“Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11 (NIV)

Very early in the morning, my sleepy eyes beg me to stay in bed a little longer. But my soul stirs to get up and talk with Jesus.

It’s not always easy to prioritize a morning with God.
It’s not always perfectly quiet or undistracted.
It’s not always for a long, extended period of time.

But I know time set aside with God prepares me for what I will need throughout the day. It’s the time when He equips me to handle what is ahead with His gentle boldness, quiet strength and loving grace. And though I can’t physically see Him, I know He is present.

Many times when I open my Bible, I find myself in the book of Psalms and pray through the verses. As I do, a beautiful melody of God’s Truth rises up, and my worries fade. His perspective on what troubles me overshadows my anxiety.

In Psalm 81:10b, God instructs me, “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it” (NIV). This reminds me that He will give me what to say. What to say in happy moments and in aggravating moments. What to say when I feel insecure and what to say when I am confident. He also reminds me that sometimes it is good to say nothing at all as the Holy Spirit guides me in self-control.

Psalm 84:1 reminds me that God’s “dwelling place” is “lovely” (NIV). So I ask for Him to dwell in me richly. I want it to be evident that I’m a girl who spends time with Jesus and that He’s working on me.

Psalm 86:11 prompts me to say, “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

Each of these verses leads me to a morning prayer I’ve been praying for years:

God, I want to see You.
God, I want to hear You.
God, I want to follow hard after You.

And I know …
God, You are good.
You are good to me.
You are good at being God.

Therefore, this morning, I trade my will for Thy will because I’m so assured that You will guide me through this. Thank You that I don’t have to figure everything out. As I walk into this day, I'm intentionally going to look for someone to forgive, someone to bless, and evidence all around me of Your goodness and faithfulness.

After I finish my quiet time and close my Bible, I’m amazed that the Savior of the world would desire a few minutes with me every morning. I pause to remember what a gift it is to sit with Him like this.

Oh friend, we must exchange whispers with God before shouts with the world. Instead of immediately checking social media in the first moments of our day or diving right into our to-do lists, we can put God first by giving Him our first thoughts. I know that for me, every time I do, I’m more ready to face the day ahead of me than I was before. I’m armed with His Truth. Filled with His hope. Held and surrounded by His love. And I believe the same can be true for you.

Dear Lord, I love You. Thank You for Your grace that enables me to recognize this new day as a new chance to walk closer with You. Help me to cling to the truths I’ve read this morning and to believe the words You have spoken in Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

The book of Psalms was not written by perfect people in perfect circumstances. No, it’s filled with real words, cried out by real people, sometimes in real hardship. The psalmists remind us not to isolate ourselves during our own difficult circumstances but instead to dig into gut-honest conversations with God. If you’re ready to make this a reality in your life, join us for our next study, Praying Through the Psalms: 30 Days To Uncomplicate How You Talk to God, which just started on August 7 in the free First 5 mobile app. Order your study guide today!

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Psalm 90:14, “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (NIV).

Take a moment to ask God to fill you with His love. How might you bring more joy and gladness into your day after spending time alone with God? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

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