A Prayer for Courage to Follow Christ Daily
By Heidi Vegh
Bible Reading:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” - Luke 9:23 (NIV)
Listen or Read Below:
Following Jesus takes courage. It is not a one-and-done action. It requires intentionality every single day. We are often faced with challenging circumstances that require us to stand strong and continue to follow Jesus's example. This might involve holding our tongue, standing for truth, forgiving someone, or resisting comparison. These are internal struggles that require us to follow the Holy Spirit's conviction, even when no one else is looking.
Have you ever been caught in a debate or deep conversation over text message (something we should all avoid), and you want to send a haughty, emotional reply, but as you type it out, you feel the Lord saying, “Don’t send that text.”? It is not easy to listen to when we want so badly for our voice to be heard, but having the courage to not hit send is for our own good. It is much better to let it go, surrender, and let God fight our battles than it is to make matters worse.
Following Christ isn’t always dramatic; it is often a quiet, steady yes. Following Jesus is choosing God’s way over our own, even when it is uncomfortable. When we want so badly to walk out our actions in the flesh and act on them, it can get us into trouble. Denying our flesh, striving to live like Jesus, and giving up what we want leads to a life of freedom. The cost of following Jesus is risking being misunderstood, standing alone, or letting go of control. This may feel like suffering when we have to give up our selfish ways, but it is not suffering for the sake of suffering, but for the sake of loving Jesus.
Having the courage to follow Jesus even when it is hard can be a daily struggle, but the closer we become to Jesus, the more we see Him work things out when we surrender and let go of control, the easier it can become to trust Him with the hard things. This is not just when it feels convenient, but every day. Every decision. Every circumstance. It is consistency, not perfection. Jesus walked hard roads, denying his own flesh. God isn't asking something of you that He won't walk with you through; He will strengthen you every time. Each time you obey it builds your faith and give you stregnth for the next opportunity to chose Jesus.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, I am faced with hard decisions, big and small, every day. I long to have the courage to make the right choices in my thoughts, actions, and words. Give me courage to follow your ways and to deny the ways of my flesh and the ways of this world. Please give me the Holy Spirit's conviction as I deal with friends, family, and strangers. Teach me your ways as I read your word, and learn about people in the Bible who lived courageously for you. Help me weed out things in my life that distract me and keep me from following in your ways. Help me to be a light to those around me, being an example of what it looks like to courageously follow you.
Your ways are perfect. Your ways are the truth. I don’t want to live by worldly standards. I don’t want to live in fear of what it might cost me to follow you. You are bigger than anything that I will face, and you will give me the strength for every situation I come across. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me courage. Thank you for giving me your Word of truth to follow. Please bring people into my life to encourage me and convict me with love. Speak louder than the world so that I can recognize your voice and have the strength to listen. Praise you God for your perfect ways and help me to reflect that in my life.
In your precious name we pray, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Boonyachoat
Heidi Vegh is a writer, speaker, and ministry leader living in Western Washington. She is a remarried mother of four, navigating the blended family life after the loss of her first husband to cancer in 2013. She longs to use her writing as a way to encourage others who have experienced loss and guide them on the road to healing. She contributes to her blog found at www.mrsheidivegh.com , sharing stories and devotionals of faith stemming from her loss and healing, mothering, and her blended and complex family. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Creative Writing and English and is working on her first book. Heidi is the Women’s Ministry Director at her local church and has a deep heart for sharing Jesus with women and encouraging them in their faith walk. When she is not writing, she loves to travel, read, craft, and experiment in the kitchen. Visit her Facebook and Instagram (@mrsheidivegh) to learn more.
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