Releasing the Day to God -  Your Nightly Prayer

Releasing the Day to God
Your Nightly Prayer for Dec. 23, 2024
by Rachel Wojo

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:18&19

SOMETHING TO PONDER 

Has your head ever hit the pillow to rest, but your brain kicked into high gear? Maybe lying down in a dark room geared you up instead of allowing you to slow down? Those racing thoughts often carry a thread of wishing we could change something that happened that day. Maybe a word unfitly spoken, an uncontrolled circumstance, or an action left undone. It's easy to focus on "what might have been" at the end of the day. 

When God spoke to Isaiah in today's passage and told him not to dwell on the past, we can be thankful that "stop thinking about what might have been" wasn't the end of the instruction. God emphasized his charge for Isaiah to see the new with an exclamation point, and then He spoke of the beautiful life ahead. You may have difficulty understanding how God worked in your life today, but He always makes a way. Where the old dies off, the new springs up. Even when life's dry, crusty days feel more like wilderness than wonder, God works to make all things for our good and His glory. 

I once bought a shirt that said, "The good ol' days are still to come." That saying makes me think of I Corinthians 2:9, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." You don’t have to dwell on what went wrong last year or last month, yesterday or today. God is still on the throne of heaven; you can release your cares to Him.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Heavenly Father,
Rather than thinking about what might have been today, remind me of your steadfast love and mercy, which never change. Give me eyes to see the new path You are forging and the fresh water springing from dry ground. Remind me that my good and Your glory are never separated. Jesus, I release every care and worry into Your hands. Help me sleep well as I rest on Your promises, assured of Your faithfulness.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Someone happy. Who smiled at you today?

2. Something warm. Maybe the cup of tea you ended the day with or the warm blanket you sleep beneath. A little gratitude can go a long way.

3. Somewhere cozy. Where have you enjoyed a little piece of heaven on earth recently? Perhaps a fireside chair or a bowl of soup enjoyed in the kitchen.

Thank you for joining me today. I hope this prayer has encouraged your heart. If you're looking for guidance on deepening your prayer life in tough times, I invite you to check out my new book, Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments. You'll find real-life stories, prayers, and practical ways to connect with God when you need Him most. You can learn more at desperateprayers.com. The link is in the show notes. Until next time, remember, God sees you, hears you, and He knows your needs.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Sam Thomas

Rachel Wojo is an author, public speaker, and podcaster who hosts Bible reading challenges on her popular blog, rachelwojo.com, Her biblical approach and life circumstances influence women to find strength and hope in everyday situations.  The ideal desperate pray-er to shed light on asking God questions, Rachel’s journey includes losing her mother to leukemia, her adult special needs daughter to a rare neurologically degenerative disease, and her father to illness. She is the author of One More Step: Finding Strength When You Feel Like Giving Up  and Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments. (10/8/24) Mostly, Rachel is crazy in love with Matt, mom to six on earth and two in heaven.

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