November 12
Look at the nations, and see! Be astonished! Be astounded! For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5
Even when we stop to look and see what God is doing in our lives we can scarcely begin to comprehend all that is taking place. God’s care for us is so deep. God’s love for us is so unconditional. God’s grace for us is so constant. God’s desire for our healing is so strong. But when we make it a practice to mindfully recount the care, love and grace we receive on a daily basis, we begin to heal – emotionally, mentally and spiritually, which only promotes our physical healing. While in this life we can never fully know God’s awesome power, we can certainly catch glimpses. And those glimpses can inspire us to see wonders and possibilities that we’ve never seen before.
Every time I stop to look at your work on my behalf I am amazed. O Lord, I can barely name what you do for me. I can rarely express how generous you are. I pray my wordlessness can still speak my gratitude for you. Amen.
November 13
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12
We have a choice. We can affect a demeanor that is angry, bitter, distrusting, cynical, arrogant or selfish. But that choice will not give us abiding peace. It will not bring us satisfying love. It will not generate hope. It is not a choice that promotes healing. The other choice is laid out for us in the passage above. It is the better choice, the choice that creates the fertile atmosphere in which health is renewed and restored. Look at your attitude and ask yourself about the atmosphere you have created around you. Is it rich and nourishing or is it depleting and empty? You have the choice to make it positive and joyful in countless ways.
The more I place my mind and actions in your care, the more I feel your presence and power, O God. My prayer today is to remember how you act toward me. It is a balm that soothes and uplifts my soul. I hope it is reflected in my daily life. Amen.
November 14
I am weary with my moaning;…
Psalm 6:6a
There is no doubt that some days just simply take everything out of us. On those days there is nothing good to say, nothing to look forward to, nothing to hope for. Those days get awfully tiring. They drain us of our energy and often of our hope. When days like those multiply without much or any relief, our discouragement and doubt multiply too. Sometimes we just have to acknowledge where we are, that our spirits and our outlook are bleak. Sometimes it is healing in its own special way to communicate to God how tired and frustrated and frightened we are. Because God understands. And God can help us to find the way to relief, rest and refreshment.
I know you, alone, can take all my complaints and my dissatisfactions and turn them into something better. So I come to you O God, to take the burdens from me today. Amen.
November 15
If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.
James 1:5
None of us can make this journey on our own. None of us has every answer, knows every nuance or understands every possibility. But God does. And God wants us to receive every answer we need, be aware of every nuance for hopeful living and comprehend every possibility of our healing. There is amazing power in connecting with God to explore the divine and eternal blessings that are offered to us completely, unendingly and without price. We need to remember that we are not alone in this challenge. We must never forget what a friend we have through the gracious love of God.
Thank you, generous God, for offering to me so much more than I realize or know. Thank you for giving to me everything I need to find healing and triumph today - and every day in my life. Amen.
November 16
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,…”
Matthew 5:44
The reminder is necessary and worth continual repeating – forgiveness is an essential part of authentic healing. We must allow the weight to be lifted from our hearts. The burdens we carry only get in the way. It is imperative to put aside the brokenness within us and allow all the pieces of our lives to be put back together again. The road to survival is hard enough to travel. When we lug so much extra baggage along the way, we only hurt ourselves. We hinder the healing that needs to take place. Resolve every day to take stock of the negative weight you carry. Resolve to unburden yourself today.
It’s sometimes the hardest thing I need to do. O God, I need your help to empower my ability to forgive. I ask for the strength to resolve my anger and bitterness, my resentments and grudges today. Amen.
November 17
O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
Psalm 3:1
We are all bombarded by challenges to our well-being. Every day the enemies of health and peace assault us. We confront the forces of pain and feel our strength diminish within us. There are days when it simply overwhelms us. We wonder if we can go on, if the struggle is worth it in the end. Taking our fears and burdens to God is the best thing we can do. Calling out to the One who is already at work equipping us for the challenge enables us to begin summoning the resources to confront the assault and meet it in the most healing way.
It’s very easy to think that everything is going against me some days. I often have trouble seeing beyond that to better days. Help me moment by moment, dear God, to recognize the power you give me to rise above the trouble and to see the hope. Amen.
November 18
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14
An attitude that above all else is based on love is an essential healing component. Love has a positive outlook. Love looks for what is right. Love strives for goodness. Love puts aside bitterness and resentment. Love reaches out in compassion. Love reflects God’s grace. Love kindles hope. Love concerns itself with service. Love listens actively and responds in kindness. Love embraces faith. Love casts aside judgments. Love soothes a troubles soul. Love makes the journey worthwhile. Love is a balm that helps put the pieces back together again.
Creator of Love, help me to allow the love you have for me be a healing presence within me today. I pray that love, which endures all things, will help me to overcome all my worries and concerns. Amen.
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