Psalm 94:18 Devotional for an Unsteady Heart

Your Nightly Prayer

When Your Heart Feels Unsteady
Your Nightly Prayer

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.” - Psalm 94:18

SOMETHING TO PONDER

In John Bunyan’s classic tale, The Pilgrim’s Progress, there is a scene where the main character, a pilgrim named Christian, falls into a mirey bog. Bunyan names this bog “the slough of despond.” This mud-pit is described as a place of fear, doubt, and discouraging apprehension. The Slough of Despond stops Christian in his tracks, making him believe that there is no possible way forward. Stuck in this mud pit of doubt and fear, Christian believes his faith is too weak to change his situation.

Our faith can feel like that, can’t it? Despite our relationship with Jesus and our empowerment by the Holy Spirit, we can find ourselves walking through mud pits of struggle and obstacles, shaky places where we feel that we have no footing. But as tough as the Slough of Despond is, the good news for us is that this isn’t the whole journey. In those places where we feel that our faith seems shaky, God’s gracious love can be found. God provides for us. In Bunyan’s book, the miry bog becomes the very place where Pilgrim learns to rely on the promises of God. Bunyan describes how the promises of God became the very steps upon which he could stand. Standing on those promise steps, Pilgrim could make his way through the bog. Sure, the way forward was hard and slow-going, but the promises of God provided the pathway forward.

Psalm 94 reminds us that when we feel that our feet are slipping, God’s unfailing love supports us. God doesn’t abandon us in our trials or our difficulties. The shaky places of our faith journey do not testify to our lack of resolve or the weakness of our faith. In these times, we can rely on God’s strong and loving presence. God’s unfailing love is spoken over us precisely for those moments when we need to hear those words. God’s love steadies us when our faith feels shaky and unsupported. The times of discouragement, struggle, or despond, therefore, are but moments wherein we learn the strength of God’s eternal word and the constancy of God’s presence.

What promise do you need to stand upon today? God’s promises are sprinkled throughout the entirety of the scriptures, and they extend over every area of your life. So, in whatever way is most beneficial for you, keep God’s promises before you. You may just find that the path through that shaky ground will begin to become steady, and you will begin to walk with Christ in freedom.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Heavenly Father, your promises sustain me. When I feel overwhelmed by the obstacles before me, help me to see your presence guiding me forward. When my faith seems shaky and uneasy, may you give me the strength to stand strong upon your promises. When the fears of my heart stack up, may your consolations cheer my Spirit. For you, O Lord, are wonderful and gracious, and your unfailing love is the light of my life.
I exult you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Father, I glorify you, for your presence is before me, guiding me and leading me. Jesus, I praise you, for you are eternally beside me, standing with me through all experiences in life. O Holy Spirit, I rejoice in you, for you are behind me, sustaining me, empowering me, and holding me up. May my life be filled with the knowledge of your unfailing love, O Lord.
I pray all of this in the name of Jesus, my Savior.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

What promise of scripture do you need to stand upon? Write out that promise and place it on your fridge or mirror so you can read it each day.
When is the last time that your faith has felt ‘shaky’? How did God lead you through that time?
Take some time to think about the Heroes of scripture and how their journey of faith also included times of struggle, unknowingness, and obstacles. Reflect on how God sustained them, and the promise that God will sustain you.

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/m-gucc

The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others. He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.

For the one who is weary without answers. If you’re still showing up and still praying — but starting to wonder if it’s working — this 90-day devotional will meet you right there, with honesty and Scripture in place of easy answers.