A Prayer to Be Content on the Less Ideal Days of Life - Your Daily Prayer - September 23

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A Prayer to Be Content on the Less Ideal Days of Life
By Keri Eichberger

Bible Reading:
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. - Psalm 42:5

It was the type of morning I struggled to smile. And for no particularly good reason. Maybe it was the rainy scene outside my window, or the overstuffed-with-things-to-do kind of day ahead, or possibly that last night’s date with my husband had been interrupted by calls from home about water leaking from the ceiling below the upstairs bathroom. Whatever the motive behind my mood, I more or less held a damper, shielding sunshine from my soul. Like the heavy, low-hanging clouds in view, concealing light from my area of the earth that dull-starting day. I hesitantly grabbed my devotional and bible and made my way to my prayer time recliner, and read a familiar verse that resonated once again. Though this time, I wasn’t experiencing quite the degree of a difficult day or valley I had remembered the last time this verse directed my mind and heart.

In Psalm 42:5, the psalmist reflects, Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? I felt that deeply. Why? Why am I feeling this way? Do I even have a valid reason? Do I really have the right? Then the rest of the verse, as if forcing truth and light over the darkness wrestling within the heart, says, Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 

You may actually be in a deep trench of difficulty and hardship. Or, like me, you may actually be in an okay place, but for some strange reason still feel a dimness of spirit and aren’t sure why. Either way, this verse reminds us where to place our hope when our souls feel downcast and disturbed. And even if you know your hope is in the Lord, but struggle to truly feel it, this verse reminds us how to experience a filling of the hope we so desperately want to carry close. The hope we want to fill and then refill us. The joy we long to return to our weary beings. This verse says, 'Yet praise him.' Meaning, praise him anyway. Praise him even when you don’t feel like it. Praise him for being your Savior and your God. Your Savior who holds you, protects you, and provides for you. Eternally. Your good God, who has mighty hands hovering over every detail of your day. This very day. Praise him, praise him, praise him. And as you do, he will begin to lift the darkness and replace it with light. 

That is precisely what happened to me when a lack of contentment greeted me that dreary morning, and that is what will happen for you on your less-than-ideal days, too. And let’s face it, we will have dark days when life is extremely heavy, and we will have down days for no apparent or good-seeming reason. But if we want to experience the joy of his hope today and every day—praise God. Lift all your small and big burdens up to him and praise him. Praise God for the great he is. Praise God for the blessing of his generous grace and his perfect love. And praise God for his illuminating presence and almighty power that lights up every day and every single moment.

Let’s pray:
Father God, You are my hope. You are my joy. But the truth is, some days my joy feels like it's lacking. Sometimes I’m walking through the valley, and other times I can’t quite justify the gloomy state of my soul. But Lord, I want to experience your hope and joy no matter where I am. And I know I can when I look to you, when I place my hope in you. When I look around at every good gift you’re given, and rejoice in you. You are my Savior, and I praise you. You are my hope, and I praise you. You are my good and gracious sovereign God, and I praise you. Today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images/coffeekai 

Keri Eichberger is a Jesus-loving Kentucky girl. She is married to her best friend, Mike, and has a full house of five kids. After years of writing for an online audience, Keri became ordained through Southeast Christian Church, giving her life to full-time ministry. She is the author of Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes, and has a passion for sharing faith-filled encouragement through devotional writing. Connect with Keri at KeriEichberger.com or Instagram.

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