Nov 25
Today’s Truth
This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him (Psalm 91:2 NLT).
Friend to Friend
While at my son Preston’s football game, I had a moving conversation with another team mom. It was the first time we’d ever connected beyond socially expected niceties. Between cheers that went up to our football-playing boys, she stumbled upon the fact that I was a Jesus-loving girl and was excited to share about how God has intimately drawn her heart to his over the past five years… how He met her where she was and ministered to her through the hands of others. How He sparked life into her soul through His Son Jesus Christ.
She was radiant and she spoke with excitement, joy in every sentence, praise on her tongue for the God who gives her strength and life. This dear lady opened her heart and told me of her grueling battle with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
She was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 35 – as a wife and mother to three small children. Initially, she was angry with God for allowing a disease to ravage her body, furious that her husband and children might have to live without her. Though she fought to understand the “why” of it all, she confidently testifies that God used the pain-filled journey on the broken road of cancer to lead her to saving Grace. She’s now grateful for the broken way that God breathed new life into her soul as she battled death in her body.
As she spoke, the troubles of my life faded to a humble corner of my heart.
Her words reminded me that God really can and should be glorified through each hard place we find ourselves in.
I was freshly reminded to trust God.
“This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him” (Psalm 91:2 NLT).
Life is filled with challenges.
The struggles we endure often leave our hearts breaking and our minds aching for reprieve.
In times like these, I treasure the truths in Psalm 91. The Lord is our refuge. He is our protector, our safety, our fortress.
We can rest in the shadow of His presence.
We can trust Him.
No matter what.
I’ve not personally battled cancer, but I have experienced my fair share of times when I’ve been crushed by circumstances that are beyond my control … just like my football-mom friend. As a wife, mother, daughter, and friend, I’ve learned that hard times are inevitable, and they hurt.
Toward the end of our conversation about her cancer and faith, my new friend confided that fear still tries to invade her days. She said that she constantly has to choose faith and to trust God instead of dwelling on the possibilities of another future diagnosis.
Everyone doubts at times.
We all fail to trust.
But Scripture assures us that even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. As we walk broken paths that challenge our faith, the truth remains that God does deliver in and through the pain. Though there are struggles that we might take to the grave with us, God is still good, and each hard place we face is an opportunity for Jesus to show His power in and through our lives.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, I’m sorry for the times I’ve tried to navigate the broken paths of life on my own. When my heart is heavy with burdens, please give me Your strength and remind my soul to trust You. I need Your guidance and power today.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
When in your life has God led you through an intense challenge? What would it look like for you to trust that He can and will make a way for your broken paths to be made straight today?
Let’s pray together today. Meet us in the comments section to share your heart and pray for one another.
More from the Girlfriends
Today’s GiG devotion is adapted from Trusting God by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland by permission of Multnomah, division of Random House, Inc.
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Dear God,
Today I choose to trust you in every trail and every situation,father I will. Or doubt but I will trust and wait. I love you Lord and no that you will never leave me nor forsake me, I believe you God, Amen🙌🏽👏🏽🙏🏽
Lord,
Lead me through yet another challenge. This time it’s a health challenge. I pray that You will keep me strong and faithfully trusting in You. You are in control. I don’t need to know the end result because You already do. Thank you. I’m feeling calmer. Please keep me safe and healthy as we travel home today, and as I head to my home tomorrow.
Amen
Dear Father, Thank you for all your blessings that you have given.
You know every desire of our hearts. First, we want to praise you for all that you have done for us.
Bless the girlfriendsingod writers for their continued faithfulness to those of us that come together for healing and inspiration each day.
Lord, hear Anne’s gentle prayer of praise, and I’m going to hold (Psalm 130:5)onto Your promise ” I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and His Word I put my hope.” as my prayer today.
Dear Lord,
Please equip my son with spiritual strength, wisdom and courage as he navigates through his separation and divorce. Send the Holy Spirit to fill his heart and home and to cast out the demons that try to fill him with doubt, fear, remorse and despair. Send people who will help him , guide him, inspire him and accompany him on his journey. Turn his face to Yoh that he may see Your love and mercy.
In Jesus name, amen
Lord, I pray that my son will come back to you and to us. Not hearing his voice for 4 years and not only leaving us but forsaking You is breaking my heart.
Father,
I come to you in the name of Jesus, grateful! I thank you for all that you’re doing in my life. What you have done and what you’re planning to do. Father as we walk through this anxiety struggle, I know you’re with me. It is my desire to be made whole. I know you said in your word “you will not leave me nor forsake me” that you are there! In Psalm 139:7-8 “ Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven you are there. If I make my bed in hell you are there.”
God I thank you for being there! I pray for my sisters who have left comments and those who wanted to leave comments but didn’t, that you would be there for them in their struggles and challenges. I pray you heal where healing is needed, You comfort where comfort is needed and set free those who are bound! Thank you Father for being a faithful God!!
In Jesus’ name I pray!
Amen
I really this devotion today, I am battling breast cancer and scheduled for surgery on the 30th. It is has been over 9 years since my first surgery. I am trusting God but my faith wavers at times, I have to remind my self that God is in control. My hope is in God. Thank you for this devotion today.
I am battling Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I am waiting to start a new medication that we are trying to get financial help for because it is very expensive. I should have started almost 10 days ago, but we are not getting any answers on the finance end of it. I have to fight not trying to take control of this situation and let it play out in God’s timing. I struggle with feeling like I am in limbo. I know God’s timing is perfect.
Oh, Sherri. How frustrating. I’m sorry to hear this. You are right to lean into the beautiful promise of God’s faithfulness, goodness and gracious love for His own. He is with you and for you… and can be trusted. Praying for you now.
Blessings and love,
GWEN
Lord, we come to you asking you to comfort and strengthen Jackie. Give her your peace and touch her with your healing hand. Help her to feel your presence and your love.
We ask this in Jesus name.
Amen
I have struggled with a digestive disorder that is scary for me. The weight I struggle to keep on and I diligently seek God to heal me, to keep the fear away of the unknown and to strengthen me but it gets hard some days. I realize it’s not the end goal of Him healing me but it’s the work He’s doing during this. I need prayer. I just had a baby and God had provided a husband last year. This is what I prayed for for so long until he did provide what my heart desired. I have a daughter that’s 7 and I’m the main care giver to her. I sometimes question if I will be here for long. These daily emails are perfect for me and seem to touch on the things that plague my mind and ease my thoughts. This is the biggest struggle I’ve ever had and a consistent one. This is 7 years of this battle. It gets so exhausting but God keeps me going! I don’t know how sometimes but he does. Please pray for strength and healing for me. I’m tired of being afraid of what may come next. I love God and have been grateful for struggles to build that close relationship with him but I get mad at myself for failing to believe sometimes that he even hears me or cares. I know he does but this is hard for me. Thank you for whomever reads this and prays for me. I appreciate any prayer.
My husband has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I thank the Lord for his faithfulness and protection through this. Thank you Lord for all your blessings on me & my family. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our daughter, who we hadn’t seen in a year. I struggle with hopelessness at times & depression, but I trust you that you are working all things for good. Help us Lord to depend on you, when it feels impossible. We love you Lord. Amen. Thank you GIG!