A Prayer to Seek Out the Lord - Your Daily Prayer - October 20

A Prayer to Seek Out the Lord
By Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

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Whenever we are going through a troublesome time, we tend to turn away from God. We think we can handle whatever life throws our way, but it is not true. We need to seek out God in our darkest moments because He is always there for us.

Through any storm or struggle, God will never leave us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b). He believes in us even when we have given up ourselves.

I learned this the hard way, as I turned away from God when I was immensely struggling with my health. When I had to go to the hospital a while ago, I felt the furthest I have ever felt from God. While I felt closer to death than I ever have, I doubted God’s presence with me.

I saw everyone around me living happy, fulfilling lives, while I was struggling to even be discharged from the hospital. At this time, I was living with an undiagnosed autoimmune illness. Prior to being diagnosed, I only grew further from God—until something had to give.

On one gloomy, dark night, I decided to talk to God in prayer. In this conversation, I poured out my heart to Him and my worries. I told Him I was terrified of what life was going to look like with a chronic illness.

I had finally come to accept the truth that I would have these symptoms and pain for the rest of my life, and this acceptance is what has helped me to finally turn back to God. I trusted Him with my future, even though a future with an incurable illness wasn't what I wanted. God didn't cause me to develop an autoimmune illness; however, He can help me as I face this illness for the rest of my life.

Flash forward to the present day, I'm glad I sought out the Lord and found strength in His presence. There will be times when all will turn away from God, but what matters is returning to Him (Joel 2:13).

The Bible tells us, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). David penned these words while he was pretending to be insane before Abimelek. He was afraid for his safety, yet he still found solace in God.

Just as God delivered David from all his fears, He also will deliver us from all our fears. The first step is seeking Him out. While we won't always be able to avoid fear, we can fight it with God's help. He can help us to stand strong when we are afraid and to face our fears with confidence.

Think about what you need to do today. Do you need to seek out the Lord today? He is our amazing Savior, and He wants to be sought out. God is not far from any of us (Acts 17:27).

Seeking out God means going to the Bible. All Scripture is profitable for teaching, training, and correcting (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible is God’s main way of communicating with us. Actively reading the Bible every day and going to Him in prayer will deepen our relationship with Him.

God can also be sought through worship and praise. Making music to the Lord, such as singing or playing an instrument, can be a way to connect with Him. Reading a devotional, listening to a sermon, or talking with a spiritual mentor could also be ways to seek God out in your life. Seek Him out today, and you will find Him when you search for Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

Let's Pray

“Dear God, I'm choosing to seek You out today. I've turned away from You for too long. I will never do this again. Turn my eyes and my heart to You always, God. I don't want to live in the shadow of my doubts, but rather, to live in the freedom of Your love. Help me to rely on what I know rather than how I feel. My feelings tend to change so much, and they are not reliable. I trust in You to deliver me from all my fears. I will seek You out always, God. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.”

Discuss today’s devotional with others in the Your Daily Prayer thread on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/imtmphoto

Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.

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