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CHAPTER 1
abandonment
How can I trust that God will never abandon me?
The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession.
+ PSALM 94:14
Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.
+ PSALM 27:10
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
+ JOHN 14:16
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.
+ PSALM 9:10
The Lord will work out his plans for my life — for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me.
+ PSALM 138:8
AS WOMEN, one of our greatest fears can be the termination of a cherished relationship. Whether abandonment comes through rejection, death, or divorce, we fear being left alone. One of the hardest consequences of being abandoned is the threat to our self-worth. How comforting it is to know that God will never leave us. We know this because he promises it repeatedly in his Word. Take heart that the one who loves you the most will never abandon you.
Prayer Prompts
Lord, I feel tempted to doubt your presence when ... When I feel alone, your Word assures me ...
abilities
How can I make the most of my abilities?
[The Lord] takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might.
+ PSALM 147:10
It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.
+ ZECHARIAH 4:6
It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
+ 2 CORINTHIANS 3:5
All glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
+ EPHESIANS 3:20
GOD GIVES US special abilities to advance his Kingdom here on earth. Perhaps he has given you leadership ability, made you unusually compassionate, or given you a heart that delights in encouraging others. Your abilities are unique because he chose to give them specifically to you. Abilities give you the potential to do good, while faith gives you the power. Neither potential nor power alone is sufficient; they must work in harmony. If you don't know what your special gifts are, ask him! He promises to answer. Pray for opportunities to use your abilities, and trust God to bring them into your life. All you need to do is wake up each day with a willing heart, be faithful to obey his promptings, and watch God do more than you could ever ask or imagine through your willingness.
Prayer Prompts
Lord, I feel like the special abilities you have given me are ... When I feel tempted to trust in my own abilities, your Word reminds me ...
abundance
I see God pouring out his love and blessing on others. How can I be sure there is enough for me?
May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
+ EPHESIANS 3:18-19
God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.
+ ROMANS 5:20
All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights.
+ PSALM 36:7-8
THE GREATER our needs are, the harder it is for us to be generous. When we experience the limits of our time and possessions, our hearts begin to tighten under the pressure. However, that is not the case with God. Because God has no limits, there is more than enough in his economy. The next time you find yourself doubting whether God has enough left over to bless you, take note of all the ways he already has. His blessings may not come in the form of material riches, but perhaps he is blessing you with something much better. He has promised that his love is wide and deep and full, and that it overflows upon you. Open your heart to him and let his love fill you. He is ready to offer you a purposeful, abundant life!
Prayer Prompts
Lord, here are the ways you have blessed me abundantly lately: ... Your Word says that you also show your abundant love by ...
acceptance
Can God really accept me, even after all I've done?
God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
+ ROMANS 5:8
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" — and I am the worst of them all.
+ 1 TIMOTHY 1:15
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
+ 1 JOHN 4:9-10
GOD'S ACCEPTANCE is based not on what a person does but on faith in Jesus Christ. Even the most saintly human being is found lacking in comparison to God's holiness. Nothing we do could ever compensate for the sins that have separated us from God, who is perfect. Fortunately, God's forgiveness flows from his love for us, which is why he gave his Son, Jesus, to redeem us before we were even born or had committed our first sins. God's acceptance has been waiting for you your whole life. When you receive his forgiveness, he welcomes you into his presence. What a wonderful moment it is when you realize how fully God accepts you, freeing you from the burden of trying to earn God's love.
Prayer Prompts
Lord, sometimes it is hard for me to receive your acceptance because ... Your Word tells me this is why you accept me: ...
accepting forgiveness
How can I get past regrets about things I've done and accept God's forgiveness?
The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow.
+ 2 CORINTHIANS 7:10
I — yes, I alone — will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.
+ ISAIAH 43:25
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
+ PSALM 32:5
IF REGRETS cause us to struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, and self-condemnation, then it's possible we haven't really accepted God's forgiveness for our sin. We may believe God has forgiven us, but if our hearts haven't accepted it, we aren't living in freedom. God promises that if we are faithful to confess our sins with a repentant heart and ask for his forgiveness, we will be considered clean before him. This incredible gift from God is sometimes difficult to accept. God doesn't want you to punish yourself or live in shame from past mistakes. Receive his grace, hold your head high, and trust his promise that he keeps no record of the things you still regret.
Prayer Prompts
Lord, I just can't seem to get past my regret that ... Your Word encourages me to move forward by ...
accusations
How can I protect myself against Satan's accusations?
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one — for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one — for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.
+ ROMANS 8:33-34
It has come at last — salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth — the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
+ REVELATION 12:10
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?"
+ GENESIS 3:1
SATAN'S ACCUSATIONS are often subtle. He doesn't try to persuade us that God isn't real but rather that we are unworthy to be in relationship with him. Sometimes Satan's voice tells us we are unlovable, undesirable, or simply undeserving of God's forgiveness. Yet the good news is that because of Jesus' life and death, God chooses to shower his love and mercy upon us anyway. We are protected from Satan's accusations when we know the difference between his lies and God's truth. God's voice is always kind, patient, gracious, and loving. So whenever you feel condemnation, remind yourself that Christ loves you, has died for you, and will ultimately defeat the accuser once and for all.
Prayer Prompts
Lord, Satan often accuses me of ... Your Word tells me I am worthy because ...
adaptability
How can I learn to adapt when life changes so quickly?
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.
+ HEBREWS 11:8
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
+ JAMES 1:2-4
This is my command — be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
+ JOSHUA 1:9
THE ABILITY to adapt goes hand in hand with trusting God. When we know that God loves us and we trust that he has the best plan for our lives, it feels easier to adapt willingly if the road of life takes a sudden sharp turn. We don't need to know all the details of God's plan for us in order to adjust to it. We just need to know that he is with us. So if you are struggling to adapt to a new turn in the road, remember that God will be with you, waiting for you around the bend. Move forward in faith and obedience to God, realizing that because he knows the way, you don't have to.
Prayer Prompts
Lord, I am having a hard time adapting to change in my life caused by ... Your Word tells me I can trust you in the midst of this change because ...
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "365 Questions for a Woman's Soul"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Ronald A. Beers.
Excerpted by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
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