February 12, 2021 • Life for Leaders
Scripture – Psalm 56:8, 11 (NRSV)
You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your record? . . .
In God I trust; I am not afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?
Focus
As his enemies are “trampling” on him and “oppressing” him, the psalm writer puts his trust in God. Yet when he feels real fear and sorrow, he knows God is paying attention . . . and he asks for more. Real trust in God doesn’t come easily, especially in hard times. Real trust is honest about the struggle.
Prayer
Gracious God, things are really hard for me right now at work. I often feel overwhelmed and unsupported, even attacked. You know all of this, God. You have kept count of my tossings in the night, when sleep seems impossible. You see me when I’m struggling with fear.
O Lord, put my tears in your bottle! Pay attention to my pain. Don’t abandon me when I’m distressed. Don’t turn your back from me. You do know how hard this is for me. Right? You are there for me. Yes?
I do trust in you, God. I do. I choose to rely on you, on your strength, your wisdom, your power, your grace, and even your timing. I put my trust in you right now, leaning on your everlasting arms. O Lord, when I trust you I am not afraid. What can others do to me if you are on my side?
Yes, I do trust in you. Help me to trust you even more. Amen.
Ponder Throughout the Day
God knows when you’re hurting. You can trust him.
For Further Reflection
You may wish to read all of Psalm 56.
For another account of the struggle to trust, read Mark 9:14-29.
P.S. from Mark
Next week we enter the Christian season of Lent, a 40-day time of reflection and preparation for Holy Week and Easter. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a day to remember our mortality and need for a Savior. The De Pree Center has a number of resources to help you grow in your relationship with the Lord through observing Lent, including Ash Wednesday. You can find these resources, including our new devotional guide based on the Stations of the Cross, at this link.
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Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the High Calling archive, hosted by the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: God Knows Our Suffering
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders, and the founder of the De Pree Center’s Flourishing in the Third Third of Life Initiative. Previously, Mark was the Executive Director of the De Pree Center, the lead pastor of a church in Southern California, and the Senior Director of Laity Lodge in Texas. He has written eight books, dozens of articles, and over 2,500 devotions that help people discover the difference God makes in their daily life and leadership. With a Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard, Mark teaches at Fuller Seminary, most recently in his D.Min. cohort on “Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation.” Mark is married to Linda, a marriage and family counselor, spiritual director, and executive coach. Their two grown children are educators on the high school and college level.
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