“If we allow a broken relationship to consume us, to take up too much brain space, it will create anxiety and despair. However, if we give it to God by faith, and seek to leave the consequences of our difficulties in His hand, then we are able to move forward, to cultivate hope, to learn the pathway of His love. When we meet Him at the cross and allow Him to take our broken hopes, we can leave with peace, knowing that He knows us and still loves us and has healed once and for all, the places of our own failures. Only as we live in this way, can we experience His love–when we forgive ourselves and when we accept His amazing accomplishment and victory in our lives.

It is my prayer this week that you will learn to live into the light of His promised love, that you will give your burdens into His capable hands and that you will accept your Father’s desire to love you and carry you through this world until you see Him face to face.

May you live free from burdens and worries to day, and rest in His amazing love.”

~Sally Clarkson

That is how my devotional email from the You Are Loved bible study ended today, and it just resonated so deeply. This week’s topic is about how satan wants to devour us and keep us from experiencing God’s love for us, and I’ll admit that relationships are one way I really see this in my own life. I take on far more than is mine and I call myself a failure when things aren’t harmonious. Yet again this bible study it touching me right where I am and it’s gotta be God’s hand on my life that I am in exactly the right place at the precise time. 

Abba Father,

You know my scars, my bruises, my disappointments and separations from people. You know how I struggle with feeling like a failure, but you are also compassionate and know that I am weak and unable to fix everything on my own. Please help me to see myself through your compassionate eyes and take comfort in your love for me when I feel discouraged. Please give me freedom in knowing that all my mistakes and shortcomings are covered by the cross. Please write this truth on my heart, because it seems like it’s something I know in my head but I’m not finding true freedom, peace, and joy in in my life. Please protect me from the attacks of the enemy who comes to steal my joy and keep me from experiencing your peace and love. I hate how often He is successful and I need you to build such a wall of truth around my heart that his arrows just bounce right off. 

Father, in this very moment I am struggling mightily with my emotions. I feel weak and afraid, and the lies that I struggle to confront and cast off are wrapping tentacles around my heart. Please help me cast them off and replace them with your truth. Please give me the strength and the heart to love people for your glory. Please heal my brokenness and give me joy and peace in you and what you are doing in my life. Father, I have moments when I feel so strong and have a sense of your presence with me and they are becoming days rather than moments, and I thank you so much for that. Please protect my heart and mind so that the enemy’s arrows can’t pierce through at a moment’s notice and destroy the peace and joy and strength that you are providing. 

Please help me counter the enemy’s attacks by keeping the eyes of my heart open to ways that you show me your presence and your love in reality each day. Please keep my eyes focused on these things and help me to embrace and take comfort in your love, joy, and peace. Please keep the reality of your love my reality and help me to recognize everything else as lies and shake it off.

Please give me the courage to live joyfully. Please help me not to try to find peace in my circumstances but to cry out to you for it, for my hope is only in you. 

When others are mistreating me or stirring up strife, please grant me an abundant measure of your love to pour out on them in response. Please keep me from responding unlovingly, and help me to hand the situation over to you to handle in your time instead of  carrying the burden myself and making it an idol. Please help me to recognize when I am carrying something and help me to bring it to you, as many times as I need to, until I stop trying to take it back.  

Father, please comfort me in your love. My heart aches and I know there is nothing in this world to heal it or calm my fears, but You are more than able. Please cast out my fears with your love and wrap me in your peace, holding me close to you. I need you, so much. Thank you for always being here with me and loving me. Please open my eyes and heart to see, experience, and truly live in your love.