Tag: spiritual

Life is Like Enlarging a Fish Pond, Part 2 – Digging

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parablesLeave a comment

The ground was wet and sticky in some places, yet hard and unyielding in other places. I stared at it, panting as I leaned on my shovel. I was used to the sandy soil of where I had spent most of my life, but this red clay was a whole new ball game. Who would have thought digging a hole would be this hard? Or that wet clay sticks to the shovel so tightly? I had been digging for hours, and I was not even halfway done. I wanted to give up. I wanted to walk away. But when I looked at the fish in their outgrown pond, I knew I couldn’t. It would be cruel to leave them as crowded as they are. With a big sigh, I straightened and carefully stepped back into the partially dug out pond extension.

As I dug, Isaiah 29:16 came to mind.

You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

How difficult are we as God digs to mold us into something He can use?

When we gave our lives to Jesus, we gave Him the authority to make us into His image. Little by little we are shaped.

There are places in our lives where He scrapes away just enough to level us. Our weekly quiet time at the beach is replaced with people who need us, balancing our focus on ourselves with focus on others. A change in our job position requires us to seek Him more fervently, balancing our self-sufficiency with need for His help.

But there are times when He digs deep. It is disappointing when we no longer have the physical ability to do the things we love. It hurts when a close friend suddenly moves away. And it’s confusing when He tells you to get rid of all your dragons, including your favorite book series.

How do we respond? Do we resent and fight the changes? Do we hang on tight to what He is trying to remove? Do we grumble and wish for our old lives like the Israelites did? Do we despair because everything feels like a mess? Or do we trust that He knows what He’s doing and that it’s for our good?

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

As we yield time and time again, we may think the process is unending, but there will come a day when it will be complete.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

After several days of digging, I looked down at the hole I had dug. Looking at it filled me with a mixture of satisfying pride and despair. So much had been done. So much more to do. But for now it was time to rest.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Note: I know I may be using these scriptures slightly out of context, but they are valid. We do tend to complain when God is molding us, He does have good plans for us, He will complete the work He has begun in us, and He does promise us rest in Him. Selah.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 16

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Lord, I lift up SIL to you this night as she sleeps. Fill her dreams with Your presence, Your wisdom, and Your guidance. Show her the things she needs to know. Work in her heart as You work out the circumstances in her life that have brought her to this point. Comfort her, encourage her, and give her hope that things will not always be this way.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. Ephesians 1:17-19

Father of glory, please give SIL the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of You, having the eyes of her heart enlightened, that she may know what is the hope to which You have called her, what are the riches of Your glorious inheritance, and what is the immeasurable greatness of Your power in her life and heart, according to the working of Your great might.

In Your Mighty Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 15

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Lord Jesus, King of kings, reign in SIL’s heart. Call her to Yourself. Call her to yield all of herself to You, to place all that is in her, all that she is, and all she hopes to be into Your hands so You can heal her, restore her, and guide her along good paths.

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters .He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort m me. Psalm 23:1-4

Lord, I pray that SIL will allow You to be her shepherd so that all needs will be taken care of. I pray that she follows You as You lead her to green pastures, still waters, and paths of righteousness. Give her the courage to walk despite the darkness she is in. Let Your rod and staff comfort her as You lead her into the light.

In Your Shepherding Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 14

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Thank You, Lord, for the work You are doing in SIL. Thank You for revealing it to me when I got discouraged. I pray that SIL continues to hear You and respond. I pray that You continue calling and strengthening her. I pray Your protection over her as she cooperates with You on her healing. Reveal to her the cause of her pain – the injuries or sin she covers up, so she can release them to You.

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Blessed is the one who transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me, my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:1-5

Lord I pray You bring to light that which is hidden inside SIL.

Have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Matthew 10:26

Give her courage, Lord. Give her the grace she needs to look at herself. It’s hard, Lord, to really look at ourselves. We often don’t like what we see. But we need to from time to time so that we can let go of the bad and allow You to replace it with good. May SIL have the strength she needs to look at the things she needs to let go of or to repent from. May You cover her with Your grace and fill her with Your love.

In Your Merciful Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 13

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Jesus, I can see little signs that You are working in SIL. Thank You. I pray that she will continue to yield to You. Give her the courage to ask You to show her heart to her – that You show her anything in her needing to be addressed.

Prove me, O LORD, and try me, test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes and I walk in your faithfulness. Psalm 26:2-3

Prove SIL, O Lord, and reveal to her what You find. Test her heart and her mind as You help her to see Your steadfast love for her. May she walk this journey with You, knowing and trusting in Your faithfulness as she goes where you lead her. The path to health, maturity, and freedom is not easy or fun. Lord, I pray she inclines her heart toward it anyway. Hold her fast so she feels Your touch as she takes these hard steps.

In Your Steadfast Love,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 12

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Lord, I lift up SIL this morning. Fill her with Your love. Open her eyes to the truth in and around her, to the truth found in You. Give her the grace to see and hear, heal her heart, convict her of sin, and free her from her chains. Shield her from the enemy so that she has the time and space she needs to respond to you. Protect her until she learns to use the shield of faith herself.

He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4

Jesus, I pray that SIL will allow You to cover her with Your pinions and that she will find refuge under Your wings. May she find that Your faithfulness is a shield and buckler to her.

In the Safety of Your Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 11

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Lord, I lift up SIL tonight as she sleeps. Heal her heart. Give her wisdom and insight into what she’s doing and what to do about it. Give her the courage and the strength to see what You show her, and to make the changes she needs to make. Call her and set her into a ministry. Surround her with godly women for companionship and for modeling and mentoring. Set her heart on fire with love for You. Renew her first love for You.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a rightspirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12

Create in SIL a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within her. Let her not feel as if You have cast her away from Your presence for I know You have not done so. Fill her with Your Holy Spirit. Restore to her the joy of Your salvation, and uphold her with a willing spirit.

In Your Cleansing Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 10

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Lord, I pray your mercy and grace on SIL. Open her eyes and help her to release everything to You. Do the things necessary to bring her to maturity. Make her the woman You made her to be.

…So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15

Lord, I pray that SIL will no longer be a child tossed to and fro by waves of impulses and carried about by the winds of self-centeredness, human as well as self-deception, and deflection. Rather, speaking the truth in love, may she grow up in every way into You, who is the head. May she allow You to control her as a head controls its body.

In Your Mighty Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 9

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Jesus, I’m lifting SIL up to You like a child lifts up a broken toy for their father. Fix her, please, from whatever is binding her, whatever is holding her back, whatever is confusing her, blinding her, or lying to her. I pray that she can hear You clearly, see You clearly, know You presence so strongly that she becomes consumed with You and that she puts herself in position to be ministered to by You. Surround her with godly women who will model maturity, and who will pray for and with her.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

Jesus, Your Word says that You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. I ask this for SIL. Heal her heart from what broke it years ago, and bind the wounds that she still has and that are keeping her from enjoying the life You’ve given her.

In Your Tender Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for SIL, Day 6

On By LindaIn prayersLeave a comment

Jesus, Master Healer, Binder of the Brokenhearted, I pray you reveal Yourself to SIL. Your word says You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

I pray you do so now for SIL. I pray that You heal her heart and free her from her past. Unbind her need to think only happy thoughts. Remove her fear of negative emotions. Free her to be who You created her to be. Make her into the woman You call her to be. Manifest Your love within her. Remove the guilt she lives with. Strengthen her to stop doing the things that add to that guilt. Open her eyes to see herself as you see her so she can find strength in your arms as she lets go of all she needs to.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

Proclaim good news to SIL. Proclaim liberty to her for she is being held captive by things unseen. Restore her sight and set her free from the things that are oppressing her. Let this be the year of Your favor on her.

In Your Liberating Name,

Amen.