Praying for Daylight When Life Feels Dark
Although he admits that things aren't going to be any better, the lyrics say, Praying for daylight, waiting for that morning sun, so I can act like my whole life ain't going wrong.
Prayin' For Daylight
Play the original Excel Still More episode here without leaving the article.
Begin with the truth
My son-in-law has a massive four-wheel drive truck, and he was able to get me to the church building today so that I could sit down and record this episode for you. And I'm super excited that we have power here, though at the moment they have the water turned off to try to keep the pipes from busting.
It has really been something, and I suspect we still have a few more days before the temperatures warm up and we start helping people who have those pipes burst or vehicle damage from accidents or whatever else that needs to be done.
What this reveals about God
Now look, in terms of anxiety, stress, worry, I try very hard to not succumb to those kinds of things. We've talked over and over again in these episodes about optimism, prayer, and just really living our faith in God by committing ourselves to trust in his presence and in his power.
But that night, as it got in close to about 4 a.m. and I'd been laying there for an hour, I had heard at this point 120 beeps, which, by the way, I learned at 6 a.m. when I finally got up to go look around a little bit, was in the bedroom where my mother-in-law was sleeping.
Let faith take root
I shouldn't have to keep coming to God lamenting the same mistakes, and I was laying there thinking, why would God get me through this night? Why would God put his hand on me and protect my family with all of the shortcomings in my character and the mistakes that I keep making?
At least biblically, I knew passages about God's mercy, but in that dark moment, in the middle of the night, all by myself, I just felt scared, genuinely to the core, frightened, that God may not love me, that God may not get me to daylight, that God may not protect my family because of the things that I have done.
Respond in daily life
And this is why guilt and shame and the deterioration of the spirit is the only thing that can happen when we are distanced from the light, from the daylight of God's warmth and the life that only He provides. So I guess what I'm trying to tell you is this like the sun in the sky will warm this place and bring us back, God has the power to do that for you, but it's not always quick and easy and clean.
I feel like he could have taken that anxiety away from me in a millisecond and put me straight to sleep, but I wasn't ready for that.
Take the idea with you.
- 01Where do I see the problem or opportunity described in “Praying for Daylight When Life Feels Dark” in my own life?
- 02What Scripture or spiritual principle in this study most needs my attention?
- 03What one specific change can I make this week to put this teaching into practice?
Prefer listening?
The original episode player is available near the top of this article, so you can listen without leaving the page.