Morning by Morning—Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays: "For a Little While"

Thursday, April 30, 2020

"For a Little While" - Morning by Morning, April 30, 2020

Morning by Morning, April 30 - "For a Little While"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. In these first moments of my morning, I offer You the first thoughts in my mind, the first desires of my heart, and the first words from my mouth -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the power forever and ever!" (1 Peter 4:10-11)

It seems all the world is suffering at some level right now. Some more than others. Some differently than others. But all suffering at some level. Even for those who seem to be somewhat unscathed at the moment, they also are moved by the sufferings of their neighbors and our world, for when one suffers, all suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26).

But You are "the God of all grace." And as we invite You into our sufferings, as we offer up our sufferings to You. For You come to "restore, support, strengthen, and establish (us)." What might seem like is lasting forever, or at least lasting a lot longer than any of us desire, is only "for a little while."

What we are suffering right now is not permanent. It's not forever. Shifting and changing and transformation and redemption is on the way. In fact, it's already at work in our world and in us. For You are already at work in our world and in us, causing it all to work together for good for all who are called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28). And You have a purpose for us all (Jeremiah 29:11).

That's because You are "the God of all grace." You're "the God" -- the One who is sovereign over all, who sees the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end, who has the last word over our world and whatever sufferings we go through in our world. And Your heart is full "of all grace" -- full of mercy and love, full of the desire for our good and all that means for every one of us, both eternally and the moment we're going through right now.

So even as our minds think "how long, O Lord! (Psalm 13:1), our hearts hear You say, only "for a little while" (1 Peter 5:10).

Come, Holy Spirit of God. I open my heart to "the God of all grace." In prayer, as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord, with all my brothers and sisters around the world, I invite You into our sufferings and offer them up to You. And I thank You, Father, for the promise of Your Word and the power of Your Spirit that no matter who long it takes or what we go through in the present sufferings of this broken and fallen world in such desperate need of Your salvation and redemption, You are at work in it all. And through it all, You will "restore" and "support" and "strengthen" and "establish" us to be all You've created us to be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you be restored, supported, strengthened, and established as the God of all grace empowers you to get through these sufferings and make you more like Him in the process, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!