Holy Spirit, Spirit of Christ,
You promise to grow Your self-control fruit in me. I cling to this promise, for I need this freeing truth in all the temptations suffering can bring.
In sweet communion, Lord, with thee
I constantly abide;
my hand thou holdest in thine own
to keep me near thy side.
(“In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee,” Psalter based on Psalm 73, p.d.)
You will hold me fast as one You’ve set free, Lord Jesus. What a promise when I forget that my old self was crucified with You and I’m no longer a slave to the sinful motivations of my sin nature (Rom. 6:6).
His fruit of self-control…temptation of self as I suffer
What a promise when I’m tempted to put myself at the center of my life because I’m suffering. For I’m daily tempted to:
self-pity,
self-strength,
self-focus,
self-preservation,
self-righteousness.
But You promise to give me all the grace I need for self-control.
Whom have I, Lord, in heaven but thee,
to whom my thoughts aspire?
With every moment of temptation, please remind me of Your glorious promise:
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God,
the fruit you get leads to sanctification
and its end, eternal life (Rom. 6:22 ESV, emphasis added).
And, having thee, on earth is naught
that I can yet desire?
His fruit of self-control, like Jesus in His life of suffering on earth
Holy Spirit, You promise self-control as You sanctify me, conforming me more and more to the likeness of Jesus, helping me in my weakness, all the way until the day I am glorified (Romans 8:26-30).
You promise to focus me on Christ’s gift of righteousness as my own through faith (Philippians 3:9)…
Christ’s strength as my own (Ephesians 3:16)…
Christ’s preserving care into my fears (1 Peter 5:7; 1 John 4:18)…
Christ’s comfort in my affliction (2 Corinthians 1:4).
Though flesh and heart should faint and fail,
the Lord will ever be
the strength and portion of my heart,
my God eternally.
Help me to abide in sweet communion, Lord, with Thee, so I can rest in Your control, Your gracious gift to me as I suffer
When I’m grasping for self-focused control over my suffering, You promise to bring me back to abiding in Your Word as a true disciple of Jesus, because of Your work, indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn. 8:31; 1 Jn. 4:13). I’m just a branch that can’t possibly bear Your fruit unless I remain on the vine, abiding there (Jn. 15:4). I need sweet communion with You.
Help of the helpless, Lord, abide with me.
Thy counsel through my earthly way
shall guide me and control,
and then to glory afterward
thou wilt receive my soul.
Holy Spirit within me, it’s all by Your grace, the gift of Your promised work to “train” me to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life right now (Titus 2:12). A spirit of self-control, power, and love is Your promised gift as I suffer (1 Timothy 1:7).
Cling me to Your promises, to Your great and precious means of grace, growing Christ-like fruit as I suffer, in and through the sweet communion I have with You
Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved (Ps. 55:22 ESV, emphasis added).
And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever (Is. 32:17 ESV, emphasis added).
In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength (Is. 30:15, emphasis added).
O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear (Ps. 10:17, emphasis added).
To live apart from God is death,
’tis good his face to seek;
my refuge is the living God,
his praise I long to speak.
Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023
A quieting Scriptural playlist gift for sweet communion with the Lord as we suffer
This week’s playlist gift gives us Scriptural promises to sing in sweet communion with the Lord, asking Him to grow His fruit within us. This suffering is so hard, but it’s also a special time to rest in His Word’s promises, His control, His fruit-bearing, abiding in Christ. I’m constantly learning along with you, sister in Christ. Talking with many seasoned saints who have suffered much, it sounds like He will grow His Spirit’s fruit in us…all the way until we are glorified with Him in glory! Through suffering itself.
So, I’m praying that these songs will help us both sing-pray to Him as we suffer…as Jesus did in His suffering life. Maybe into suffering’s insomnia?
If this would bless you, sign up here, and I will send it to your email with my love and prayer.
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering.
In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
