By Lilly Kramar
Recently, I’ve had some hard conversations and challenging things to confront about the way I have been living. I have come to the end of myself and how I have approached my summer break, my relationship, and leadership preparations. However, I found myself sharing my pleadings with the Lord while rereading some old sermon notes on Psalm 25 and listening to my old worship playlist.
Humble Yourself and Appeal to the Lord — Adonai by Chris Renzema
I have been doing everything in my own strength. I even prided myself in how I had built up the things around me, satisfied with how I had been walking. But, upon duress and pressure from external sources, I found this self-made structure and proficiency to be breaking down, revealing its true impermanent nature. There is nothing more humbling than realizing your need for your Father’s help; you need him to pick up the pieces of your mess and kneel before His throne.
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed,let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
Psalm 25: 1-3
Seek to Be Taught and Led — Not in a Hurry by William Reagan
In your humility, seek His ways. Know that they are
far better and seek to walk in obedience according to His guidance. One thing
that I realized through my own efforts is the effect of my sin: it wreaked
destruction in my life, whittling away at the contentment I had and the purity
upon which I built my relationships or thought processes. Seek to lay those old
ways down. Not only that, but also know what it means to wait upon the Lord; it
isn’t some passive inaction, but an active posture of trust and putting one
foot in front of the other. It takes time and isn’t a process to be rushed, but
putting faith in the Lord and His timing.
4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25: 4-5
Remember His Kindness and Mercy — Goodness of God (feat. Vertical Worship) by one sonic society
When so far along in your faith (or so you think), it can be easy to forget the simplicity of His mercy. There is the balance of understanding God’s just hand and His tender heart, but I want you to recall His compassion and the way He steps down into our mess. Following that, continually remind yourself of the Gospel! My old youth pastor, Jerry, helped clarify the reality that I became a Christian in May 2017, making me a 5-year-old. They must be retaught, reminded, and pushed to grow and mature. Think the same of yourself, wherever you are in your walk. I offer another thing to consider: A. W. Tozer writes in his work, Attributes of God, that “Mercy is not something God has, but something God is.” You are never too far gone or too messy for God to step down, dust you off, and pick you up.
6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
Psalm 25: 6-7
Supplicate to the Lord and Apply — Refiner by Maverick City Music
With your humility displayed and worship professed, go before the Lord and earnestly plead with Him. Confess how you sinned, walked astray, and now seek to turn back. Whatever the Lord lays on your heart, follow through and apply to see your life restored and sanctified.
16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!
Psalm 25: 16-22
Closing Prayer — Isaiah Song by Maverick City Music
Lord, I come to you humbled and exhausted. I praise you for your sovereign hand and your heart that remembers me. You know as well as I do how I have arrived here. I have done everything in my own strength, God, and it has led me here. Please help and pick up these pieces. Bring me back to where I used to be or even better. I’ve reached the end of myself, God. Here I am back again in your mercy. Come into the mess I’ve made, restore and refine me. Guide me in the way you would have me walk, and I ask you to give me the strength and discipline to continue in You this time. I thank you for your mercies and forgiveness, and I pray all of this in your Son’s perfect and holy name, amen.
Scripture quoted from the New King James Version. Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash.
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