Father,
The deceiver tempts us to fear that You’re punishing us when we suffer. When the hits keep coming, and we read the words of the Old Covenant, we’re easily afraid it’s our fault. We must not be doing enough to “earn” Your favor. Our accuser tempts us to think we’re not praying right, not believing enough, or that our sins must be causing this. We easily slip into thinking our good works or our law-keeping will cause You to remove our suffering.
Abba Father, help us remember Your gospel of grace, for we are Your “New Covenant” children now!
Within Your glorious love story to Your people, Your eternal covenant promises are now fulfilled in Jesus Christ through the “New Covenant” in His blood.1 You gave these promises throughout the Old Testament, and You’ve fulfilled so many of them already.2 By Your Spirit’s work,3 we now treasure Your gospel promises. You’ve made the Old Covenant obsolete through the sinless obedience of Jesus, His atoning death in our place, and His victorious resurrection!4
Not what my hands have done
can save my guilty soul;
not what my toiling flesh has borne
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears
can bear my awful load.
(“Not What These Hands Have Done,” Bonar, H., 1854)
Every time we read Your words of the Old Covenant, please remind us of what is now true for us as those who have already been redeemed.
Point us to Jesus, singing the gospel when we’re afraid.
You’ve redeemed me and declared me righteous!
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:13-14 ESV).
Thy work alone, O Christ,
can ease this weight of sin;
thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
not mine, O Lord to thee,
can rid me of this dark unrest,
and set my spirit free.
Jesus says, “Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn. 11:25 CSB).
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1 ESV).
I am Yours! I belong to You!
Now, You’ve graciously given us so many promises as those who trust in You for salvation, believing! Lord Jesus, this is our obedience, having turned to You in repentance and belief. No matter what earthly suffering we endure in our earthly lives, Your promises are true.
I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Heb. 8:10 emphasis added).
I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
and with unfaltering lip and heart,
I call this Savior mine.
This cross dispels each doubt;
I bury in his tomb
each thought of unbelief and fear,
each lingering shade of gloom.
Help me believe Your promises to me, when I’m afraid
Suffering is such a tempting time to doubt Your gospel promises, Lord. It’s hard to endure ongoing suffering when we fear You’re punishing us for sin. Instead of turning to You as fully loved and wholly forgiven children, we can become afraid of You. But, into any tears and fears, help us remember that it’s by Your gracious gift of faith that we even can trust You; it’s never been anything in ourselves.
For we needed to be crucified with Christ, with our inborn sin natures nailed to the cross; now, it’s not our “old self” that is alive, but You are living in us and transforming us by Your indwelling Holy Spirit.5
We are Your new creations in Christ!6 It’s in our union with Jesus that we can trust Your promises and loving plans for our lives, for Your promises are only “yes” in Jesus.7
Thy grace alone, O God,
to me can pardon speak;
thy power alone, O Son of God,
can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save thine,
no other blood will do;
no strength, save that which is divine,
can bear me safely through.
Help me to love and praise You, God of grace, especially when I’m afraid
So, promise-keeping God of covenant love, Abba Father, as we read and sing of all Your precious promises to us, guard our emotions and thoughts. Deliver us from the evil one when things become scary. Help us to live in Your Spirit’s power, drawing near to You, so that we might love You and others as You promise to help us do, as You conform us to the image of our perfectly sinless and righteous Savior, Jesus Christ.8 Help us to remember that we only have Your promises in Christ, through Christ, because of Christ, and with Christ, our beloved risen and reigning Savior who prays for us:
I praise the God of grace;
I trust his truth and might;
he calls me his, I call him mine,
my God, my joy, my light.
‘Tis he who saveth me,
and freely pardon gives;
I love because he loveth me,
I live because he lives.
To the praise of His glory and Your glorious grace to us! In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, amen!
Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023
Singing the gospel when I’m afraid
It helps me to “preach the gospel to myself” by singing songs that praise God, who has entirely accepted me through His powerful gospel of grace. Or songs that help me remember who I am, a beloved and cherished part of the bride of Christ. When I’m afraid of what might come my way on earth, nothing is more important than knowing what is true for me because of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
What wondrous love is this, oh my soul?
So, into this week’s battles, our weekly playlist gift is filled with cross-centered, Christ-exalting, grace-filled songs for us to sing the gospel when we’re afraid. Let’s bring it all to our Lord of love, for perfect love casts out fear, sister in Christ!
If you’d like to sing along, sign up below. Or perhaps the other resources would encourage you as you suffer, from this sister praying alongside you.
