Word for the day "Be honest with God"
Psalm 13:1-2 (NKJ) “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?”.
We see David’s honesty with the Lord, and we can all learn some lessons here.
When David penned the various psalms, he was honest about what he was feeling. When he feared his enemies, he expressed it.When he could not understand why God was silent, he expressed it as in the psalm above. There’s sorrow in my heart all day (Psalm 13:2).The Psalms are often expressions of this particularly. David expressed just exactly how he was hurting.It is amazing just to read each Psalm in search of what David exactly said to God about what he felt when he was really depending on God.
David knew how to work through his emotions in his relationship with God.
However, David never stayed in a place of despair.He often ended his psalms like this one. “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (Ps 13:5-6).At the heart of his hurts, one thing set David apart from most of us. He was remarkable in his response to the hurts in his life, remarkable specifically in how much he would become transparent before God.Specifically telling the Lord what he was feeling and what he was thinking. He did not hold it inside, letting it, only to explode later.David let out his emotions and that’s a valuable lesson for all of us. He let it out through the means of expression in prayer. He told God how he felt in a transparent manner.I believe it is just such an amazing lesson that David when he was hurting, brought it all to God in prayer.He didn’t play religious games; he didn’t try to impress God with somehow praying acceptable prayers; he became very real, very honest, and very transparent.
Point to ponder
David chooses to focus on what God had done for him, not what God had not done.If you are waiting for a breakthrough with God, be honest with Him about your hopes and dreams.However, also affirm your faith and trust in the Lord to accomplish His purposes through your life.If we are anything in prayer, let’s be honest with the Lord Jesus when we pray.Let’s tell the Father exactly what we are feeling and experiencing.
Special thanks!
Pastor James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of December 2020, by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Ms. Cynthia Waiters-Artis, Ms. Annette Straker, Ms. Rita McGuffin, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Darlene Simmons, Ms. Mable Bazemore, Ms. Evelyn Rosado, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Jeanette Grant, Ms. Judith Battle, Ms. Angela Battle, Apostle James and Pastor Rita Morehead, Ms. Quiana Volney, Mr. William Jones, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mr. Calvin Griffith, Mr. Brandon McIntyre, Mrs. Angela Baker Harrison, Pastor Raymond Philip, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mr. Raymond Jenkins, Ms. Crystal Hawkins, Ms. Damaris Torres, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.Thank you for using the word cup devotionals brought to you through Grace and Truth Leadership. Why don’t you take the opportunity to write to us on our blog and let us know how we are doing in serving you.We are a faith-based, donor-supported ministry. If you have been touched by these daily devotionals and would like to make a monthly pledge or a special gift of any amount, please use the donate link above to give as the Lord leads.Follow me on Twitter @James Baker_jr as I endeavor to encourage and empower leaders of today and tomorrow!Kingdom Blessings,