A Prayer to Rely on the Lord
By Tiffany Thibault
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.” - Isaiah 28:16
Jesus said these words that are still so true and powerful today: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Turn on the news, scroll through social media and everything you see and hear absolutely confirms our Lord's words. Tribulation, hunger, wars, illness, family struggles, and more - the list is endless. Sadly, we often spend too much of our days worried, anxious, stressed, and ultimately worn out from all the things happening around us.
We have this promise that we can remind ourselves of when our heart is not at peace: God is still the Ruler of the universe, and not one little, tiny detail ever escapes His notice. Our Bible verse says that He has laid in Zion - in Heaven - a cornerstone that has been tested and proven to be strong and true. In architecture, the cornerstone is extremely important, and the integrity of the entire building depends upon it. It is the first stone laid, one that is proven to be strong. All other stones in the building are built off of it and depend on it for strength, stability, and endurance.
The Lord has laid that proven cornerstone in our life, in our faith. That cornerstone is Jesus. He has been tested and proven to be sure, to be strong. He bore all the weight of sin from the entire world on Him as He died for us on the cross. He then rose again, defeating death for us. Jesus being our cornerstone means that as we align our lives and our hearts with Him that we will be sanctified and stable. We can lean on Him for our support, and we will not shift or fall.
Trusting in the Lord to be your cornerstone as you walk through your days anxiety free (even in the midst of all of the stuff that life throws your way) is something that we can all seek the Lord for each and every day. The key to shedding anxiety is to commit to seeking the Lord every day, in every situation, in every moment. No matter what chaos is happening around us in the world, or the trials that you are personally encountering in your life, you can have peace in your heart. You can be free from panic and from the horrible grip of anxiety if your hope is in Jesus.
Jesus has already overcome the world! He has come to bring you peace in the midst of the problems. Look to Him, seek Him in prayer and through studying the precious words in the Bible. The more we spend time with the Lord, the more that we will find ourselves trusting Him a little more. Moment by moment and day by day, as we pursue more of Jesus, we will find that our anxiety lessens, our peace increases and our relationship with Him is richer. Don’t allow one more day of peace and joy to be stolen from you.
Let's pray:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the promises that you give us in your Word. Thank you for saying that I can have peace in my heart. Thank you that I can walk away from anxiety. Help me to keep my eyes on you in the midst of all my difficulties. Help me to trust you more each day. Thank you that you are my cornerstone, that as I lean on you and believe your promises, I can be strong in my faith. You are my God, and I will learn to rest on you today. Draw me close to you as I walk through all of these situations.
In your name I pray, Jesus,
Amen
Photo credit: ©SalemDesign/BethanyPyle
Tiffany Thibault is a Jesus-loving desert girl. She loves to spend time with her college-aged daughters, coffee with friends and taking long walks. She teaches 4th grade and loves to write in her spare time. She is the author of a Bible study and a devotional book. You can connect with her on Instagram.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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