Hands of The Potter
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Posted: March 18, 2023
Author: Leslie Wittenmyer Philippians 4:4-7, New International Version “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." |
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Prayer is a powerful thing! It’s a weapon that can bring down the strongholds in your life. Whether it’s fear, anxiety, depression, feelings of being overwhelmed, being hurt by someone you know or love that causes you to be confused and so on. Sometimes, we don’t know what to pray. In those moments, I would like to suggest that you let the Lord lead you to a scripture, and then use that scripture to pray over your circumstances. God loves it when you pray His word back to Him. It’s a reminder to Him of His promises for you!
My scripture of prayer and meditation this week comes from Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV),
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When we read this scripture, we may wonder how we can rejoice in the Lord always when I am stressed out or afraid or feeling anxious. I want us to know, the Lord never expects us to be perfect. That is why He sent His only Son to die on a cross for us. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” That means that the fear, the anxiety, the depression, feeling
overwhelmed, being hurt by people you know and love, Jesus went through all of that. He knows and understands what you are going through. You can rely on Him and trust Him to see you through! All you have to do is give it to Him, give yourself to Him, just as you are. He loves you, in all your brokenness, and can make beauty from your brokenness, if you trust Him and you let Him.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV), “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Think about it this way…If we were all perfect, there would be no need for God or His perfect love! But He created us for a relationship with Him. In our weaknesses, God shows up! And we rejoice, because He is faithful to us and His love covers us! It is for love that He has set us free! It is for love, that He draws near to help us in our times of trouble! So we rejoice, whether we are laughing or mourning, we rejoice, because we know that God is there to show up strong and sincere in our weaknesses! When we have that trust in Him, and when we are looking for Him, that’s when His peace comes upon us. It’s that peace that transcends all understanding!
Life can be a challenge. Our circumstances can be challenging! The good news is that we have someone higher than ourselves, the Lord God Almighty, to go before us! In Exodus 14:13 NIV, “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Remember, do not be afraid, anxious, overwhelmed, nervous, living in hurt, etc., but bring it to God with prayers and petitions and thanksgiving. Watch and see the deliverance the Lord will bring!
My scripture of prayer and meditation this week comes from Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV),
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When we read this scripture, we may wonder how we can rejoice in the Lord always when I am stressed out or afraid or feeling anxious. I want us to know, the Lord never expects us to be perfect. That is why He sent His only Son to die on a cross for us. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” That means that the fear, the anxiety, the depression, feeling
overwhelmed, being hurt by people you know and love, Jesus went through all of that. He knows and understands what you are going through. You can rely on Him and trust Him to see you through! All you have to do is give it to Him, give yourself to Him, just as you are. He loves you, in all your brokenness, and can make beauty from your brokenness, if you trust Him and you let Him.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV), “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Think about it this way…If we were all perfect, there would be no need for God or His perfect love! But He created us for a relationship with Him. In our weaknesses, God shows up! And we rejoice, because He is faithful to us and His love covers us! It is for love that He has set us free! It is for love, that He draws near to help us in our times of trouble! So we rejoice, whether we are laughing or mourning, we rejoice, because we know that God is there to show up strong and sincere in our weaknesses! When we have that trust in Him, and when we are looking for Him, that’s when His peace comes upon us. It’s that peace that transcends all understanding!
Life can be a challenge. Our circumstances can be challenging! The good news is that we have someone higher than ourselves, the Lord God Almighty, to go before us! In Exodus 14:13 NIV, “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Remember, do not be afraid, anxious, overwhelmed, nervous, living in hurt, etc., but bring it to God with prayers and petitions and thanksgiving. Watch and see the deliverance the Lord will bring!
