A Prayer for Reassurance
By Mary Southerland
“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” - Isaiah 43:2, NLT
In a bookstore, I spotted one of my friends, Carol, who was asking an employee where she could find a new suspense novel that had just been released. The young man quickly handed Carol the book from his personal stash behind the counter and went back to work. I watched a smile spread across Carol’s face as she examined her new treasure while gently turning the book over in her hands and flipping through pages. Carol then did something I absolutely could not believe. She turned to the last several pages of the book and began reading. I could not help myself.
“Okay. I have to confess that I saw you reading the last few pages of the book. Why in the world did you read the ending? Won’t that spoil the story for you?” I asked.
“Not at all,” Carol quickly responded. “Before I buy a book, I always read the ending to make sure I really want that particular book,” she explained.
It was worse than I thought.
Seeing the look of disbelief on my face, she laughed and admitted, “I know. It sounds crazy, but I have to know that everything turns out okay before I commit to reading the book.”
The more I thought about Carol’s words, the more I realize that, as followers of God, we need to do the same. We need to live every minute of every day knowing that no matter what we face, we can truly say, “God’s got it!”
When we focus only on what we can see and understand or explain, we will worry.
Fear and doubt will become familiar companions if we live each day against the backdrop of this broken world and our desperate circumstances. Our only hope is God.
Father, I am tempted to worry about so many things. Our world is a mess! Forgive me for focusing on anything or anyone but You. Thank You for the Bible that equips and empowers me to live each day. Right now, I declare that You are my only Hope. Please help me remember that You really are in control.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Editor’s Note: Content taken from the Girlfriends in God devotional, God’s Got It, written by Mary Southerland. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved.
Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
