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Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (NIV 2011)
Have you ever had a stretch of time when opportunities arose to test what you're made of spiritually? For me, this particular stretch has lasted over three years. Besides daily annoyances, the death of a parent, and career challenges, three life-altering things have driven me to my knees. Three years ago, my adult son was diagnosed with a serious chronic illness, and two very close friends started the fight of their lives with insidious, painful cancers. Despite all the prayer and crying out to God by many, many people on behalf of these precious ones, I've seen their situations become substantially worse. One of my beautiful Christian friends passed away two weeks ago, and the other is in palliative care, looking heaven in the face. My son has endured five surgeries and the loss of a career and his marriage.
What can I say? Through my tears and calling out to the Lord, I say, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." (Psalm 56:3 NIV 2011) I don't understand. Sometimes, I'm frustrated; many times, I'm just very sad. But who are we to understand the ways of God? I am a simple woman, but joy of joys, I belong to Him! I rest in knowing that whatever comes, He is with my beloved friends and family and with me. Even though I wonder why prayers are not answered the way I see fit, I fight to make a decision not to become angry, but to trust in Him. The psalmist sums it up for us: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26 NIV) I'm learning the hard way not to live out my own agenda or lean on my own understanding, but to realize that although life is short, eternity is forever. I look daily for how He makes His presence known, and I rely on the fact that one day, I will see Him face to face, and these cares will soon be over. This same comfort can belong to all of us.
Prayer: Father in heaven, today, we lay every concern at the foot of the cross and say, "Your ways are higher than mine. Not my will, but Yours be done." Thank You for the way that You hear our cries and perfect that which concerns us. May we honour You today by giving You our trust. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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Thursday, September 21, 2023 – Worldwide — International Day of Prayer for Peace — Pray for our brothers and sisters in so many countries in the world where they are being persecuted, imprisoned, and killed for their faith. Pray that their faith will stand strong in the face of adversity.
Broken friendship-CB: "September 21,2023. Please pray for the restoration of a lifelong friendship. Their friendship has..." 
Please pray for Shawn: "September 21, 2023. Shawn has struggled to breathe for many years and is in the hospital again..." 
Mrs--a former devotional writer: "September 21,2023. I humbly request healing prayers, I am having some very serious health problems..." 
It’s just so darned hard!!
Your message was a good one.
Such a beautiful devotional!
Your attitude is an inspiration.
Today’s devotional speaks to me.
Praying for you Michele. Keep the faith.
Blessings like your example encourages each of us in our journey. Thank you.
This devotional speaks so simply to getting through very difficult times. We all have them.
Praying for you as you faithfully tread the valley of the shadow. Thank you for sharing this devotional. Blessings.
Thanks for your encouraging message.
Keeping you and your son in my prayers.
Your faith is a blessing.
Dear Michele, Praise the Lord for He is faithful! In the good times and in the bad times also! Thank you for writing such an encouraging devotion.
My thoughts and prayers are with you as you journey this difficult road. Many thanks for your words of inspiration and determination that serve to remind us of the source of all strength.
Thank you Michele for your positive words in your devotional writing. Yes all is in the Lord’s hands and timing and we give Him all praise and glory.
Blessings.
Thank you Michele for sharing your heart with us and for us. Proverbs 3:5-6 has been a favourite scripture of mine to which I cling, since my childhood!
Praise God He is in charge and we can trust Him.
Thank you so much for your devotional, Michele. It made me recall two thoughts that I heard years ago: instead of praying for easier paths, we need to pray for stronger shoes; and 100 years from now, none of these concerns will matter – what will matter then is our faithfulness now.
Thanks.
Dear Michele,
Thank you for writing the devotional for today.
Your devotional will help many of us to remember to pray in fellowship with you, and with all who are suffering, and ask our Lord for his presence and help for you and them (for our Heavenly Father always wants to hear from his loved ones and help them).
(MB)
Thank you Michele for this very important and oh so true reminder. This is my favourite scripture verse and it has been the one I have clung too so many times when I too have had no understanding of the ‘why’ of things which seem or are so unfair, unkind or unfathomable. And the bottom line is as you say… making the choice to trust that God knows best, for indeed he does and is able to ‘get us through’ safe and sound until that glorious day when all tears shall be wiped away and all mysteries known.
Keep up the good fight.
Blessings.
Thank you for sharing Michelle,
It is Him in whom I put my trust and live each day according to HIs will and purpose for my life.
I too have been struggling with cancer for a few years and have been living by this passage.
Since, He has placed me back in ministry and He keeps me doing His work for His glroy.
May God give you strength and richly bless you and your writing.
Truly you servant in Christ Jesus.
Hello Michele,
I applaud your courage in all ways.
My questions were heavily weighted towards “why?” at one time. But along the palliative roadway, I began to understand the message of rejoicing in the Lord even when going through the worst possible times. So, I thanked the Lord daily for having my husband here for one more day. And left the next day to Him.
He led me carefully through each day, even though there were procedures I did not imagine I could handle. So, at the end of these days, there were double praises given to Him. He kept His promise to lead me (us) through the most difficult times…walking daily step by step. Just had to remember that every day on the path was His plan…and leave it with Him.
He answers prayers and He walks beside us, we just have to have faith in this most faithful God…our dear Lord Jesus.
Stay strong in your faith, Michele. He is listening.
Blessings and strength to you.
Michele, your devotional today touched my heart.
At the very onset, your choice of Scripture resonated with me as we had a plaque with this verse hanging in our front hall for many years!
Then as I read your first paragraph so soon, I knew this really was a message for me! “Opportunities…Testing me spiritually” hit me! As I look to the Lord for wisdom, the conflict arises. I have often cried out to the Lord and then He reminds me that He IS in control and to wait upon Him for He knows best and it will be resolved “in His time” and in His way… not necessarily the way any of us think or desire.
Thank you for your encouragement
Your message has been a blessing to me. Thanks.
Be sure to heed the Lord’s nudging to write more devotionals!
Dear Michelle:
I was so touched by your devotional. My heart goes out to you. I, too, have been going through a “Job experience” for the last few months. (Job as in the O.T.)
I constantly shun Satan by singing praise songs. Just to know that He is mine and I am His, gets me through each day. I am blessed with a Christian husband’s love and support.
I have come to the conclusion that God wants each of us to come to the point where we say with broken and contrite heart, as Job did. I can hear from the tone of your devotional, that you are living this way.
I seem to spend most of my days and a lot of my nights at His Throne of Grace. But, then, I realize that He invites me to come boldly and that it is a perfect place to be!
I feel sure that one day very soon, you will look back upon the day and realize that it was just a little bit easier than the day before.
Truly, there are times I wonder why God allow certain things happen. I find solace in the scripture and knowing that His will not mine should prevail.
Hello Michele DeBau,
Wow, you are an inspiration. Thank you for blessing us readers with a very focused, poignant message. Yes our Hope is in Jesus and His Saving Grace.
When you spoke/wrote of all your trials mine seemed almost insignificant. May God continue to grant you the strength and grace to carry on and may your trust and hope in Him grow ever more firm.
You have blessed me abundantly this day.
Your devotional took me back to our family’s days of being impoverished, and to this day, I relish the crumbs. I don’t know if it was a learned behaviour, but we certainly had the ‘waste not, want not’ basics laid down for us early on. In future, I will always think of this connection when reading that wonderful bible story of faith. Thank you.
It is so true when trials come our way that we cry out to God. As God’s beloved children, we are free to ask “why”; just like children ask their earthly parents. The real issue is “trust”, which I, sometimes, find very hard to do. But, God knows us so well, and doesn’t hold it against us when we doubt and ask why. You’ve gone through a lot and as I was reading your devotional, I sensed the strength that God has given you that you would share this with us. Thank you and keep writing.