Transcription
Before we lift our voices in prayer, let's dwell on the promises of God. Easy to be deceived; it's easy to believe that our way is the best way. But as sons and daughters of God, we are called to surrender our life to him. We are called to humble ourselves and let God take the lead and direct us in paths of righteousness.
If we are going to let God take the lead in our lives and allow him to lead us in truth, then we need to humble ourselves. Which is not an easy thing to do, but this is the thing we need. The Lord to show us his ways; we need him to lead us. "Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me" Psalm 25:5. It is the Lord who alone can guide us and make life worth living, as he leads us in truth and shows us his ways, we are saved. Let the Lord lead the way. Lay down your pride and let the Lord take the lead. If you continue to try to lead yourself, you won't get far or get the results you really want. There are many snares and traps on our path that we can't see, which God can see. We need him to show us his ways and lead us in truth.
But how often do we leave him out of our decisions? How often do we feel like God told us to do something, and we go try to do it on our own and fail? How often do we think we are doing God's will but don't rely on God to get it done? Instead of excluding him in the decisions we are making, we must invite him in to change us. We should wait on him to tell us when to go. "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5. And that's the reality for you and me. Without him, we can do nothing. We can't even take the next step to the doorstep of work without him. We can't do the tasks we need to effectively without him. We can't love like we should without him. We can't lead our families without him. In fact, we can't even eat or breathe if he is not with us. At times we lose focus of just how much we always need God, and we need him at all times.
In one of his prayers, David prayed this prayer: "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever." Psalm 86:11-12. This is a cry of David for his gracious God to answer his plea. He is in distress, and that distress is because people are seeking his life. There is a flood of thoughts, what-if scenarios, fears that cause worry. But David turns his attention to the God who answers the plea for grace. Although his thoughts are scattered everywhere, he must be of a single heart. For although many concerns grow so huge, they begin to obtain god-like status. As we go deeper into the message, please like the video and subscribe. It means a lot and helps us bring more encouragement and inspiration to you. But David is aware that he is in need of instruction. You see, often our problem is we listen to the monologue in our heads or the poor counsel of other people. However, what we need to hear is the council that comes from the Lord. We must resist wanting to go our own way, because that is a dead end. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Proverbs 14:12. And because that way seems right, it makes it easy to go along with it. But what we need more than anything is the instruction from the Lord. We must be taught his way so that we can walk in his truth.
Moses was someone else who wanted the Lord to show him his ways. "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways, so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." Exodus 33:13. What a beautiful request. Let's make this our prayer too. Let's pray the God would teach us his ways, that the desires and longings of our hearts may find joy as they drink from the fountain of living water. We need to stop settling and being content with the mud pies this world offers and truly enjoy the fullness of God. Moses also knew what set him and the Israelites apart. He knew that the only thing that distinguished them was God. That is true for us as well. We go to work, to school, to the store, but how does anyone know how we are different than they are? Simple: it's God. The only way people can see a difference is if we let God in, let him change us, mold us, shape us, and transform us, and we let him shine through us. God is pleased with us because of Christ, and because of him we can be found in his favor. But we cannot settle just to know him, because we will never be satisfied or fulfilled. But if we seek God and ask him what Moses asked by saying, "Teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you," then what a beautiful thing will happen when God shows us and teaches us more about him. What a beautiful joy to know more of the Almighty and have our relationship with him cultivated in new and exciting ways. One way to know the Father better is to let him work, let him lead, let him teach us and change us.
Now let's pray. Father God, today I come before you not with a list of requests or a prepared plan, but with open hands and an open heart. I surrender. I lay down my own understanding, my own strategies, my own expectations, and I ask you, Lord, to take the lead. Too often I've leaned on my own strength. Too often I've assumed I knew the right path, only to find myself exhausted, confused, or going in circles. I confess, Lord, it's easy for me to believe I know what's best, but in that self-confidence I have often left you out, and without you everything I build is shaky and fragile. So I pause here to say I need you. I need your wisdom that sees beyond what I can comprehend. I need your counsel that is steady and unshaken by emotion or circumstance. I need your timing, which is always perfect, even when it tests my patience. I need your hand to guide me, because I don't want to walk alone. I wasn't created to walk alone. Lord, you know my heart better than I do. You know where pride hides. You know where control still has a grip. You know the fears I mask behind strength and the insecurities I bury beneath performance. Break through every barrier, Lord. I want to be led, not just helped. I want to follow, not just consult you after I've already made a move. I want to yield fully, willingly, constantly. I invite you into the decisions I face today, whether they seem small or large, known or unknown. I give them to you. I no longer want to operate with you on the sidelines of my life. Be the center. Be the one I look to first. Be the one I depend on most. And Lord, I ask for more than answers; I ask for transformation. Change how I think. Shape how I see. Soften the places in me that are resistant to correction. Train my heart to respond to your nudges, not just your loud interventions. I want to recognize your voice in the quiet, to know it so intimately that nothing can imitate it. I ask that you make my soul teachable. Sometimes I act like I've arrived, like I know enough, like I've walked with you long enough to figure things out, but you are infinite, and I have only tasted a drop of who you are. I long to know more of you. I long to go deeper. Teach me not just new information, but new posture: a posture of humility, a posture of listening, a posture of trust. When life is noisy and rushed, help me to slow down and wait on you. When I feel pressured to decide, help me to pause and seek your peace. When I feel the pull to please people or meet expectations, remind me that only your approval matters. And when I feel discouraged because things didn't turn out how I thought they would, remind me that you are still leading, even when the path is unfamiliar. Lord, I don't want to live a life that looks successful on the outside but is empty on the inside. I don't want to chase achievements that don't carry eternal weight. I want your purpose. I want your presence. I want to be known by you and shaped by you. I know that following you will sometimes mean letting go of what I thought I needed. I know it may mean releasing dreams I held close. I know it may mean walking into seasons where I can't see the next step. But I also know this: you are good, you are faithful, you are the safest place I can put my trust. You don't lead me to destroy me; you lead me to grow me, to bless me, to mold me into the person you created me to be. Even when your way feels harder, Lord, teach me to obey. Even when waiting feels like wasting, remind me that you are always working. Even when surrender feels like loss, show me that you are preparing something better than I imagined. Keep my heart soft, Lord. Don't let my disappointments harden me. Don't let fear make me retreat. Don't let bitterness take root when things don't go my way. I want to be responsive to you, flexible in your hands, yielded to your will, not just once but every day. Lead me, Lord, not just with your words but with your presence. Walk beside me. Whisper to my heart. Open my eyes to divine opportunities I would miss on my own. Fill me with discernment to know when to act and when to be still, when to speak and when to listen, when to push forward and when to wait. And as you lead me, change me. Let people see something different in me, not because of my ability but because of your spirit at work in me. Let my life reflect your grace. Let my words carry the aroma of Christ. Let my choices point to a deeper wisdom. Let my peace and joy stand as evidence that I'm being led by a good, good Father. So I surrender again, not just today but every day, not just in this prayer but in my life. Take all of me: my plans, my pride, my preferences, my possessions, and do what only you can do: lead me, teach me, correct me, fill me, use me, and in all things be glorified in me. Thank you for being a God who never leaves, never misleads, never gives up on me. I trust you. I follow you. I love you. In Jesus' name, amen.
Thank you for joining me in this powerful prayer today. If this prayer touched your heart, type amen in the comments as a sign of faith and agreement. Let's encourage each other in this journey of grace. And don't forget to subscribe for more prayers, encouragement, and uplifting messages. Together we'll continue to grow stronger in faith and closer to God. Stay blessed, and may God's peace be with you always. [Music]