We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . —Romans 8:28

The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance. God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you. Never put yourself in front of your circumstances and say, “I’m going to be my own providence here; I will watch this closely, or protect myself from that.” All your circumstances are in the hand of God, and therefore you don’t ever have to think they are unnatural or unique. Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede, but to use the everyday circumstances and people God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne, and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. In this way God is going to touch the whole world with His saints.

Am I making the Holy Spirit’s work difficult by being vague and unsure, or by trying to do His work for Him? I must do the human side of intercession— utilizing the circumstances in which I find myself and the people who surround me. I must keep my conscious life as a sacred place for the Holy Spirit. Then as I lift different ones to God through prayer, the Holy Spirit intercedes for them.

Your intercessions can never be mine, and my intercessions can never be yours, “. . . but the Spirit Himself makes intercession” in each of our lives (Romans 8:26). And without that intercession, the lives of others would be left in poverty and in ruin.

Journal DJR

Good morning Lord,
Today I need a little help in discerning the circumstances that come in my life. I get it that all things work together for good … and that acceptance is a good mindset. But also there is the “devil running around like a raging lion seeking who he may destroy” When circumstances come against me, seemingly to destroy, or ready to destroy … I’m having trouble balancing acceptance with actively getting involved and fighting for my life or my future or my share,or my, my, my……..

I didn’t design you not to fight for survival or even for justice or your share. But it will work better for you if you do as Ms Underwood sings… and let me take the wheel. Of course you can do that when your life is sliding on black ice. But can you give me the wheel when things are going well? Staying curious about how I am going to work things out for good and expecting that I will … That’s your best mindset and your best chance of letting me keep the steering wheel of your life.

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