welcome and thanks for meditating with abide for more guided Christian meditations download the
abide app in the iTunes or Google Play Store do you feel full of joy and hope even during
troubled times in your life you and I live in a broken world a world fractured by sin
and separation from God it's not a matter of if but when we find ourselves in difficult times so
stop for a moment in what area of your life are you struggling the most now ask yourself three
questions first during these troubled times is your life full of joy and hope second do
I joyfully lean into Jesus during difficult times or do I grumble third finally in difficult times
are you deeply devoted to prayer well join me as we meditate reflect and pray about endurance and
how to answer these three questions from Romans chapter 12 verse 12 but first join me in just
a moment of opening prayer dear Heavenly Father by your grace and mercy and there
are exceptions but I struggle to find joy in the midst of difficult times I fights to lean in but
often lean away from you and hard times and when I should spend more time in prayer I spend less
and my days are cloudy so help me find joy lean on you and pray even when my days are far from
gray and I ask this now by your authority and in the name of your son Jesus Christ to whom I pray
amen that's convicting it really is about time isn't it we are so busy even at rest and all the
more when caught up in the whirl of our lives but it's about making time to find time time to find
joy time to lean on Christ and time to pray so today I hope this time of long deep meditation
will help you find time but in your pursuit of him all other things of lesser value will fall
away so as we begin take a few deep relaxing breaths there's peaceful deep breaths today
and settle into wherever you are being aware of the majesty of God like nothing else matters in
the world finding time to focus solely on him finding time is where we will be going today
scan your life in your body for a moment are their words or deeds thoughts actions
or pain keeping you from spending time with him today well confess
that now and then thank him for his grace his forgiveness and his love
god is hope the Holy Spirit speaks God's joyful voice to us and Jesus is our example of how to
find time to pray so listen carefully to every detail as I read from Romans chapter
12 verse 12 rejoice in hope be patient in tribulation and be constant in prayer
what stood out to you from that short and powerful passage listen to it again rejoice
in hope be patient in tribulation and be constant in prayer that is so short but
so powerful it's read it again rejoice in hope be patient in tribulation be constant
in prayer reflect here on how God might be using this passage to touch your life today
so during these troubled times is your life full of joy and hope even in times far from trouble do
you find time to reflect on the joy that you have in hope in Christ well pause here meditate and
reflect on that make time right now to focus on the joy that you have in hope in Christ
listen again as I read from Romans chapter 12 verse 12 may we constantly rejoice in hope because
of our confidence in Christ steadfast and patient in distress and devoted to prayer continually
seeking wisdom guidance and strength what did you hear this time did you hear something comforting
or recognizable or something crisp and unusual well focus there even deeper in quiet meditation
do you patiently lean into Jesus during difficult times or grumble impatiently
and again do you lean on him even when times are far from difficult well pause
here again meditate and reflect and make time right now to lean into the arms of
Jesus resist pushing away but surrender into his arms just rest there for several moments
st. Francis DeSales once said every one of us needs a half an hour of prayer every day except
when you're busy then you need an hour I love that deal moody said something similar the busier I am
the longer I pray that's so counterintuitive to our lives isn't it so how busy are you and what
excuses do you use to not pray I want to challenge you to pause the app and pray longer right now
are you are you hesitating over the pause button why well take significant time right now to rest
before the Lord in quiet reflection knowing he is your Creator and his son is your Lord pause
here and whisper to him Lord Jesus Christ son of God have mercy on me Lord Jesus Christ son of God
have mercy on me pause the app and keep praying Lord Jesus Christ son of God have mercy on me
listen one in final time as I read and you meditate on Romans chapter 12 verse
12 let your hope make you glad be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying
I just love the simplicity of today's message rejoice in hope be patient in tribulation and
be constant in prayer hope patience prayer hope patience prayer HPP hope patience prayer just
pause here and continue to pray for those for hope for patients and for time to pray
what have you felt or maybe experienced during this time of meditation will offer that now
back to the Lord as a gift of quiet reflection seek his application of it into your life today
join me now in a moment of closing prayer dear enduring God yes you know my heart you
are intimately aware of my circumstances and you are more aware of them even than I am so in my
difficult times helped me find peace help me find paths towards you and not away from you and even
in the midst of what feels like suffocating darkness let the love I show be sincere and
active in the midst of difficult times give me the courage to hate what is evil to detest all
ungodliness to not tolerate wickedness but to hold on tightly to what is good those times when
I feel the most isolated and alone give me the love to be devoted to others to have authentic
brotherly affection as members of one family and those times where I feel utterly exhausted give me
the strength to not lag behind in enthusiastically serving you letting your spirit knit into me the
awareness of constantly rejoicing hope the hope I find in confidence in Christ the hope that can
help me lean into Christ and not away the hope that helps me endure and stay patient during
difficult times in the hope to stay devoted to prayer continually seeking wisdom guidance and
strength in your midst I offer and pray this in the name of Jesus your son our Savior and
my lord amen almost done but before rushing off too quickly into a day full of distractions I
hope you can pause before stepping into that world and rest a bit longer just soaking in
hope patience and prayer and I hope that's soaking today will bring you into a place
of peace and alignment with God he meditate and abide in Christ we hope this meditation brought
you peace for more Christian meditations download the abide out in iTunes or the Google Play Store