You don't have to go it alone

 

I went on retreat recently (if you've never been, you need to do it!) and I got stuck on Psalm 140. Thinking I might not be alone in needing to hear what this Psalm has to say, I thought I would share some of the highlights of it here.

If you have ever been aware of the various ways the evil one works his way between God and us, you are not alone. Way back when this Psalm was written, it was quite clear that the author understood that we need God to get us out of the messes in which we find ourselves.

Once we know this, our prayer turns to asking for God's grace, as we know we can be tempted to give into our weaknesses. What a relief it is to know that we don't have to go it alone and that God overpowers any evil snares we fall into.

"Keep me, Lord, from the clutches of the wicked; preserve me from the violent, who plot to trip me up."

Sometimes we need to be protected from ourselves, don't you think? Pride, over-confidence, stubbornness, etc. Satan knows how to use our weaknesses and sins, so we pray:

"I say to the Lord: You are my God; listen, Lord, to the words of my prayer."

"Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked; do not let their plots succeed."

Another great Psalm is 141, where we are given this prayer:

"Lord, I call to you; listen to my plea when I call."

"Do not let my heart incline to evil or yield to any sin."

"Guard me from the trap they have set for me, from the snares of evildoers."

Here's the deal - on any given day, most of us, on our own accord, slip. Some days, for some, it is more than a slip up. It can be an all out battle. If you find yourself feeling like you can't manage things alone, know that you don't have to.

Pray for God's grace to pour out on you, strengthen and transform you. He will never disappoint.

Janet Cassidy

janetcassidy.com

 

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