All over the world, there are people going through difficult and heartbreaking circumstances. Countless individuals who have prayed and prayed, waiting for God to move on their need . . . waiting and wondering if this time He might actually allow the unimaginable.

Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now.

• You can’t find a job and your savings is down to almost nothing.
• Your child is in full-blown rebellion and you don’t know where to turn.
• Your marriage is falling apart and you are losing hope.
• Your loved one is ill and the doctors are not encouraging.
• You desperately want a child and month after month the longing increases.
• Your legal battle came out of nowhere and you’re overwhelmed.
• Your friend rejected you and is turning others against you.

Your knees are raw from the hours you’ve spent crying out in prayer and you’re starting to question if this time God’s answer is “no.”

We all know children typically respond to a parent’s “no” with one simple word.

“WHY!”

And we’re no different. When you and I don’t like our Heavenly Father’s answer, we want to know . . . why? We look around and other people have what we want, what we “need” and well, it just doesn’t seem fair.

Truthfully, I’ve stubbornly asked “why” more often than I care to admit. And then, I would often add anxious “what if” questions to my pitiful pouting. Questions like:

What if I never..?
What if they don’t..?
What if I can’t..?
What if I break..?

Oh, please tell me I’m not alone here . . . that I’m not the only one who lets “why” and “what if” rob me of the simple trust, peace, and contentment I know the Lord wants for me.

Isn’t it an amazing blessing to know our Father is patient with us?

He’s not a parent who says, “because I said so” as he walks away. He is the parent who lovingly holds us as we pout and cry big ugly tears. He is the One who patiently tells us to trust that He knows what’s best and that He is at work our lives even when we don’t understand. But…

It’s still hard, isn’t it?

It’s hard when the good He is working out in our lives doesn’t go the way we expect or the way we want.

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

I’ve thought about this a lot and I’ve had opportunities to learn a few things about trusting God’s Romans 8:28 goodness.

2 Possible Ways God’s Goodness is at Work

1. His goodness is clear and easy to see in their circumstances. They can feel the blessings in their life and the lives of the people around them.
2. His goodness is less evident. They can’t see it, but they trust Him and believe He is using their circumstances for His kingdom’s good plans and purposes.

Now, if you’re like me, you always want way #1! You want to clearly see and feel the blessings you’ve prayed for come to fruition. It’s hard to live with peace and contentment, keeping my heart and mind focused on eternity when today’s circumstances are so painful.

But there is an important absolute truth about God’s goodness.

1 Absolute Truth About God’s Goodness

1. The Holy Spirit is always working to bless God’s children spiritually . . . actively drawing them closer and moving to make them more like Jesus as He prepares them for a beautiful forever future in the Lord’s presence.

The truth is that whatever God’s answer, “yes, no, or not yet” . . . you and I are never alone.

Jesus is always with us and He always understands.

He knows what it’s like to pray through blood, sweat, and tears…

“Father, if it can be done, take away what must happen to Me.”

Luke 22:42

But for your sake and mine, the Father said, “no.”

What if Jesus had rejected the Father’s “no?”

Where would you and I be if He had rejected the pain? If love hadn’t been enough?

The rest of verse 42 says…

“Even so, not what I want, but what You want.”

That’s more than enough love! That’s love for the Father and for you and me.

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:9–10

And with the help of His Spirit within us, we have been given enough love to…

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Luke 10:27

Enough love even when God doesn’t answer our prayer the way we want.

So, here are the powerful words that will bless your prayer life.

“As you wish!”

I like the movie The Princess Bride.

I love the words, “as you wish.”

Throughout the movie, Princess Buttercup asked Wesley to do menial and sometimes unpleasant tasks and his reply was always the same…

“As you wish.”

Then, near the end of the story, Princess Buttercup suddenly realized that every time Wesley said, “as you wish” he was really saying, “I love you.”

My favorite quote from the movie:

“That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying “As you wish”, what he meant was, “I love you.” And even more amazing was that day she realized she truly loved him back.”

Jesus said, “As you wish” to the Father to save you and me. He said, I love you to the Father and I love you to an undeserving creation.

Look at more of 1 John 4…

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

1 John 4:16

And…

Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. We love each other because He loved us first.

1 John 4:18–19

We, like Princess Buttercup, have a moment when we realize that God’s goodness is always saying, “I love you.” Even when His answer to our prayer is “no,” when I can’t see the good He is doing— with His Spirit’s help, we can respond to His love and say:

“As You wish!”

Finally, knowing we love Him too.

That we love Him and with His Spirit’s help, we can place our hope in His goodness to give us everything we need through today’s circumstances, tomorrow’s anticipations, and eternities promises.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

Romans 5:5

How would it change your prayer life and mine if we lifted “as you wish” trust in God’s goodness and love?

This is my prayer for us today . . . that we might rest in the assurance of His goodness and love, surrendered in faith, and responding with love that trusts God’s will for us always says, “I love you.”

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

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and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

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Are you tired of all of the conflicting messages out there? People all claiming to know the truth but differing in their “facts?” I don’t know about you … but I’ve grown weary of it all!

I need more!

When the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream asking:

“What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

1 Kings 3:5

He replied:

“I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around . . . Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

1 Kings 3:7,9

And the next verse says:

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 

1 Kings 3:10

And I believe He wants you and me to ask for wisdom, too.

I don’t believe He wants us to follow any expert, leader, professional, politician, or celebrity, no matter how popular their opinions and worldly advice, without going to Him first and asking Him to give us wisdom and direction.

Which is why I believe Jesus’ half-brother James wrote:

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. 

James 1:5–6

So I’m going to God’s Word and praying today because the truth is Godly wisdom is found in relationship. Our relationship with God through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

No amount of knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, or insight alone will give us Godly wisdom. Because Godly wisdom is God-given. And it grows by getting to know Him and His will. True Godly wisdom will bless every relationship. 

Our marriages. Our children. Our careers. Our friendships. Our big families. Churches. Communities. Etc.

I’d love for you to pray with me as I ask God to grow my faith and give me the Godly wisdom I’m praying for His help to SEEK and discern the truth and faithfully trust His sovereign grace, mercy, and love for me and “the world He loved so much He gave His one and only Son to save her.” (John 3:16)

I believe you and I can trust Him to give us everything we need each day . . . including Godly wisdom to know the truth.

Verses to Pray When You Need Wisdom to Know the Truth

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.

Psalm 19:7–8

Father, when I am confused, I can trust that Your instructions are perfect and promises are true. Your commands are clear, trustworthy, and beneficial. I can count on the plans You have for me to give me life, strength, insight, and joy.

Lord, please give me wisdom. In a world filled with confusing messages, I need to know what to believe, when to act, and when to wait. I need to know when to speak, and when to be still. Please guide me through Your Word and the power of Your Spirit. Fill my heart and mind with all You want me to know and understand, and grant me all I need to live each day for Your glory.

Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.

Proverbs 19:20

Father, the world shouts and Your Spirit whispers. The wise counsel of Solomon tells me to get advice and instruction but where I go for that knowledge and direction will determine the paths of my life.

Please help me, Lord. Give me a hunger and thirst for Your Word and a deep desire to spend time with you in prayer. I love You, Lord, and I trust Your promise that if I SEEK You first, (make You Lord and King of my life , giving You complete control) You will give me everything I need. (Luke 12:31) Thank you, my Creator and my Redeemer.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit, God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:30–31

Father, thank you so very much! As I pray, the words “thank you” hardly seem like enough. You sacrificed everything to buy my freedom from sin, death, and satan’s power. You washed me clean, erasing the grime of my past and giving me the promise of a future filled with hope.

You have given it all to me as a gift. I cannot earn it or pay for it. And the world calls it “foolish.” But You say, “[I] chose the things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.” Because faith and wisdom go hand in hand. Lord, I ask that my faith might be in You alone . . . that I might see through what the world calls “wisdom” and rest in Jesus, the One who is Himself . . . WISDOM.

He has paid a full ransom for His people. He has guaranteed His covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name He has! Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise Him forever!

Psalm 111:9–10

Lord Jesus, You paid the ransom for my sins, and through it, You guaranteed the promise of the Father’s love and healing grace over my life.

Your Word says that fearing You is the beginning of wisdom. Fearing You means … reverence, awe, adoration, honor, and respect. It means to make You my greatest treasure . . . to love You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. And then it tells me that obedience to Your commands will help wisdom grow.

Help me Lord, that I might praise You with my life.

Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.

Psalm 107:43

Father, may we know the truth of history. Not only the history of our country but the history of mankind. Because as I look through the Biblical Account of LIFE, we see Your hand in every word. We see You, the Triune God, at Creation. (Genesis 1:1) We see You in the promise made in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:15) We see You with the Wanderers in the Wilderness. (Exodus-Deuteronomy) And we see You through the Prophets, Priests, and Kings.

But most of all, we see You in Jesus. (John 17:21) The Psalmist wrote: “The godly will see these things and be glad. Those who are wise will take all this to heart …”

By Your grace, may the truth of Your Word go down deep into my heart and give me a foundation of faith and wisdom that lasts forever. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Solomon wrote the following in the final chapter of Ecclesiastes:

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

If you and I want wisdom to know the TRUTH, we need more than knowledge. We even need more than knowledge about God. We need to live in relationship with Him. We need to fear, love, trust, and obey Him because He is the source of wisdom and truth!

J. I. Packer wrote:

Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty. acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.

May you and I have the wisdom to know the Truth by humbly surrendering ourselves to the One who is truth. Allowing Him to show us the Way and the Truth as He guides us through Life!

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Are you an adventurer … someone who’s forever chasing after your next “new” and “exciting” product and experience? Or…

Are you a fan of the status quo … someone who is still using the same skin care products you used in high school and heading to the same vacation destination every single year. 

The truth is, no matter how badly you and I want something to last—nothing stays the same! And that can be thrilling and exciting if we’re heading toward something we want. But if we’re not, it can be upsetting. Just the thought of unpleasant and unwanted changes can give us sleepless nights and distracted days. 

It’s easy to get caught on the hamster wheel of fear and worry, isn’t it? All you have to do is turn on the news or scroll through social media to find plenty of things to challenge your peace of heart and mind.

It’s really not surprising, worry is fear’s counterpart . . . I know, I spent decades living in fear smothered by worry.

There were lesser concerns like my fear of spiders, heights, and flying; and bigger more global issues like riots, wars, and terrorism.

But my greatest worries and fears were always related to something terrible happening to one of my loves or to me. I worried about any and all kinds of unknown dangers.

Even though I knew most of the things I worried about were beyond my control, I would still end up wide awake staring at the ceiling in the middle of the night. And that’s what we fear most, isn’t it? The fear of having to live through some crisis that we can’t control. Fear gives in to worry when you and I feel helpless.

Thankfully, God helped me realize a difficult truth!

That I was going to deny myself and my family the blessing of a joy-filled wife and mom if I continuously focused on things that frightened and worried me.

It was time to make some changes…

Because the truth is—Bad things happen whether I am afraid and worried about them or not.

So, if all my worry can’t change or control the things around me, with God’s help, I needed to change me. 

The Apostle Paul wrote:

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Philippians 4:6–7 (MSG)

And Jesus said:

“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:33–34 (MSG)

I had to change me by changing my focus in times of quiet stillness. In the moments when I was tempted to do my best fear-filled worrying.

When I:

• focused on the problem or potential problem, not on God.
• failed to surrender my concerns to God in prayer.
• believed the enemy’s lie that I couldn’t trust God to be greater than my fear and that I couldn’t trust Him to give me what I needed if something I feared actually happened.

You see, the bottom line is that – worry is a faith and trust issue!

Trust the God Who Never Changes with Your Fear

If I wanted freedom from fear and worry I had to trust God to be greater than anything I feared. 

So, in the quiet and stillness I prayed.

“Lord, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Mark 9:24

And God reminded me of the countless ways He had helped me in the past and of His promises. It didn’t happen overnight but gradually as I turned to Him again and again, my faith became trust and I began to truly KNOW that…

He alone is God – Father. Son. Spirit. – He is Sovereign. Creator. Redeemer. And Advocate/Helper.

“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be.”

Isaiah 43:10

He is able – there is nothing too big for Him to handle or too small for Him to care and nothing ever happens outside of His ability to use it for my good and His glory.

[I] 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

He is loving, caring, and compassionate – there is nothing I can tell Him that He will ever reject, laugh at, share with anyone else, or use against me because, through Jesus, I am His child.

Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

Ephesians 3:18 (TPT)

I KNOW I can trust the Lord and you can trust God with your fear, too.

When He says:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

You and I can trust Him to keep His promises.

So, I want to invite you to return to the quiet and stillness often. Give your fear and worries to the God who loves you and is able to give you everything you need.

Take a moment today and honestly write your worries and fears down on paper. Name them. Face them. And then surrender them to the Lord. Tell Him you can trust Him to give you the strength and courage you need.

A Prayer to Let Go of Fear and Worry

Father, Life is hard. Bad things happen. People get sick. Relationships end. Loved ones die. It’s so easy for me to become worried and afraid about the future. About tomorrow. About later today. 

Your Word tells me not to worry, not to feel discouraged, and not to be afraid. I want that. I want bold courageous faith. I want to live without fear and worry. I want to fully experience Your perfect peace.

Please forgive me. Forgive my doubt and lack of trust.

I need Your help.

I need You.

Fill me with Your truth. Help me know and feel Your loving presence. Help me focus on You and not on the things that frighten and worry me.

I surrender my fear of __________ to You and lean on the promises found in Your Word. Promises that tell me:

• You are with me. Isaiah 43:5
• You call me Your child. 1 John 3:1
• Your love never fails. John 1:17
• Nothing can separate me from Your love. Romans 8:38
• Your love is deep, high, and wide. Ephesians 3:18
• You keep me safe. Proverbs 18:10
• You can make me strong and courageous. Joshua 10:25
• You will fill me with joy and peace. Romans 15:13

Father, Thank you. You have given me everything I need to live without fear. Forgive me for doubting You. Forgive me for the times I’ve questioned Your love or Your ability. I’m sorry.

Help me faithfully hold Your promises close to my heart and mind.

I will come to You when I am afraid. I will be still in Your presence. Because I want to know You as You really are. Not who I think You are. Not who others say You are. Not who I want You to be. I want to love and trust you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

With Your help, I will trust You.

You are my Strength, my Courage, my Hope. You are Lord of all. You are my Lord and my Redeemer. You are my Deliverer. I don’t need to be worried or afraid because You are with me. Thanks and Praise in Jesus name. Amen.

One more thing…

Take that paper with your list of fears and worries to the shredder or burn it. You’ve given it to God who is able. He is unchanging; the same yesterday, today, and forever. He loves you and He is with you. You can trust God with your fear.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Even with all the chaos and confusion, it’s a blessing to grow up and live in the United States.

Oh, I know we’re full of conflict and our list of things we could do better is long . . . but friends, at this point, we are free!

I looked up the Bill of Rights for a list of freedoms we enjoy. It’s really awesome!

FREEDOMS IN AMERICA

• Freedom of Religion
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of the Press
• Freedom of Assembly
• Freedom of Petition

And I for one, don’t want to lose those Freedoms.

Throughout Scripture, there are countless accounts of nations and leaders all with the same message.

♥ In successful nations, the people honored and trusted God and intentionally made every effort to follow His commands.

♥ They prayed and asked God’s to forgive their failures and asked Him to help them commit to following Him in obedience in the future.

They Prayed! They trusted and obeyed God’s will!

So, as you and I celebrate the freedoms we enjoy this weekend and as we begin to prepare to vote for our nation’s leaders in the fall, I thought it might be a really good time to pray, asking God for His forgiveness, His healing, and His help!

Because I believe this is a critical time to Pray for America!

7 Verses You Need to Pray for America Now

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1–4

Father, I lift up our country to You. We need You. We’ve always needed You but right now at this moment, it feels like we need You more than ever. You want so much more for our nation than we are experiencing at the moment. Please help us.

Thank you for those who are willing to serve our nation … whether they are elected or appointed, military or local law enforcement. Lord, please place Your hand of protection over them. Guide and help them wherever they serve.

Please work in the minds and hearts of those who lead our nation. By the power of Your Spirit, I pray they will know and follow Your will. Please help them look past politics and power and give them hearts to make decisions in line with Your will. Lord, help us! Lead us. Forgive us.

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

2. Chronicles 7:14

Oh Father, forgive us. We have gotten so many things wrong. We don’t love you well. We don’t love each other well. We don’t follow your commands as you want. We judge the behavior of others and make excuses for our own. We don’t value Your creation and fail to protect the unborn “least of these.” We need You. We Need Jesus. We need Your Spirit. And most of all we need Your forgiveness and we need to change. Please heal us and help us.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Isaiah 26:3–4

Father, we need Your peace. We need to focus our thoughts on You. We are so quickly distracted by the problems of the world . . . turning to fear and anxiety rather than turning to You. We look to the government to solve our problems rather than falling to our knees in prayer. We seek worldly solutions for spiritual problems. Please forgive us. Please grow our faith. Make us humble and trusting that we might stand in faith on the firm foundation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

Galatians 5:13

Father, please by the power of Your Holy Spirit, help us live in the freedom You give us. You gave Jesus to suffer and die that we might live forgiven and free. We are so very blessed to live in America, a country that was founded for freedom because of Your truths.

But we have not been freed to live in selfishness. We have been freed to love and serve one another. May we live with love for Your glory that the world might KNOW You and Jesus Christ, whom You sent.

May we give thanks and proclaim Your love that the world might know You. (1 Chronicles 16:8) May we praise Your name that the world might know You. (Isaiah 12:5) May we live in unity that the world might know You. (John 17:23)

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:10,12

Father, strengthen us and help us in this spiritual battle. You have given us all we need to fight evil. You have given us Your truth, Your righteousness, and Your peace. You have given us faith, salvation, and the gift of Your Word. You have given us the gift of prayer and the power of Your Spirit. May we SEEK You and Your Kingdom above all else. (Luke 12:31) Father, make us a people whose heart’s desire is to trust and obey Your commands. Give us strength and courage. And help us faithfully run to our war rooms to pray!

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 

James 1:5

Father, please grant us wisdom as we begin to prepare to vote for those who will lead our nation. Wisdom is defined as knowing what is right and true and doing it. We could even say … wisdom is knowing Your will and obeying it.

Father, as Your children we ask that You will guide us to vote according to what we know to be Your will. Help us. Guide us. Grant us Your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Help us honor Your truth about the precious value of every life born and unborn. (Acts 17:25) Help us love as You love us. (John 13:34–35) Give us humble, sincere, and trusting child-like faith. (Matthew 18:3) And make us compassionate, forgiving, and giving. (Luke 6:36–38) Fill us with wisdom by Your grace and the power of Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

May the nations praise You, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise You. Let the whole world sing for joy, because You govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world. 

Psalm 67:3–4

May Your people praise You, O Lord. May we lift up Your name and boldly proclaim all You have done for us. Through Jesus, You have given us Your gift of saving grace. Through Your Spirit, You have given us faith. Through Your love, You give us everything we need now and eternally.

You are sovereign. You rule the nations and all things happen by Your power and for Your glory. May we sing Your praise with joy and without fear trusting that You are always with us covering us with Your perfect grace, mercy, and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friends, there are so many more things we could pray for America.

I hope these prayers will encourage you to take your own needs and your concerns to the Lord in prayer.

And most importantly, I pray that God will transform us all and fill us with His love because His “love covers a multitude of sins.”

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

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I’m asking God to bless you today!

I prayed until my knees were raw. Day after day, week after week and months led to years and the wait never seemed to end.

I imagine you’ve experienced a time when you have had to wait on God too. Maybe your going through one of those times right now.

Your heart longs for:

• A job.
• A child.
• A restored relationship.
• A spouse.
• A home.
• A ___________.

But one of the problems with long waits is that too often we fall for the enemy’s “what if” taunts.

What if I never get pregnant?
What if I never get hired?
What if I never get married?
What if I never get out of debt?
What if..?

Rev and I have prayed and waited and waited and prayed more times than I can count. Some situations were easier than others. Some of those times we waited well and other times not so much.

Thankfully, God’s patience with us doesn’t depend on our ability to wait on Him.

When God makes you wait, He will always meet every need in His perfect timing. I believe He always has and I trust He always will.

I will admit, however; that through our experiences, I have learned a few things about waiting on God. Some from my ridiculously bad behavior . . . so, let me start with some of the things NOT to do when you have to wait on God.

4 Things to Avoid When God Makes You Wait

• Don’t Panic – I’ve let fear whisper never and tell me that God’s wait is a no. But the truth is, God is able to give us what we need today. With His help, we can embrace His powerful hard to understand peace and trust His perfect timing.
• Don’t Pout – I don’t know about you but I’ve been known to throw a good pouting pity party when I don’t get my way and it isn’t pretty! And pouting never changed a thing; it just made me miserable and it made the people around me miserable, too!
• Don’t Plot – After I’ve panicked and pouted . . . I have on occasion started to plot and strategize. Also known as, impatiently manipulating and forcing the circumstances to get what I want.
• Don’t be a Pitiful Promiser – And if none of that worked, I’d take my self-pity up a notch and add all kinds of “promises” to try to get God to end my waiting. The problem was it was all about my will . . . not His!

Unfortunately, the end result of all my panicking, pouting, plotting, and pitiful promises rarely if ever turned out well. Living outside of God’s will and timing rarely does. Stubbornly fighting for our own selfish desires is never a plan for long-term peace and joy . . . and it also makes us unpleasant to live with and ruins our witness.

Whew! There has to be a better way to live when God makes you wait.

I love this quote by Wayne Stiles in his book, Waiting on God: What to Do When God Does Nothing.

“Waiting is a very active part of living. Waiting on God, if we do it correctly, is anything but passive. Waiting works its way out in very deliberate actions, very intentionally searching the Scriptures and praying, intense moments of humility, and self-realization of our finiteness. With the waiting comes learning. I can’t think of much I’ve learned that’s positive from the times I’ve plowed ahead without waiting on God.”

Helpful Things that will Bless You When God Makes You Wait

1. Be still and know – Don’t doubt. Don’t listen to the enemy’s what-ifs and nevers, but keep trusting . . . completely surrendered to the One who is working everything for good in His children’s lives.

God says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be praised in all the nations; I will be praised throughout the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

2. Be willing and faithful – Do what God wants you to do today. Serve Him. Help and encourage others. When you and I are busy helping others, we automatically spend less time thinking about ourselves. It can encourage us to know we’re not the only ones going through s difficult time and encourages them to our faith, hope, love, peace, and joy when we could be whiny, cranky, and pouty.

So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:!6

3. Be prepared and expect further orders – Keep growing in faith and live with hope. You and I are eternal people. This is not the end. It’s never the end. God has promised to guide us and give us the courage, strength, and patience we need each day while we endure the wait.

Happy are those who listen to me, watching at my door every day, waiting at my open doorway.

Proverbs 8:34

4. Be patiently focused on the good and lovely – This is the hardest one for me. So, I do my best to limit the amount of time I allow myself to be anxious and upset. I use something I like to call “sadness appointments.” (I set aside 15 to 30 minutes a day to cry, cry out, and generally be miserable if I need it and then I intentionally make every effort to focus on my blessings.) That is how I named my site Counting My Blessings. I was going through a very painful time and needed a specific way to hold myself accountable to focusing on the good things God was doing in my life … even in the midst of the pain.

Give “sadness appointments” a try and let me know how it goes for you.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8

5. Be attentive and listen for God’s voice – Read God’s Word and learn His promises. Let Him hold you close and remind you of His love for you. Let Him encourage you with hope and give you His peace.

A huge event God used to help me heal during the painful time I mentioned above, was the moment when He quietly whispered to my heart, “you have no idea how I’ve protected you.” I was flattened. What I thought was the worst God had used to protect me from what He knew really was the worst.

He promises that He will never leave, that He will hold us and give us everything we need each day.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.

I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.

John 14:16, Isaiah 41:10, and Luke 12:31

6. Be a Prayer Warrior – P.R.A.Y = Praise. Repent. Ask. And Yield!

Praise and thank God for who He is and all He does. Repent of your panic, pouting, plotting, and pitiful promises. Ask Him to graciously meet this need as He has done so often in the past. And then Yield . . . remember He loves you and it’s His desire to work all things for your good and His glory.  Pray and surrender your circumstances to Him in faith.

Like Jesus, you can pray…

“Father, Not my will, but Yours be done.” Amen.

And tell Him you trust His plans for you.

I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

I’ll admit it’s not easy. No, I’ll admit . . . it’s really hard.

But it’s best. It’s God’s best. And I want God’s best, don’t you?

Because His best for us includes teaching us that we can lean into Him in faith, trusting His perfect will and promises. And sometimes that means making us wait.

And finally, I love this quote by Charles Spurgeon:

If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

I’ve been challenged on social media lately to defend my view of the idealogy that science is based on facts and faith is based on feelings.

The truth is . . . the Bible is a book of facts that have withstood the test of time.

1. Archeological finds support the historical details of the Bible.
2. Historians confirm what the Bible wrote about Jesus.
3. The Bible tells scientific truths only discovered years later.
4. Jesus fulfilled over 300 Old Testament Prophecies.
5. The disciples went from fear-filled flee-ers at Jesus arrest to unwavering proclaimers of faith – many of whom died for the message of the resurrected Christ. (Why would they die for a lie?)

I also believe the truth of the Bible because…

The Bible was written:

• over a 1500 year span (from 1400 B.C to A.D. 100)
• over 40 generations
• over 40 authors from many walks of life (i.e. – kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars)
• in different places (i.e. – wilderness, dungeon, palaces)
• at different times (i.e. – war, peace)
• in different moods (i.e. – heights of joy, depths of despair)
• on three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe)
• in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek)

And yet, it contains one message … one truth from Genesis through Revelation.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 3:16–17

Today, I’m going to God and I’m asking Him to work in our hearts and minds that we might be SEEKERS of the Truth.

Jesus’ truth that is able to set us free.

Simple Prayers for Seekers of the Truth

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31–32

Father, Please give me unshakable faith . . . faith that will help me carefully and consistently follow Jesus’ commands to love. I want my life to testify to the truth that I love You completely. I want to love others the way You want me to love them—the way Jesus demonstrated.

Jesus is TRUTH! He is the source of truth and the standard for truth. He freed us from satan’s lies once for all time. By Your grace and with Your help, I will trust and obey.

Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You.

Psalm 25:5

Lord, the world is full of messages that contradict Your Word. The enemy uses so-called “scholars” to stir up doubt and division. Messages that make us slaves to sin and leave us heartbroken and hopeless.

Make me a SEEKER of the TRUTH. I want the hope, courage, and strength of Your apostles. I want to follow where You lead me, secure in Your saving grace and blessed with Your peace. I want to trust and faithfully obey Your commands. Please lead me. Teach me. Help me.

So I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke 11:9—10

Lord, I am asking You to increase my faith. Too often, I can relate to the father who said to You, “I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) This life can be hard. It wears me out sometimes. So, I ask that You will help me overcome doubt and give me the assurance that every word You said is true!

Make me a life-long SEEKER. You promised, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.” (Luke 12:31) Keep me in Your Word and prayer that I might seek You and love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

And help me to be persistent and bold in prayer, turning to You for wisdom, strength, peace, understanding, love, and everything I need. For Your grace is sufficient for my every need. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory.

2 Corinthians 1:20

Thank you, Father. You promised a Savior Messiah and sent Jesus. You gave details about Him to the Prophets of old and fulfilled them all in His birth, life, death, and resurrection. He is our “Amen” for all eternity.

Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me, has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) John also wrote, “In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Your Spirit inspired John to write words that would help us know that Jesus was at creation (John 1:4) and at redemption’s sacrifice on the cross (John 19:30). That He is risen from the dead (John 20:26–27) and that He will return again. (John 14:1–3)

Please help me faithfully study Your Word as every page points to Your loving grace . . . every page points to Jesus the “Yes” and Amen.”

“The Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6)

The very essence of Your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.

Psalm 119:160

Lord God, You are perfect absolute TRUTH! And by Your grace, You want me to know and trust You.

When the enemy tempts and taunts me . . . lead me to the truth. When the world lies . . . lead me to the truth. When I’m overwhelmed . . . lead me to the truth. When my heart is broken . . . lead me to the truth. When I’m my body is ill or my finances depleted . . . lead me to the truth. When the society around me is in chaos and confusion . . . lead me to the truth.

Help me focus on Jesus’ words, “I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” John 18:37

I can trust You today, tomorrow, forever and always. Remain in me by the power of Your Spirit, that I might be a faithful SEEKER of the TRUTH. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Something for Seekers of the Truth to Think About

Friend, I believe you and I are blessed to live at a time when science has revealed much about the world in which we live. However, we must be aware that scientists are constantly changing their minds . . . giving us new “facts” that alter the “truth.”

One quick example is the data telling us that non-fat foods were healthier than eating foods in their natural fatty state. Today, those processed foods are considered far less healthy than those that were discouraged just a few years ago. The only explanation that makes sense is that the “truth” of science is constantly “growing and changing.”

You and I need truth we can count on…

God’s unchanging TRUTH. Truth that is true at all times and in all places, no matter what the circumstances . . . it is lasting and reliable.

I will leave you with one last word of promise and truth. May you be blessed and encouraged. May you and I be a SEEKERS of the TRUTH!

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind. So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

Hebrews 6:17–19

Jesus the Way, Truth, and Life is our refuge. He is the hope that is the trustworthy anchor for our souls.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

When I was a little girl, a look of disappointment or disapproval was the only thing my parents or teachers needed to do to change my attitude and behavior.

Yep, I am a firstborn people-pleaser!

Even as a teen and young adult, I carefully evaluated my words and actions and did what I could to avoid any and all choices that had potentially negative consequences.

Looking back, I think most of my friends thought I was boring.

I guess I was.

For the most part, it worked for me.

Except for the fact that fear makes a lousy motivator and it’s impossible to live free when we’re bound by fear.

My story would be easier to tell if I could say that it was my desire to honor and glorify God by obeying His commands and following His will that inspired me. But…

The enemy is a great deceiver. He loves to find anything he can to get God’s children to doubt their Father’s love, care, and provision.

For me, it all started with my heart’s desire.

The Bible says,

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 34:7

I’m a pastor’s wife, teacher, student of the Bible, and I’ve always believed in Jesus as my Savior . . . doesn’t that equal “delighting” in the Lord?

Why wasn’t God giving me the desire of my heart?

Maybe you can relate.

You’ve prayed and waited for:

• a spouse
• a child
• healing
• a job
• a home
• friends
• etc.

And like me, maybe it’s been a year, two, five . . . or longer, and your heart is crying as the wait continues.

That’s when the enemy approached me through the words of a friend.

“You’re not fun anymore.”
“God’s not going to…”
“You need to…”

Words I desperately wanted to hear … so, like Eve, I grabbed hold of that fruit and took a big ol’ bite!

But unlike Eve, I didn’t pay the consequences right away.

I got what I wanted. My prayers were answered and life seemed perfect!

I even convinced myself that my actions were all part of God’s plan for me and for my family.

But then the perfect crashed and burned.

I’m not going to share the details of our story with you, they’re not really important. What is important is the way God used it all to work a miracle in my life and teach me the truth about His forgiveness and love. He offered me the grace I needed to live free!

The Vision that Changed it All.

God allowed me to see myself standing at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the center of the Garden. I heard Satan’s hissed words, “Did God really say?” And I believed his lie that God’s “no” was not out of love but because He was holding out on me.

My inner “good girl” flattened. There I was with a half-eaten piece of fruit in my hand, humbled, broken, hurting, and in need of forgiveness. I’d always known I was a sinner but I guess in reality I’d never thought of myself as being that bad.

Suddenly I realized what a poor miserable unworthy sinner I was and all I could say was…

“Father, please forgive me!”

And the Lord, so rich in love, grace, and mercy, led me with apple in hand to the foot of the cross.

If we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.

1 John 1:9

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 7:48

But with You there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve You.

Psalm 130:4

I have tears in my eyes as I type this. I’m so overwhelmed by God’s undeserved grace offered in and through Jesus.

My inner “good girl” was full of self-righteousness but in a moment I became a humbly forgiven “redeemed girl” … surrendered and able to live free.

Free of the past failures and free of fear disappointment and disapproval in the future.

God’s grace really is enough.

He said to me, “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can live in me. For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 (NCV)

Friend, whatever past regrets or problems you’re dealing with today . . . God’s grace is enough. It’s enough to forgive you, enough to give you courage and strength, and enough to give you freedom as you do your best to live for His glory.

Satan will still tempt us. He will still lie and do whatever he can to deafeat us…

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.

John 10:10a

His message has been the same since the Garden, but there’s Good News…

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10b

We have the Good News that God’s promises are forever and always greater than the enemy’s lies.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 3:16–17

Jesus has defeated that lying cheating enemy!

So, everyone…

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 3:23

Can be forgiven.

Then He [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And He said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'”

Luke 24:45–47

I love the following quote…

“To win the war against fear, we must know the true God as He is revealed in the Bible. He works to give us lasting peace. He receives joy, not from condemning us but in rescuing us from the devil. Yes, the Lord will bring conviction to our hearts concerning sin, but it is so He can deliver us from sin’s power and consequences. In its place, the Lord works to establish healing, forgiveness, and peace.” ~ Francis Frangipane

How to Reject the “Good Girl” Lie and Live Free

1. Know that satan is always at work tempting you to doubt God’s love and saving grace. He will lie to you to steal the truth, kill your faith, and destroy your relationship with the Lord.
2. Accept the truth that you have taken a bite of the fruit satan offered but God is faithfully inviting you to carry it to the foot of the cross. He longs to forgive and give you everything you need to live for His glory.
3. Live confident that you are forgiven and free to live no longer a slave to satan’s lies of guilt from a broken past but released to use your new life for God’s glory without fear of the future.

Although the enemy is relentless he is defeated. Jesus won the victory and by His grace you and I can reject his lies and live … forgiven and free.

So, from one surrendered and redeemed “good girl” (or “good boy”) to another! Stop today and celebrate God’s grace, remember His immeasurable love, and live FREE!

So if the Son makes you free, you will be truly free.

And

We have freedom now because Christ made us free. So stand strong. Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law.

John 8:36, Galatians 5:1 (NCV)

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!