How To Make This a Year of Prayer and Peace
Happy New Year!
It’s January 1st and my primary goal is to make 2025 a year filled with prayer and peace.
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write…
Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6–7 (GW)
I love how God promises that when we go to Him in prayer He will give us the peace we need. There’s a wonderful connection between prayer and peace.
The God’s Word Translation notes share the following…
Prayer is talking to God.
“Our prayers may be reverent and formal, or friendly and casual as if we [are] talking to a dear trusted friend. They may be highly structured or a short “Thank you, Lord,” or “Help me now!” No matter what form our prayers take … God has promised to always hear [us].“
David said it like this…
Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Psalm 27:7–8
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
Don’t you love that based on this verse, prayer is just talking with God?
Too often, we feel like we need a formula or the perfect words but the Father says, “Tell me what’s going on; I’m listening.”
It’s also important to remember that when we “talk with” someone, we don’t just talk … we listen!
Sometimes I fill a page or two in my prayer journal, and other times I cry out, “Please help me. I need strength and peace.” I also have times when I run to the Lord without words; when I quietly surrender my heart to Him and listen.
The moments when I humbly trust His promise…
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
Romans 8:26–27
The Word of God promises that the Spirit of God is with and within us knowing every detail of our lives. He takes our unspoken prayers to the Father who knows exactly what we need according to His will for us. That’s why the following verse is one believers have held close to their hearts since Paul shared them…
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
Romans 8:28
Our Heavenly Father loves us and He wants to talk with us. He wants us to enjoy prayer and peace.
So, let’s pray…
Lord, May This Be a Year of Prayer and Peace
Father, I’m holding David’s words close to my heart … You “know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.” (Psalm 139:1b–2) You know my weaknesses and failures and promise to forgive me when I come to You in the name of Jesus. You also know when I experience victory over temptation because Your Spirit helps me and gives me strength.
Although You already know me inside and out—my past, present, and future, You want me to come and talk with You about everything and anything. You want me to tell you my struggles and challenges and rejoice with me over my triumphs and humble efforts. You welcome my praise and gratitude and patiently listen to my questions and concerns.
Because of Your promises, I trust You to answer every prayer with what You know I need most. You guide my steps along the path You have prepared for me and give me the strength I need when that path is uneven.
By Your grace and the power of Your Spirit, You faithfully light the way before me one step at a time. And because of Your faithful and unfailing love, You give me peace beyond my understanding.
I love You, Lord. I thank You for the blessing of a New Year. I pray that You will guard the hearts and minds of Your children and that Your plans and purposes will be done in our nation and beyond. I humbly pray this in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen.
May 2025 be the year we pray without ceasing and experience peace beyond our understanding.
It is an awesome privilege that the Triune God listens to every prayer with care, compassion, and great love!
Max Lucado wrote…
“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”
God bless you with a future filled with prayer and peace.
Make sure to join us on Friday when I’ll share our Bible Study focus for the year.
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I cannot imagine anything better than a year filled with prayer and peace, Deb. May God richly bless you now and always!
Thanks, Martha! God bless you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR Debs, and thank you for your interpretations of the Lords word – it really means a huge amount to me 😁❤️😁
Thank you, Angie! Happy New Year and God bless you!
Happy New Year Deb!
I love hearing from God through your devotions! Thank you for being faithful to God’s calling! I am praying I can walk closely with God this year through prayer. Sometimes I forget that He is ALWAYS listening!
Thank you, Donna! I love being able to connect with wonderful people like you here. God has given me a great love for Him through His Word and it’s a wonderful blessing to be able to share it with others. Thanks for your kind encouragement. God bless you throughout the year ahead!
Happy New Year Deb❣️. Thank you for sharing and caring and making a difference in my life. I pray I can pray it forward ❤️
Happy New Year to you, JoAnne! Thank you for your encouragement and prayers. God bless you!
Thank you, Deb, for your friendship and for all of your Christian wisdom. Peace in this New Year is something I very much look forward to. I will do my best to achieve it through prayer and reading God’s word, sitting with HIM each day, and reading and digesting your wonderful posts each week. God bless you with peace and happiness, health and safety. You are a very special person.
Thank you, Sue! You have blessed me this year with your friendship and words of encouragement. I’m praying that your year ahead overflows with blessings and happiness! Hugs to you, dear friend!
Thank you Our Father for providing us with prayer . God I’m grateful
Thanks for visiting, Shenika! God bless you!
Welcome to the Lord’s new year, Deb. May you be filled with God’s abundance of peace coming from your prayers this new year. Many blessings to you for your popping into my email inbox which gives me great joy to read through. I am encouraged deeply by our Father’s plans for me this year, I have signed up for a wonderful new founding Christian group that I am encouraged to be a part of, and I am in the process of preparing to lead a women’s ministry at my church. I have a deal going with God, every time I have anxious thoughts of, I can’t do this, or fears pop up, I pop in a 5c piece in a jar, (based on the quarter coins story floating around) …. I can’t but… God can do abundantly and beyond anything I can pray or ask for. (Eph 3). Keep sharing the Lord’s peace. Sister in Christ, Robyne
Thank you so much for your kindness, Robyne. Happy New Year! It sounds like you have a wonderful plan for growing and sharing your faith this year. I love that the Lord makes us a family of believers. It is such a wonderful blessing to be a part of this encouraging family. I love your anxious thought idea too. I can’t but God can. I have said those words to the Lord so many times this year as I’ve traveled this path of grief. “I can’t but I know You can. I need You!” He is faithful and He gives me strength one day at a time. May He be with you and bless you abundantly.