I belong to You. This awareness that I am Yours — Your beloved — is a great relief. It shifts my focus away from myself and what I want.
Instead of striving to make things go my way, my primary goal becomes pleasing You. This sounds as if it could be burdensome, but it’s really quite freeing because Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Moreover, knowing that I belong to You provides deep, satisfying rest for my soul.
In Your refreshing Name, Jesus, amen.
Psalm 105:4 NASB
1 Corinthians 6:19 HCSB
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Loving Savior,
You brought me out into a spacious place. You rescued me because You delighted in me. I know that Your delight in me wasn’t based on any worthiness that was in me. You freely chose to lavish Your Love on me — bringing me out of slavery to sin into a spacious place of salvation.
- Since my best efforts were utterly insufficient to save myself, You rescued me and clothed me in Your own perfect righteousness.
Help me to wear this clothing of salvation with overflowing Joy — living as a child of Light, secure in Your radiant righteousness.
Salvation is the greatest, most precious gift I could ever receive, and I’ll never stop thanking You for it! In the morning when I awake, I’ll rejoice that You have adopted me into Your royal family. Before I go to sleep at night, I’ll praise You for Your glorious grace.
Lord, I want to live in ways that help other people see You as the Source of abundant, never-ending Life!
In Your righteous, royal Name, Jesus, amen.
Isaiah 61:10 NLT
Excerpted with permission from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young, copyright Jesus Calling Foundation.
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Your Turn
Lord, help me to focus on You instead of myself. I want to walk with you trusting that Your way is perfect and praising You for Your goodness and kindness. ~ Devotionals Daily