Starting the Year in Stillness - Your Nightly Prayer - January 1st

Your Nightly Prayer

Audio By Carbonatix

By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com

Your Nightly Prayer

Starting the Year in Stillness
Your Nightly Prayer
Amber Ginter

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

“Be still, and know that I am God” - Psalm 46:10

SOMETHING TO PONDER

How comfortable are you with being still? Sitting in the silence and waiting for God to speak? I don't know about you, but I've struggled with being still my entire life. Partially because that's how the world operates—everyone is in a frantic frenzy 100% of the time. On the other hand, I know that I hate being alone with my thoughts. I avoid sitting still as much as I avoid driving in the dark, and that's a lot!

As someone who struggles with anxiety, fear loves to creep in when I'm doing "nothing," or attempting to rest in the Lord's presence. It tells me I can't afford to slow down or take a break. Satan whispers that I need to fill the space with noise. Can you relate?

The good news about following Jesus is that we can come to Him as we are, and He cares about our struggles. Whether that struggle is being still, being too addicted to being busy, or concealing a secret sin, this new year is an opportunity to come to Him with it all.

Friends, Psalm 46:10 says that we can be still because we know who God is. When we recognize that He's in control and we're not, this relieves a lot of pressure. We don't need to fear the silence or not being enough, because in Christ, He's enough for us.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Dear God,
Learning to be still in a noisy world can be really scary and uncomfortable. When we're tempted to fill the noise and go, go, go, nonstop, remind us that we have permission to pause, breathe, and rest in you. Help us to dismantle fear and rest assured that in you, you can silence every fear. Help us to practice being still in your presence and listening attentively for your voice. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Do you struggle to be still before the Lord? If so, you're not alone. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes every morning, evening, or at a time that works best for you. During this time, pour out your heart to the Lord and then ask Him to speak. Ask Him to help you be okay with the silence and to learn to listen for His voice.

2. The next time you're tempted to fill your calendar to the brim, put a "Silence Minute" on your calendar. This could be anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, but dedicate to making it a scheduled event every week. This practice will help you to slow down, rest in the Lord, and get more comfortable with silence.

3. Go a week without watching the news, listening to the radio, or using social media. Record if this helps you to feel more or less comfortable with silence.

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

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.