Don’t give up!
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart Luke 18:1
Most people only see things from a natural point of view. If they have seen or heard something is possible, then they can believe maybe it could happen for them. However, if they have never seen it before, then it is just plain impossible. To even try to talk about faith or a miracle, they would just claim to be realistic and that anything beyond their understanding is simply fantasy. Even if they started out hoping for something new, when time passes and they don’t see anything change, they quickly give up because it just isn’t working to believe for something beyond what can be seen.
As God’s people, we always have hope and even Jesus said in today’s verse that we should always pray first and not to give up on that prayer. All of us probably have something right now that needs a big turn around in life. Maybe a financial problem, a health issue or even a family crisis? It is easy to settle into a place of no expectation. As time passes, we can all fall into the trap of talking about the situation just the way it is and believe that is the way it is always going to be. But that just isn’t the case. Prayer can change things and always does. When you pray about the predicament, you are opening the door of heaven and bringing God’s supernatural power on to the scene. You may not see thing happening immediately, but something is going on the moment you turn that circumstance over to God and ask for Him to touch the dilemma and bring the unseen answer into the seen world.
I was recently reminded of this when I was talking to a friend about a concern of mine. I began to speak my expectation of failed results because that is what had been happening every time I tried to impact the situation on my own. In an instant I heard on the inside of me to talk about how it would be different this time because God is working on it. I felt impressed to believe that things were changing even at the time of the conversation about the situation, so I began to talk about the hope that things are different now and that God has made things new. Nothing had changed yet, but I felt a spark of hope in my heart, and I knew it was the Holy Spirit reminding me that I had been praying about this thing and it was turning in a new direction way better than even I could think of. Instead of losing heart, my heart was encouraged because I continued to pray and put all into God’s hands. He is so good, and all things are made beautiful when entrusted to Him.
Today’s reading is about a woman who went to a judge for justice and even though the judge did not care about her or her circumstances, eventually he granted her request because she would not let it go. The judge responded because he was weary of hearing from the woman. The point is that as we keep things in prayer before the LORD, He will take care of them. Not because He is tired of hearing about it, but because of our relentless faith to believe that He is the only hope for the mess. He loves us and He wants to be a part of what we are facing each day. Therefore, He will come in at just the right time and remove that obstruction and turn things around once and for all.
Today I want to encourage you to pray always. Whatever it is that you are up against, take it to your loving heavenly Father. Don’t give up and don’t lose hope, trust your Savior to make something good of every detail you commit to Him. He is not doing evil to you and does not want bad to roll over you. He has good plans for you, and He has a good future in mind, but it is up to you to keep Him involved in your every day life by taking Him with you where ever you go and talking to Him about what ever you have going on. Once you do pray, things are happening that you cannot even see right now, but don’t let the seen determine your outcome. Put pressure on that problem by opening the window of heaven and release the power of the Holy One to bring the results that are good for all those involved.
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 18:1-8
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.
7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
The Daily Dose 