May 10, 2012

Encouragement from my Devotional for Moms

My kids are at that age where they are trying to decide what to do with the rest of their lives. It's a hard stage. I worry and I struggle to let them go. I read this story recently in my devotional (Streams in the Desert) and it really helped and encouraged me to not only pray for them, but to leave them with the Lord when I'm done.


"Dr. Payson, while still a young man, once wrote to an elderly mother who was extremely worried and burdened over the condition of her son. He wrote,

    You are worrying too much about him. Once you have prayed for him, as you have done, and committed him to God, you should not continue to be anxious. God's command, 'Do not be anxious about anything' (Phil. 4:6), is unlimited, and so is the verse, 'Cast all your anxiety on him' (1Peter 5:7). 

If we truly have cast our burdens upon another, can they continue to pressure us? If we carry them with us from the throne of grace, it is obvious we have not left them there. In my own life I test my prayers in this way, like Hannah did, with no more sadness, pain, or anxiety in my heart, I see it as proof that I have prayed the prayer of faith. But if I pray and then still carry my burden, I conclude my faith was not exercised."
                                                             From the April 24th entry

7 comments:

  1. That is a great thought provoker! Thank you for sharing this with us. It is a good lesson I need to learn. :-)

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    1. Me Too. :)

      Thanks for stopping by Sharon!

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  2. Several years ago, my husband and I went to visit a minister about some family members who were going through divorce. After we talked with him, he prayed. After the prayer, I mentioned something else about the situation (can't remember now what I said). He replied, "You've given it to God, now you are taking it back." He prayed once more and told me to leave the situation in God's hands.

    Oh how often I lay things at the foot of the cross and then take them back.

    Very thought provoking post.

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    1. Thanks for sharing that Joan. It's hard to leave things with God sometimes, but I'm finding when I do I feel so much more at peace.

      Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  3. I love the devotional book "Streams in the Desert," reading it daily. "Not worrying" is an area in which I struggle. Thanks for sharing this word of challenge and encouragement!

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    1. I'm loving "Streams in the Desert" as well. Another blogger recommended it and I'm glad I picked it up.

      Thanks for stopping by Bryan!

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Feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments. I try to respond to all of them by the end of the week. : )