Man do I understand the steep climb out of some feeling or emotion or action or behavior in order to honor God. I mean, as adults we sometimes live the majority of our lives without truly dealing with big hard stuff that has to be dealt with. Stuff that, if we are honest with ourselves, affects our families. Stuff that affects our jobs or our attitudes. The ripple effect continues to every partition within your life. The beautiful news is that it doesn’t have to. The even more beautiful news is that God knows your wounds, your pains, your hurt, your sorrow, your sadness, your anger, your everything and your all – and He loves you.

Left untouched, our past can dictate our present and our future. I recently heard a few words that were a drop the mic moment for me….”yesterday ended last night”. God’s mercy is new every single morning folks(Lam 3:22-23). I know some of you may be thinking “but you don’t know MY story” and it’s true, I don’t. But God does! Every word, every action, every pain, every mistreatment, every smile, every praise, every thing. I do know mine and I do know God’s place in helping me see more clearly. My hope in sharing my heart is that you too have the courage to take your story to God. He knows it anyway and He loves you.

There have been many different reasons why, over the years and still, I don’t ask God some questions. I can identify fear of what He would say as the main deterrent in me not asking. This is no surprise – as the enemy uses fear to destroy our hope and limit our victories. To prevent us from living in the freedom that the Bible talks about. Not the freedom of the world today – where anything that makes you happy is good. No, that is bondage, sin or slavery. I am talking about freedom from fear, freedom from worthlessness, freedom from addictions, freedom from busyness…freedom to live in the truth of the Bible.

For most of my life, I didn’t know how to approach God with such things. If this resonates with you today, my prayer is you find hope.

Are you dealing with fear? Then I pray you grab a notebook and write on a page “God, I am fearful.”. Say it out loud to Him. Then ask Him “Why am I fearful?”. Wait for a thought, a memory, a feeling or an experience to come to mind. Write that thing down on your paper. Pray that thing back to God “God, I acknowledge that “________” is making me fearful. I desire to believe and trust in your word that I do not have to fear, that you will help me. Isaiah 41:10 says that I am to “Fear not, for you are with me; be not dismayed, for you are my God; that you will strengthen me, you will help me, you will uphold me with your righteous right hand.” God, I need your help. Help me not to fear and to trust you. In the name of Jesus I ask this. Amen”.

Are you dealing with another word? Just replace fear with your word. Scripture is full of so many promises. Scripture is full of so much knowledge. Scripture is full of HOPE. Pick it up. Read it. If you don’t “feel” the promise, pray, ask God for help. Write down what He says. But refuse anything other than believing God’s word is true. Regardless of what you “feel”, Gods word is true. Regardless of what you know, Gods word it true. Claim it, say it, pray it.

Writing your prayers out to God, waiting for an answer, writing that down… will change your life. Let me say that again. Writing your prayers out to God, waiting for His answer, confirming what you heard in scripture, praying that back to Him in response to His desires for you, WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

My hope is that while reading an encouraging or challenging section of scripture you will just pause and ask God “how does this relate to my story God” or “what do you need me to know God”. My hope is that as you experience a circumstance that triggers a thought or a feeling you will ask God to help you pause, pray then proceed. My hope is that you will continue to come before the Lord until it becomes second nature. THAT is where HOPE is found for today. For Tomorrow.

Father help us to come to you with all of the things. Teach us to let our guards down, to start fresh with you, to trust you and your plans and your will, for they are Perfect. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen