The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
We get up every morning and act upon what is to come, and because what is to come is sure, we know that our labor in God’s name is never in vain. So we wait and act. We wait and work. We wait and fight. We wait and conquer. We wait and proclaim. We wait and run. We wait and sacrifice. We wait and give. We wait and worship. Waiting on God is an action based on confident assurance of grace to come.
Each of us must choose our attitude and response to the relational difficulties that surround us whether it be at home or in the workplace. Our day-to-day challenges may never disappear, in fact, sometimes the severity of relational stress may only increase over time. As believers, we must fight the temptation to grow weary of trying to fight the spiritual, mental, and emotional battles all around us.
God Equips Us To Speak Words Of Life
The comforting truth is…not matter what relational situation we are in, God is the only one who effectively rescues and changes us from the inside out. We can truly learn to live in a precious place of confident assurance keenly aware that it is God alone who equips us to speak and live for him. As we develop the daily discipline of identifying and giving thanks for every work of grace God is up to in our lives, our own spirit can begin to soar as we seek to build others up.
Everyone Changes On The Inside First
Let’s be honest, we all want to witness growth and change in those we seek to lift up and encourage. Yet we fight a real battle against discouragement when nothing in the visible world reassures us that our life is making any positive difference. But we must not stay in that place of discouragement long.
Change Comes Slow But We Do Not Give Up
Instead, we must pray for God’s sustaining grace to help us persevere and wait well. Our confidence cannot be measured in seeing results in the now. We must trust that God is strengthening our spiritual muscles to serve him and others over the long distance of all of life’s relational ups and downs.
Words Have Power So Use Them Wisely
Yes, it’s true we have to confront and face relational setbacks and obstacles that threaten to render us weak and ineffective. And we do so by relying on God to supply us with the grace we need at each moment of the day. And then, in no smaller measure, we must learn to identify the good God is doing and give him thanks.
Take-away Action Thought
When I am tempted to give up because I don’t believe I’m making any difference in the lives of those I’m living and working with, I will turn to God and ask him for renewed strength and the grace-filled discernment to see the good God is doing behind the scenes.
My Heart’s Cry to You, O Lord
Father, I had another difficult and discouraging morning. Help me to trust you as I try to encourage and bless those around me. Give me your divine wisdom and understanding wherever I am. And help me to identify the good all around me through the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Practicing Grace and Gratitude –
- Grace and gratitude from God – The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. When my day has ended, I will spend a few minutes each day reflecting on the conversations God has privileged me to take part in and I will pray for each individual according to their most pressing need.
- Grace and gratitude in me – He wakens me morning by morning. Each morning this week, I will not rise from my bed until I have said, “thank you,” to the Lord for five blessings for which I am grateful.
- Grace and gratitude in life – He wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. My mealtime prayers will include a request that God helps me become a better listener both to God and to others. As I learn to be still and truly hear what others are saying, I will gain a better understanding of their deepest needs and pray for them specifically giving thanks that I can intercede on their behalf.
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