A New Beginning Every Day - Your Nightly Prayer - January 18th

A New Beginning Every Day
Your Nightly Prayer
By Jennifer Slattery, host of Faith Over Fear

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Do you, like me, excel at guilt? Do you tend to replay your mistakes through your mind—particularly at night when you’re trying to fall asleep? Why is it that the moment our heads hit the pillow, our brains pull up our most regrettable behaviors? It starts with that unkind word that slipped through your filter, and soon adds reminders of all the other times you’ve acted in a similar fashion until you’re utterly convinced you’re a horrible friend, parent, or human.

Years ago, someone for whom I care deeply shared ways in which I’d hurt them—for over a decade! The fact that I’d been so oblivious to my behavior and the damage I caused only exacerbated my shame. Initially, I felt powerless to change something that had become so ingrained within me that I wasn’t even aware of my actions. I wanted to withdraw in self-protection—and to avoid hurting anyone else or further harming the relationship that felt tenuous at best. 

But then I sensed God gently drawing me into His embrace. With my gut churning with regret and tears streaming down my face, I asked for His forgiveness and help to do better. He responded by reminding me of today’s verse and His inexhaustible grace. I’d come a long way from my hopeless, self-destructing teenage days or the easily irritated and often bitter woman from my young adult days. I’d experienced tremendous transformation in Christ—and was still, in that moment, in a process of transformation.

This is the now-and-not-yet reality for every Christ-follower. While this might feel frustrating, it’s actually good news because it assures us that we don’t have to be the same person tomorrow that we are today. God’s mercies are new each morning, absolving us of our most grievous sins while empowering us to act a little kinder, more patient, and more loving in the days and years ahead. 

Friend, in Christ, you are not and never will be stuck—regardless of how tenacious your negative habits, reactionary responses, or addictions. The One who conquered death and the grave is more than capable of securing our victory as well. He turned a homicidal tyrant named Paul into one of the most self-sacrificing, godly evangelists this world has seen, after all. You can trust Him to bring life, light, and freedom to you as well. That is one of the ways He reveals the power of the gospel to the watching world—by turning prideful, selfish rebels like me and you into His beautiful reflections who “shine … like stars in the sky as [we] hold firmly to the word of life” (Phil. 2:15, NIV).

Each time you turn to Him in your regret and shame, He breaks another link in the self-defeating chains that bind you.    

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Jesus,
You are so tender with our weaknesses and gracious with our faults. When anxiety and shame for today’s mistakes try to steal our sleep, remind us of Your prayer for Your executioners, when You asked the Father to forgive them. You who wept over the very people who’d soon chant for Your death, expressing longing to gather them in Your embrace, views us with compassionate love as well. You see our hurts, regrets, and our shame, and by Your grace, provide a way out. Help us to receive that grace deep into our souls. Change us by Your grace and help our often self-condemning eyes to recognize that change when it comes. Thank You, Lord, that Your mercies truly are new every morning and for Your promise to one day the anguish we feel now to joy.
Quiet our souls with Your love and dispel our lies and shame with Your truth.
It’s in Your Name that we pray, amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Jesus chose you long before you committed your first or your twenty-first sin and will always choose you, even a hundred sins from now (Ephesians 1:4; John 15:16; 1 Thess 1:4).  

2. The Lord has lavished His grace upon you—more than you’ll ever need or could ever exhaust (John 1:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Romans 5:20).

3. God won’t give up on you or leave you stuck in today’s sin or unhealthy behavior (Phil 1:6; Rom. 8:28-30)

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/ Ganapathy Kumar

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com.

She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.

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