W@W WRAP – Week 319

When the Storms of Life are Raging

Read:

Act:

Let us be determined this week to:

Cast our burdens upon our Lord because He cares for us. Remember that no matter what we face, no matter what we go through, God is always there! Even when things seem overwhelming for us, they are not overwhelming for God. Jesus has made provision for our worries and fears. He beautifully reminds us of this in (the well-known) Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP), “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily, and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” During trying days, isn’t that exactly what we need? Seeking God, casting our worries upon Him, and finding rest for our souls as we let go and allow Him to care for us.

Stay in the Word of God – holding on to the truth of His promises, and being diligent in spending time with Him. God is faithful, and His Word is our Truth. It is our guide to help us stay on the right path – not turning to the left or right but fixing our gaze on Him as we persevere through whatever life throws at us. May we be a people found in God’s Word, attentive to His words of love, hope, life and strength.

Not become weary in doing good… staying committed and sharing our faith with others. No matter what pressure we face, may we never give up. God promises that if we endure, we will reap the harvest and receive His blessing. We’ve heard the phrase, ‘We are blessed to be a blessing.’ May the way we respond to difficult days be a testimony of our hope and faith in Jesus. May others watch us and be utterly amazed by the power, goodness and glory of our Heavenly Father. And as opportunities arise, may we remember Matthew 10:7 (ESV): “And as you go, preach, saying, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As God directs our steps, there will be people He brings across our paths who need to hear His truth. We don’t have to shy away from sharing our salvation. Through the strength of the Holy Spirit, we can all do it! We can share Jesus with everyone, everywhere! We can be God’s messengers, God’s instruments in personal witnessing. May we be intentional and pray for those ‘divine appointments.’ Let us act upon Galatians 6:9 (NIV), ”Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Pray:

Father, we come to You today knowing that we can cast all of our burdens on You because You care for us. Every hair on our head is counted by You. You know every detail of our lives and our hearts. Holy Spirit, please speak to each heart. If there is any burden that has been weighing on any individual, please grant them wisdom, grace and strength to recognise and relinquish it to the One who died to save us. In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Father, as we come before You, we thank You that You are our anchor and truth in this distracted and broken world. We thank You that You give us life and hope, that Your Word is a lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path. Thank You that no matter where we are on our journey, no matter how we are feeling, no matter how much doubt, fear or stress we are facing, You remain the same. Your Word never changes. It is living and active, and it transforms the way we perceive the difficulties we face. As we go into this day, and into the rest of this week and the year ahead, we ask that You would help us not to become complacent. Help us to stay in Your Word, to find the truth of who You are and the truth of Your promises. Help us to stand firm through the trials, temptations and distractions that we face each day. We pray this in Your precious name.

Lord, I’m just mindful of the fact that we’re all in different places. The reality of life looks very different for each and every one of us, but we’re all here because we love You and we want to serve You to the best of our ability. You’ve given promises to us in different areas of our lives, and this looks very different for each of us. Lord, You remind us that those promises will come to fruition if we keep persevering in doing good. If we do not give up. I pray for the strength of the Lord. I pray that You would strengthen, comfort, and bring healing and restoration to us. Would You enable us to move forward, to keep serving You consistently, faithfully and generously over time. Lord we know that You will bring a harvest at the right time. In Jesus name, we pray this.

Oh Lord Jesus, You know our hearts, You know us so well. You know that in the deepest recesses of our hearts we long to share You with others. You also know that somehow this strikes fear in our hearts as well. You have so lovingly told us hundreds of times in Your Word, ‘fear not!’ Lord, grant us a burden to share Youwith the lost, a boldness to speak on Your behalf, and an awareness of those around us that need You. May we realise that we can ‘fear not’ because the saving is done by You alone. Help us grow sharper in our experience of You, so that sharing You becomes a natural overflow from our relationship with You.

You ask us to share the greatest message that has ever been heard… salvation full and free! We would be amiss if we didn’t offer that prayer of salvation at this moment, just in case someone listening needs You! May they pray along with me: “Lord Jesus, I need You. I know that I have made mistakes, and ask You to forgive them. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins, and You were raised from the dead. I ask You now to be my personal Saviour, and Lord of my life. Take control of the throne of my life, and make me the kind of person You want me to be!”  In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.