O God, numerous concerns vie for my attention: the state of our country, family needs, friends going through difficult circumstances, my own personal struggles.
Redirect my focus, Father, from what I’m yearning for to what you’ve already given, including:
- your Spirit of wisdom and revelation
- your enlightenment to experience hope
- the riches of your glorious inheritance
- your incomparably great power*
Each of these gifts is a priceless treasure and more than worthy of meditation and praise. And so . . .
. . . I praise you for your spirit of wisdom to guide my thoughts, to equip me for perceiving reality accurately and applying truth correctly.
Help me to trust your all-wise ways and not play the fool, ignoring the treasure of your wisdom that’s always just a prayer away.
I praise you that year by year, you reveal more and more of yourself to me so our relationship can become increasingly intimate. Never will I tire of learning about you and experiencing you more fully.
I praise you for your gift of enlightenment to experience hope—complete and calm assurance that you will be victorious in the end, and we’ll live with you forever in the paradise of heaven.
That enlightenment also includes perspective for today. As I focus my thoughts on all you’ve done in the past, my confidence and expectation is affirmed for what you will do in the future.
I praise you for the riches of your glorious inheritance that we enjoy as your children: your mercy and grace, love and goodness, power and strength–all these and more provided to those who choose to do life with you.
And then there’s the staggering truth we are your inheritance. You look upon your children—even me—not as a liability but as part of your glorious wealth.
I praise you, O God, that with your incomparably great power, you can take every negative and turn it into a positive. In addition, your dynamic, eternal energy is within me and always available.
No circumstance intimidates you—not the problems of our country, the needs of our family, the difficulties faced by friends, or my own personal struggles. The tougher my day, the stronger your power will flow through me—as long as I stay close by your side.
I pray for the resolve, holy Father, to avail myself of all this you’ve already given, and may I do so with godly wisdom and constant diligence.
In the name of your Son Jesus who makes such wealth accessible, amen.
*from Ephesians 1:17-19a.
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From the Inside Out 
What a beautiful prayer, dear Nancy. Thank you for your encouragement through these Scriptures… What an amazing God we serve. How much has He already given us, indeed. Blessings, dear friend.
Thank you, Heidi. So glad you found encouragement, here. Your comment, “What an amazing God we serve” reminded me of a Don Moen song we used to sing in the early 1990s: “What a mighty God we serve!” A good tune to play in my head these days too!
And now it’s playing in mine :-))
Oh, how beautifully and inspirationally you’ve weaved all these characteristics of God together here to bring such inspiration to all of us, Nancy! Yes, let us focus on the wonders of all He has given us, trusting that He will do the same in our future.
Blessings!
Thank you, Martha. So glad you found beauty and inspiration here–praise God! Your comment about focusing on his wonders reminded me of the scriptures that urge us to do just that, including Job 5:9, “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” Uplift awaits as we think about all his praiseworthy deeds!
Amen! By the time we thank Him for all He’s given us (and reminded ourselves of who we are in Him), we won’t be intimidated by the world’s problems. They may be challenging, but He is always greater.
AMEN to YOUR comment, Annie (and so well said)! Thank you!
My pleasure, Nancy.
Praise the Lord.Hallelujah.🌹🙏
Thank you, Francis. And praise the Lord this post inspired a Hallelujah!
Praise to Him…love the passion in your prayer!
Thank you, Alicia. Praise God for the passion he puts in our hearts to know him more intimately and obey him more diligently!
love the litany of praise here and I joined along with you!!
Grateful for your company, dear Jean!
These truths are so encouraging, Nancy. Thank you. I love the Tower quote, too. Love and blessings to you!
Praise God you found encouragement here, Trudy. And thank you for the love and blessings!
It was supposed to say Tozer, not Tower! 🙂
Tozer was a tower of a man–we’ll go with that, Trudy!
Such a perfect post for these days in which we are living. I confess that I had a mini-meltdown last Monday as I gave in to worrying about the state of our country. Later that day the Lord provided me with encouragement and peace by reminding me that ‘my times are in His hands’ (paraphrasing Psalm 31:15). Your message here is so much appreciated as it reinforces that He has already given us everything we need in this world along with the assurance of our life in eternity with Him! I especially found comfort in: “No circumstance intimidates you—not the problems of our country, the needs of our family, the difficulties faced by friends, or my own personal struggles. The tougher my day, the stronger your power will flow through me—as long as I stay close by your side.” I praise Him right along with you, Nancy!
Thank you, Cheri. So glad this post ministered encouragement to you. Constant reminders of all that God is and all that he’s has done will shore up our spiritual strength–no matter what comes. I DO want to finish strong (last week’s post) and know that you do too. With the support of the Holy Spirit and one another, we can do this!
You’re very insightful. God is my driving force!
Thank you, Dale. Praise God we can trust his driving force to propel us in the right direction.
Hi Nancy,
Amen! The best is yet to come for God’s children. This is just the fire that refines us. Thanks for the reminder, Nancy. Gary
You’re welcome, Gary. The reminders I need myself often prompt my writing!