A Prayer When You’re Drained, Weary, and Able to Give Up
By Kelly Balarie
“Brothers and sisters, I don’t contemplate myself but to have taken maintain of it. However one factor I do: Forgetting what’s behind and straining towards what’s forward, I press on towards the objective to win the prize for which God has referred to as me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14
I solid forward, making my method down the sidewalk, not giving a lot consideration to how I used to be strolling. Positive, I knew my buddy wasn’t doing an excellent job at maintaining. And, sure, I knew that you simply shouldn’t look again when speaking, however nonetheless, I stored doing it. My buddy was lollygagging. In the meantime, I used to be chattering, strolling ahead whereas wanting again – and earlier than I knew it – I virtually walked proper right into a telephone pole. This story has in all probability practically occurred a handful of occasions, however the level stays the identical…
We can not successfully stroll ahead whereas wanting again. We can not proceed forward, when peering again to the previous. We can not simply win the prize for which God referred to as us after getting slammed by a pole of defeat. Don’t look again.
Paul mentioned, on this verse, that there’s one factor that he does. Merely, one factor. That’s: “Forgetting what’s behind and straining towards what’s forward.”
The irony right here is that this one factor reads as whether it is two issues:
1. Forgetting what’s behind, and
2. Straining towards what’s forward.
But, these items two issues are, in some ways, one in the identical. You can not overlook one thing with out filling that thoughts house with a brand new thought. Due to this fact, that is one pursuit.
What does this technique of “forget-and-strain” appear to be?
It appears like:
- I overlook my errors and pressure ahead into God’s grace that helps me do a brand new factor on this season.
- I overlook how that individual offended me (by forgiving them) and I pressure towards my highest calling: to like.
- I overlook all of the trauma and pressure towards sharing the teachings I realized with a view to minister to others in traumatic conditions.
Do this train in any state of affairs chances are you’ll end up in.
Say: “I select, at this time, to overlook _____ and I resolve to pressure towards _____.”
This choice to not look again prevents tiredness, weariness or defeat from nipping at your heels. It prevents you from wanting again, when attempting to stroll ahead. It units you as much as not solely to stroll ahead however to look as much as Christ Jesus, God’s guarantees, and the Holy Spirit’s counsel. That is extra highly effective than you seemingly know. There’s a objective to “win the prize,” for which God has referred to as you. There’s His will to meet. There’s a goal to why you have been created. Nobody ever can stroll forward whereas wanting again.
Individuals who get drained and quit are often so centered on what’s going mistaken or what isn’t going proper that they’ll’t see the God who was, is, and is to return. They miss The Nice I Am. As a substitute, they get self-centered, self-focused, and caught in pits of self-pity. They see partitions. They see tight confines. They see lack and restrictions. In fact, I don’t choose pit-dwellers as a result of I’ve been in some large pits, too. I simply lament the wasted time that occurs after we get in these pits, particularly when God calls us greater. Specifically, to be seated with Him within the heavenlies.
Both method, I apply “overlook and pressure.” I overlook time wasted and pressure towards fixing my thoughts on what’s true, honorable, proper, pure, pretty, admirable, praiseworthy, and of fine report. And, as I do – I discover that the pit has an open door, simply main me up and out.
Let’s pray:
Father, I’m caught. I’m caught feeling sorry for myself. I’m caught feeling indignant. I’m drained. I’m weary. I’m worn. I admit elements of me wish to surrender. As Redeemer, will you redeem me and restore me? I would like your assist. Will you strengthen me on the within? I would like your religion. Will you lead me in all of the methods I ought to go? I need you as my Shepherd. You’re my solely hope. I look to you to rescue me at the present time. Give me energy to forgive, to overlook, and to pressure forward in direction of all you’ve got referred to as me to. I wish to do all that you’ve got created me for on this world and to benefit from the prize as I transfer heavenward in Christ Jesus.
In Jesus’ mighty title. Amen.
Picture credit score: ©Getty Photos/lzf
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