A Spirit of Power, And of Love, And of a Sound Mind

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

—2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for showing me that I don’t have to be afraid—for reminding me that You didn’t create me to be timid, or to act cowardly, or fearfully—but that the spirit You have given me is a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

You have given me a spirit of power to resolutely face any trouble, opposition or obstacle with courage—since You have delivered me from any cowardice or timidity, by the strength of the Greater One who lives in me.

You have given me a spirit of love, both for You—which gives me the faith and the freedom to rise above any fear of man or circumstance—and for the souls of others—which gives me the desire and the power to compassionately reach out to my neighbor with truth and grace.

You have given me a spirit of a calm, and well-balanced, and sound mind, so that with that quietness of mind, I can remain peacefully disciplined—as I surrender control to Your Spirit and entertain only thoughts that are true and life-giving.

Thank You for showing me that I don’t have to be afraid—for reminding me that You didn’t create me to be timid, or to act cowardly, or fearfully—but that the spirit You have given me is a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

My Strength and My Refuge

O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
    for you, O God, are my refuge,
    the God who shows me unfailing love.

—Psalm 59:17 (NLT)

O God my Strength,

Because You are my refuge and strength—the God who shows me unfailing love—I will sing all of my praises to You!

I will sing praise to You for being my Strength—the ever-flowing fountain of Your Spirit within me, by which I am equipped and sustained, for every good work that You have planned for me to accomplish in Christ.

I will sing praise to You for being my refuge—that safe haven against the evil of this life, where I find peace, and protection, and provision for my every need, by the power of Your abiding Presence within me.

I will sing praise to You for Your unfailing love—the loving-kindness, mercy and grace that You pour over me, so that I am not overwhelmed and undone by the power of Your strength.

Let me live each day with heartfelt and joyful praise, so that the song of my life would be heard by all those around me—that they, too, might marvel at goodness of the One who is my refuge and strength.

Because You are my refuge and strength—the God who shows me unfailing love—I will sing all of my praises to You!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The God Who Knows My Every Sorrow and Collects My Every Tear

You keep track of all my sorrows.
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book.

—Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

Compassionate LORD God,

Down all the paths of sorrow, where my wanderings sometimes lead, remind me that you see each tear, and know my every need.

When I find myself in a place of great sorrow—when I start to waver between faith and fear—comfort me with the assurance that You see me, You completely understand what I am feeling, and You are right there with me to carry me through my sadness and bring me back to that place of joy.

You know the end of every problem and trouble that I face before it even comes, but still You feel the hurt of every pain that I suffer along the way. Nothing that happens to me goes unnoticed, unrecorded or unremembered by You—for You are lovingly compassionate and just—my God and my Defender.

Quiet my heart and soothe my restless emotions, so I can live in the peaceful reassurance that You intimately know and care about every detail of my life and are actively working for good through everything that happens—as You draw me closer to You.

Down all the paths of sorrow, where my wanderings sometimes lead, remind me that you see each tear, and know my every need.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.