Trusting God in Transition Seasons
Your Nightly Prayer
by Jennifer Slattery
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Shortly after my daughter’s wedding, I left her apartment in tears as I processed all the ways our relationship would change. Whereas she’d previously turned to me for comfort and support in times of difficulty, her husband now would need to fill that role. I experienced similar grief and a good deal of angst decades prior when our family moved from Southern California, where we’d developed deep roots, to the Deep South of Louisiana, an area where I felt unknown and alone. Then there was the time my husband left a lucrative, but toxic, career to accept temporary contract work, again, in another state, without either of us knowing where, or when, God might move us next.
Change can feel unsettling. Disorienting. But in those seasons of uncertainty, we can turn to, and trust in, our certain, unchanging, and ever-present God. He sees and understands how difficult our circumstances feel, and speaks comforting truths to our souls, saying, “Don’t fear, child. I’m here with you, now and forever.”
He originally spoke the words in today’s Scripture to a warrior named Joshua, during a time of significant transition. Joshua had spent 40 years prior following a supernaturally empowered leader, Moses, through the wilderness. The man through whom God had liberated his people from 400 years of slavery and oppression in the land of Egypt and led through the wilderness, where they spent four decades learning to rely on and trust in the Lord—through Moses’s Spirit-led leadership.
God’s people experienced a huge transition, but it wasn’t their only one. Soon, they would also cross the Jordan River and into a land known for its abundant agriculture, but also filled with other people groups God’s people had never encountered and, likely, knew little about.
Their entire lives were about to change. The Lord knew and understood all the questions and concerns swirling through their minds and spoke truth upon which they could always stand.
God would remain with them. No matter what they encountered, they could trust that they’d never do so alone.
In the original Hebrew, one could phrase this as, “He will never turn His back on you or relax His grip on your life.”
He says the same to us. He will never leave, abandon, or forsake us. He never lifts His gaze off us, or loosens His loving, protective, and provisional grasp on our lives. He goes before us, clearing unhelpful obstacles and lighting the path before our feet. He guides us with His voice and with gentle nudges of which we might not even be aware. Know this: His ability to lead us is even greater than our ability to hear Him, and He empowers us to embrace every challenge from a place of victory.
Because as Romans 8:37 so clearly proclaims: in all things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your faithful, tender, attentive care. You understand our anxiety, fear, and grief, and every other emotion we experience. You’re not frustrated by our humanity, but neither do you abandon us to it. Instead, you lovingly walk beside us, giving us the wisdom and strength for every season and encounter. You are our ever-present help in times of trouble, our strength in times of weakness, the One who comforts us in our pain, and brings calm to our inner chaos. You have promised to bring good from everything we encounter. Therefore, we can embrace our future, the familiar and the new and unknown, with confidence, knowing that you will remain with us through it all. Remind us of that truth as we drift off to sleep and surround us with Your unconditional and eternal love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. God sees you and your struggles, and He understands how you feel.
2. He remains with you, and with His presence comes power, provision, protection, and peace.
3. He has a good plan for you and the power to bring His plans to pass.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Nikola Jovanovic
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.
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