But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. James 3:17

Love is patient and kind…It does not demand its own way and keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. I Cor. 13: 4-6 (Par.)

Jesus showed the wisest love and most loving wisdom the world has ever seen.

Lord, help me to be lovingly wise and wisely loving.

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Prov. 2:10-11

A person doesn’t have to be famous to be profoundly influential. Young people need great mentors and teachers to equip them with knowledge, wisdom, and truth that will help them live with passion and integrity. We need those influential friends throughout our lives to keep us grounded and inspired.

Lord, I am so grateful for the network of relationships that influence my life and the lives of my children. Lord, bless each one!

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 2 Thess. 1:11

Each of us is responsible to respond to faith’s prompting without worrying about whether our responses measure up to other people’s expectations. Whether a life is worthy of His call, is…well…His call.

Lord, help me to do more, judge less, and stop worrying about being judged.

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Ps. 27:13

Life on earth contains some bleak moments and hard paths. Even these rough patches are not outside His goodness. He reveals His goodness in the beauty of His creation, His faithful provision, and the love of a friend. He balances our hard times with times of celebration and restoration. God may be saving the best for last but He’s not saving everything for last.

Lord, help me see Your goodness today.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. I Pet. 5:7

We are not merely faceless players in God’s big plan, each of us is truly significant to God the way each child in a family is significant to parents. God knows what is going on in each of our lives. Our worries and cares, our delights and dreams matter to Him. He is even big enough to care about and handle the conflicting worries and concerns that arise among His children. God can be trusted with our hearts.

Here, Lord, sort this out, my worry can’t fix it.

 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” Jn. 4:34

Human beings seek physical and emotional nourishment from a number of sources, not all of which are healthy. In order to feel satisfied we may feed our stomachs, our egos, our bank accounts, etc. Rather than seeking to gain a sense of fullness for himself,  Jesus found fulfillment, satisfaction, and sustenance by focusing outward God’s purpose.  This is God’s offer of fulfillment for all His children.

Lord, I want to be nourished and satisfied by fulfilling Your purposes for me.

What a pleasure to have children who are wise. May she who gave you birth be happy. O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways. Prov. 23:24a-26

I am happy to be the mother of each one of my grown-up children. May they continue look to God who is the source of any wisdom I could give them. May they follow whatever of my ways that are consistent with the ways of Jesus. May they remember our journey together with delight.

Lord, whatever I have of their hearts I give back to You and pray that every corner of their hearts be Your own.

When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. Jn. 19:27-28. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. Rom. 16:13

Sometimes God puts together people who aren’t related and makes them family. There are mothers who need children and children who need mothers. And an extra mother or child never hurts either.

Lord, thanks for the family you’ve formed for me.

I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me. Hos. 14:8

Ever put on a pair of sunglasses that makes everything look green? Maybe life needs a lens like that. When things look bleak God might  looks less loving, caring or powerful than He really is. Praying, reading the Bible, hearing about others’ experiences with Him,  and seeking out encouraging friends who love Him help us see God’s true colors.

Lord, forgive me when I despair. Help me see You as your really are in those times.

I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. Ps. 120:1

In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery. Prov. 28:23

Criticism with the motive of promoting excellence leads to confidence and quality. Celebrating effort and improvement boosts confidence and, if excellence is also celebrated,  may eventually result in quality. Celebrating mediocrity as if it were excellence is mere flattery. Nobody gets better if there is no honest criticism.

Lord, help me to strive for excellence instead of approval.

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Eph.4:2

It may seem like a right to feel annoyed if someone’s faults cause inconvenience. It may even seem like extending patience and understanding when someone messes up is giving sin a pass. By making allowances we recognize how difficult it is to overcome our faults and what a huge part love and encouragement play in the process. Extending grace and patience helps us remember that none of us are perfect either.

Lord, thank you for the people who make allowances for my faults.

Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all? Matt. 8:17-18

No matter how many times God has come through in the past, panic has a negative effect on memory. When we are in pain or need we may try to sell God on some pre-determined action plan based on human capabilities and resources. God is bigger than that.

Lord, I trust you.

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Matt 6:26 (Message)

Change can feel like all the ground has come out from underneath because there is no predictable future to step into. Because God is so big and cares so much about each one of us, we really can be careless in his care. “What’s next” is where it’s always been: in God’s hands.

Lord, when I can’t feel the ground underneath me, help me to fly.

How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Gal. 3:3

Perfectionism can hinder growth and productivity. Some of us hang back because we fear failure. Nothing we do seems good enough. That same transformative Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, that blew through the upper room, that enabled the work of the early church enables our efforts for Christ. We don’t have to be perfect because He is.

Lord, help me stop worrying about doing it perfectly and rely on Your strength instead of mine.

But may all who search for you  be filled with joy and gladness in you. Ps. 40:16a

Joy is the dawning realization that God has manifested His affection for us in our everyday lives. It is like scanning the horizon for a sign from God and discovering that He spray painted a personal message on the sunrise. Joy starts like a smile with little crinkles at the corner of the eyes and mouth and eventually spreads over the whole face. Joy is our unfiltered response to God.

Lord, fill me and those around me with joy and gladness.

He restores my soul. Ps. 23:3 (ESV) He renews my strength. Ps. 23:3 (NLT)

God puts the “rest” in “restore” and the “new” in “renew.” God uses rest to give us fresh perspectives, changed attitudes, recharged energy, and clean slates for whatever (or whomever) we have to tackle next. Sometimes the most effective, most production action that a person can take is to rest.

Lord, restore my soul; renew my strength.

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. Mark 11:25

Maybe the  National Day of Prayer should also be the National Day of Forgiveness. What would happen if every person who follows Christ went through his or her personal grudge list and forgave before starting on the prayer list? I think I’ll try that today.

Lord, help me to forgive each person against whom I still hold offense.

Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. Dan. 10:12

To pray and not get an immediate answer is no indication that God doesn’t care. A delay does not mean that God hasn’t heard. Every cry of every heart is on God’s radar. Help is on the way.

Lord, forgive my restless, impatient heart.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Jn. 14:27

The world calls “security” peace of mind. We struggle to insure security for ourselves and our families.  ”Don’t be troubled or afraid” seems like a tall order some days, but the peace of Christ is often most powerful when our circumstances don’t feel safe or secure at all.

Lord, without you I am a basket case.