Category: Weakness

Here, in stillness

Ruth Kirk

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

Here, in stillness,
Here, in silence,
Here, in darkness –
You are light. 

Here, in splendour,
Here, in rapture,
Here, in oneness –
You are truth.

Here, in trouble,
Here, in failure,
Here, in ruin –
You are peace.

Here, in sorrow,
Here, in longing,
Here, in anguish –
You are love.

God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

References

God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).

Dread and distress

Ruth Kirk

You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life (Deuteronomy 28:66; NIV).

In the morning you shall say, “Would that it were evening!” And at evening you shall say, “Would that it were morning!” because of the dread of your heart (Deuteronomy 28:67; LSB).

Lord Jesus,

  • Let’s look after my acute dread and distress together – as if these emotions were a small child we’ve found wandering alone.
  • She’s injured, confused and weak. She’s hungry, thirsty and cold. She’s traumatised, terrified and lost.
  • Let’s do all we can to take care of her, whilst waiting patiently for her to trust us, and to let us help her.
  • Let’s offer her consistent comfort and protection; understanding, healing and love.
  • Let’s make room for her to be just as she is, listening to all she has to teach us. Then, let’s do the same for everyone we encounter in our daily shared life.

Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children” (Luke 18:16; NLT).

No home

Ruth Kirk

Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68; NIV).

Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them (John 4:23; NIV).

Lord,
I have no home
But you;
No congregation
Kind and true;
No parents,
And no resting-place;
No refuge here
Except your grace.

Lord,
I have no goal
But you;
No hope that drugs
Can make me new;
No fellows,
Nowhere to belong;
I am so weak
But you are strong.

Lord,
I have no way
But you;
My Shepherd, friend,
And teacher, too;
My source, my birth,
My soul, my breath:
You are my God
In life and death.

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

References

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).

He himself gives life and breath to everything (Acts 17:25; NLT).

Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand! (Deuteronomy 32:39; NLT).

Patient endurance

Ruth Kirk

We are all fragile, fallible, and mortal. Today, in prayer, I saw clearly that the purpose of life is to face its inevitable challenges, sorrows, and sufferings, learning to accept and endure them as patiently as we can, while still loving and serving Jesus in others. This was Christ’s mission, and it is ours as well, for Jesus is resurrected in us all.

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

So here is today’s prayer:

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT).

You make us,
You see us,
And hear us.

You know us,
You guide us,
And help us.

You feed us,
You love us,
And hold us.

You wound us,
You teach us,
And heal us.

Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand! (Deuteronomy 32:39; NLT).

References

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher (Isaiah 30:20; RSV).

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5; NLT).

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (Hebrews 10:36; NLT).

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4; NLT).

Remember

Ruth Kirk

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation (Luke 11:4; NLT).

Always ask for God’s forgiveness –
And
Remember to absolve
Yourself,
And all who hurt you.

Always ask for God’s assistance –
And
Remember to support
Yourself,
And all in need.

Always ask for God’s compassion –
And
Remember to console
Yourself,
And all who suffer.

Always ask for God’s protection –
And
Remember to defend
Yourself,
And all the weak.

Always ask for God’s redemption –
And
Remember to release
Yourself,
And all in chains.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1; NIV).

Following Christ

Ruth Kirk

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

These words remind us that following Jesus calls for inner transformation, rather than external devotion. The heart of the gospel is radical, self-giving love, so following Christ means learning to live like him, by:

    • Accepting and bearing our cross as best we can.
    • Radiating light to those around us whenever possible.
    • Loving and helping everyone we encounter, within our limitations.
    • Forgiving those who hurt us, whilst remembering that this can take many years.
    • Speaking the truth in love, whilst taking care of our own boundaries.
    • Defending those who are weaker than ourselves.
    • Sharing, lending, and giving to those in need.

By doing these things as best we can within our current personal circumstances, we can become just a little more like Christ each day.

We will be like him (1 John 3:2; NLT).

We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

References

      • Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
      • Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).
      • Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).
      • Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).
      • Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).
      • Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).
      • The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40; NIV).
      • Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:13-18; NLT.

Don’t try!

Ruth Kirk

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just offer your thinking
To Christ.

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just pour out your troubles
To him.

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just face all your anguish
With Christ.

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just share all your burdens
With him.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

Blessed be the LORD! Day after day he bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; CSB).

References

I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you (Hosea 14:8; NLT).

Surely he took up our pain, and bore our suffering (Isaiah 53:4; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

No light

Ruth Kirk

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

You are here,
Yet I am blind,
For there’s no light.

You are here,
Yet I am deaf,
For there’s no voice.

You are here,
Yet I am cold,
For there’s no fire.

You are here,
Yet I am sad,
For there’s no joy.

You are here,
Yet I am worn,
For there’s no rest.

You are here,
For I am weak –
And life’s a test.

The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 13:3-4; NLT).

References

God is with us (Isaiah 7:14; NLT).

You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30; NLT).

He knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust (Psalm 103:14; NLT).

The voice of love

Ruth Kirk

A prayer for the spiritual awakening of all minds, hearts and souls.

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12; NKJV).

Why is the voice of love
So still?

Why is the voice of peace
So small?

Why is the voice of truth
So weak?

Where is the light
Our souls should seek?

Where is the faith
Christ came to bring?

When will we turn to God,
And cling?

Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 23:8; NLT).

References

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12; NLT).

By grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).

You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him (Deuteronomy 10:20; NLT).

Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

The seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest (Luke 8:15; NLT).

Spirit

Ruth Kirk

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26; NLT).

The Spirit teaches you everything you need to know (1 John 2:27; NLT).

Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives (Galatians 5:16; NLT).

Spirit,
Please help us;
Teach us,
And guide us.

Spirit,
Forgive us;
Comfort,
And heal us

Spirit,
Protect us;
Stay close,
And pray for us.

Spirit,
Restore us;
Release us,
And save us.

He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).

Because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death (Romans 8:2; NLT).

Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God (Romans 8:10; NLT).

The Spirit alone gives eternal life (John 6:63; NLT). 

References

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4; NLT).

The Spirit gives life (Titus 3:5; NLT).

May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing (Psalm 143:10; NLT).

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will (Romans 8:26-7; NLT).

The Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor – Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you (John 14:26; AMP).