Weekly Devotional by Lisa Brown

“Looking Back, Looking Forward, Looking Up

The change of a calendar year is a time to look back as well as a time to look forward. Looking back at the year 2020, I am certain God grew my ability to trust in Him. As the pandemic unfolded, our world and nation became more and more unpredictable, and each member of my family faced their own personal painful challenges, my knowledge of God’s sovereignty brought comfort. I felt safe and secure knowing He is in charge of ALL, all the time. I am so very thankful God made Himself known to me in this way!

Looking forward, my desire is that He will continue to deepen my trust on a personal level. I want to talk to Him openly about my disappointments, anger, doubts, & fears allowing Him to comfort & guide me. I want to eliminate my self-effort replacing it with total dependence on Him. My goal for 2021 isto stand before God with a prepared and willing heart trusting Him to do the work in me.

Philippians 4:4-7 The Message Translation: Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Prayer: Almighty and Loving God, thank you for revealing yourself to me in ways that have enabled me to feel safe and secure throughout 2020. In the coming year, I ask that you teach me to bring everything to You in prayer, fully sharing my heart and listening to Yours. Rather than strive in my own strength,develop my ability to rely fully on You to fully supply every need of mine (Philippians 4:19). In Jesus name I pray, amen.”

– Lisa Brown