Sooner or later, everyone will be beat up, battered, bruised, and burned out by the dailies of life. Good news! God is Lord of all of your life. List every need and emotion that you are feeling, no matter how small they seem. After you have acknowledged all your emotions and needs, go through the names of God until you find the expression of His character that meets each need. For every need, there is a corresponding attribute of God. Affirm that God is still God, no matter how you feel. Have a praise party, not a pity-party, for your loving Father is a big God. He is able to do much more than you need or can think or ask.
He is the I AM for our needs
He is Abba Father when we need fathering.
He is acceptance when we feel unwanted.
He is adequacy for our inadequacy.
He is all-sufficient in our hardest situations.
He is the Amen, the true witness.
He is the Answer for our uncertainty and questions.
He is the Author of faith for our unbelief or doubt.
He is the Bread of life for our spiritual hunger.
He is broken and spilled out for us when we’ve been used.
He is the Burden-bearer when we are heavy laden.
He is before all things when we’re surprised.
He is cleansing for our defilement and shame.
He is closer than a brother when we are lonely.
He is our Comforter who wipes away tears in our griefs and sorrows.
He is our Defender when we are under attack.
He is our Deliverer from our bondage or captivity.
He is our Door-opener when it looks like there’s no way out.
He is our sure Foundation, when we’re insecure.
He is our Faithful Friend when friends fail us.
He is Fullness when we’re empty.
He is God of love when we feel unloved and need a hug.
He is God who is there when we feel alone or abandoned.
He is our Guide and the Way when we’re confused and need direction.
He is grace when we’re too hard on ourselves or others.
He is our Healer for woundedness, rejection, and sickness.
He is Hope when we are discouraged and want to quit.
He is Humility for our pride.
He is Joy when we are depressed.
He is our Keeper and Protector when we are vulnerable.
He is the Lifter of our heads when we feel weighed down.
He is long-suffering, slow to anger when we have blown it again.
He is Mercy for criticism and unkindness.
He is Mighty God, our strength for our weakness or temptation.
He is Never-failing, always the same when we are fickle and faithless.
He is Overcoming victory for defeat and depression.
He is the Plumb Line to stand against the world’s situational ethics.
He is the Prince of peace when we are stressed, worried, and confused.
He is the Provider for every financial need.
He is the Quieter of the storm for afflictions without and struggles within.
He is Reconciliation for breaches in relationships.
He is Rest when we’re tired.
He is the Restorer of our souls when we’re bruised and beaten down.
He is the Reviver, living water when we are depleted and thirsty.
He is Satisfaction when we’ve tried everything and come up empty.
He is the Song, our praise when we’re joyless and heavy of heart.
He is the Spirit of the Lord when we need to be set free.
He is our Strength when we’re weak.
He is Truth for the world’s warped opinions.
He is True Riches when we’re tempted to covet the world’s wealth.
He is Vengeance when we are angry and wronged.
He is Wisdom for our hard choices.
This is only a beginning. Make your own list as a personal affirmation that God is your Need-meeter. He is the Most High God who reigns over all. To whom else would we go? He alone is the Word of eternal life.
Taken from Prayer Portions, p. 27-28, ©1991, 1992, 1995, and from For The Family, p 45, ©1995 by Sylvia Gunter. Available at www.thefathersbusiness.com. An archive of past devotionals is available on the website.
