Don't lose heart!

James 1:12-14

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Lord, help me remain steadfast, unmoveable, stable, in my faith, hope, and love for you when things have gotten insane, painful, frustrating, and scary.  Help me to face my losses and even my failures as part of the process of growing in grace.  Good LORD, you never tempt me to lose faith, hope, or love.  

My loss of these is due to my own desire to trust in sin more than I trust in YOU during the hard times.  It is the wrong unbelieving and self-centered desires within me that lead me into becoming unstable in my love for you.  

Holy Spirit, come now and sing the gospel of love and grace into my heart that I might be filled with love.  

Forgive me when I have not been stable.  Increase my faith and be glorified in my life.  Amen

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2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV)

Lord, let me not lose heart.  Day by day things I love are wasting away.   It is not easy to see this happen.  Some of these seem to have eternal weight.  So the line between transient and eternal seems less clear to me.  

LORD, from your perspective the struggles we have are a light momentary affliction.  Help me to see them from that perspective.  They seem to me to perhaps a heavy momentary loss.  In some cases, I fear they will be a heavy forever loss.  Help me cope with this fear.  

Open my eyes to see the eternal weight of wonder, awe, and fulfillment to be found in seeing YOU, knowing YOU, and experiencing YOU incompleteness.  May I value that union and communion more than anything else in my life.  

Good Shepherd, come now and help me this day.  Remember that I am but dust and so very frail.  Lead me through this time of travail.  For your glory, my good and the good of all those my life touches.  Lord have mercy.  Help me today.