LifeAudio

There are some things in our lives that need to be left behind in 2025 as we step into 2026! As Christians, we need to abandon our idols, leave distractions in the dust, and actually pursue the Lord righteously. I hope this episode encourages you as you embark on a new year, God's way!

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Have you ever set a New Year prayer goal and watched it slip away by February? If you've felt guilty about your inconsistent prayer life, you're not alone.

In this episode, Rachel tackles the honest question so many of us carry: "How do I stop feeling guilty about my inconsistent prayer life?" You'll discover why God isn't keeping a scorecard—He's keeping the door open—and how small, faithful steps matter more than perfect streaks.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why guilt doesn't have to be your companion in prayer
• How Lamentations 3:22-23 offers a fresh start every single morning
• Why prayer is about presence, not performance
• The truth that God honors the return, not the record
• A listener's powerful story of rebuilding her prayer life after burnout

Resources Mentioned:

• Praying the Promises of God: A 52-Week Guided Prayer Journal: promisesprayerjournal.com

Until next time, remember: God sees you, He hears you, and He knows your needs.

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Have you ever felt too unmotivated to do even the most basic things—dishes, laundry, making a meal, or even praying? Not because you don’t care, but because you feel worn down and empty. Sometimes the weight of everyday life drains us so much that even the things that usually bring us life—Scripture, prayer, worship—start to feel like one more obligation.

But God doesn’t ask us to suddenly feel energized or inspired. He invites us to take one small step of obedience and trust Him to meet us there. Paul understood spiritual fatigue when he wrote Galatians 6:9. He knew we grow weary. Yet he reminded us: a harvest is coming—if we don’t give up.

Tonight, if you feel stuck, remember this: motivation isn’t the requirement—faithfulness is. Wash one dish. Pray one sentence. Open the Bible for five minutes. Take one walk. God shows up in the small steps, and He renews us as we keep going.

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE:

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Heavenly Father,
I’m tired tonight. Daily responsibilities feel overwhelming, and my motivation is low. Even good things—like prayer and reading Your Word—can feel like too much if I let weariness take over. Forgive me for giving up instead of asking You for strength.

Help me remember that You don’t need me to feel motivated. You ask me to take one small step, trusting Your Spirit will renew me. Tomorrow, give me strength to do the next right thing, even if it’s small. Remind me that mundane moments matter when done in love.

Thank You that Your grace meets me in weariness, and the harvest will come in Your timing.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. One Small Step
   What is one small act of obedience you can take tomorrow—something doable, not overwhelming? A five-minute prayer, one load of laundry, one page of Scripture. God honors small steps.

2. Ministry Isn’t Mundane
   Choose one ordinary task (dishes, folding laundry, driving, tidying) and offer it to God as worship. Ask: How would this moment feel different if I remembered God is present with me here?

3. Remember When God Renewed You
   Think of a time you felt completely drained but kept going anyway. How did God meet you—through strength, peace, encouragement, or perspective? That same faithfulness is available to you right now.

Thank you for joining us tonight. We hope this prayer has encouraged your heart. If you're struggling to find strength when you feel like giving up, we invite you to check out Rachel's book One More Step: Finding Strength When You Feel Like Giving Up. Using the never-failing promises in God's Word, Rachel shows you how to di

Connect with God — on Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. Use this biblical meditation, narrated by Tyler Boss, to center yourself on the truth in God's word. Make this year a new beginning with God. Meditate on Revelation 21:5. Allow the music & nature sounds, deep breathing, prayer, and scripture help you connect with God in a new way. 

For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for meditation is right here: https://abide.com/peace

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A Prayer to Walk in Our Calling While Our Hearts are Mending by Doris Swift 

Have you ever felt called by God to something bigger—yet held back by hurt, betrayal, or loss? In this episode by Doris Swift, we reflect on the story of Joseph, a man who understood heartbreak deeply and still walked faithfully in God’s calling.

Today we pause in the overlooked moments: the heartbreak of betrayal, the loneliness of being sold off, and the quiet perseverance of a man whose heart was still mending. Through it all, Joseph trusted the goodness of God and allowed Him to use every season for His glory.

Reference: Genesis 50:19-21

Prayer: Father, thank you for mending our broken places and healing our hearts. Help us to be women who say, as in the words of Isaiah, here I am, Lord, send me, even in the hardest seasons. Use us for your glory that we might be a beacon of hope to our family and to the world. In Jesus' name, amen.

LINKS:

5 Habits of a Praying Mom 

Connect with Danika Cooley

Follow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms

Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! 

Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon.

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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Celebrating someone else’s failure can reveal a deeper struggle with envy, comparison, and misplaced gratitude. Rooted in 1 Samuel 18:9, this devotional confronts the subtle sin of rejoicing in others’ misfortune and invites us to trade jealousy for gratitude, humility, and trust in God’s provision.

Highlights

• Envy can quietly turn another person’s hardship into our momentary emotional relief.

• Comparison tempts us to feel better about ourselves when others fall.

• Scripture shows envy is not a minor issue—Saul’s jealousy toward David led to spiritual and emotional destruction.

• Envy says to God, “What You gave me isn’t enough.”

• Coveting blinds us to the blessings God has already placed in our own lives.

• Gratitude breaks the cycle of jealousy and restores spiritual clarity.

• Healing begins when we honestly acknowledge envy and invite God to reshape our hearts.

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Full Transcript Below:

Do You Secretly Celebrate Others Fails or Flaws?

By Kelly Balarie

Bible Reading:

“And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?” And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.”  –  1 Samuel 18:9 NIV

I am happy this happened to her.

For a split second, my friend's misfortune was my utter joy. As if I was watching her situation unfold on a big screen, I couldn't help but lean in, rub my hands together, and rejoice in her big cash outlay.  Oh yes, I am not the only one who must pay an unexpected bill...!

Shortly thereafter, I felt bad. I love this woman. 

“What is wrong with me?" I thought.

Of course, I'd never admit this sinful thought to another soul. These sorts of things you keep to yourself.  I knew better. 

I knew better to admit my deep satisfaction found in my friend's horrible misfortune. I knew better than to tell anyone how her bad made me feel good for a moment.

I don't think I am alone either. None of us would admit it, because we know better, but I’d venture to say that this is why tabloids are so loved!

When the high and mighty fall, for a moment we feel lifted. 

We think, "At least my life is not as bad as hers." 

Looking at the tabloids in the grocery aisle, we think, at least I’m not as bad as this celebrity who i

Promises can inspire hope—but they can also stir up skepticism when we’ve been let down by others. We’ve all experienced “promises” that didn’t mean much because the person making them wasn’t trustworthy. But this devotional reminds us of a life-giving truth: God’s promises are different. His Word is dependable, and His character guarantees what He says.

Still, even with confidence in God’s faithfulness, there is one stage that can feel especially hard: waiting. There’s often excitement when God gives a promise and joy when it’s fulfilled—but the middle space, the waiting, is where hope is tested. It’s the place where we start asking questions, where we wonder if God sees us, and where discouragement can creep in. Waiting is difficult because it’s uncertain. We don’t know if the answer will come in days, months, or years.

This devotional offers encouragement for those in that middle place—those who are still praying, still believing, but feeling worn down by time. Rather than pulling back, we’re invited to lean in. Pray more, not less. Worship more, not less. Hold tighter to God’s promises instead of loosening your grip. These actions won’t force God’s timing, but they will strengthen you and give you grace to endure while you wait.

And even though we may not know when God will fulfill what He has promised, we can trust that He will. Waiting isn’t wasted. God uses it to shape our character, deepen our faith, and teach us what it means to rely on Him. So if you’re waiting today, don’t lose heart. God is faithful—and you will see His goodness in the land of the living.

Main Takeaways

• A promise is only as trustworthy as the one who makes it—and God’s promises never fail.

• The hardest part of faith is often the “middle” between promise and fulfillment.

• Waiting can challenge hope, but it also strengthens trust and builds character.

• Instead of pulling back when hope feels thin, lean in through prayer and worship.

• God’s timing may not match ours, but He is always faithful to fulfill His Word.

Today’s Bible Verse: Psalm 27:13–14

Your Daily Prayer

Here is a brief excerpt from today’s prayer:

“Help me not to lose heart and make my faith strong… give me more grace to lean into your promises.”

You can read the full prayer and devotional at the links below.

Looking for more daily encouragement and faith-filled content?

• LifeAudio – Discover daily devotionals, Christian podcasts, and biblical encouragement at LifeAudio.com

• Crosswalk – Explore faith,

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

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If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

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The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

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To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Why does God allow suffering? In this powerful episode of Words of Life, our panel dives deep into one of the most difficult and frequently asked questions in Christian theology: Why do bad things happen to good people? Drawing from both Scripture and lived experience, our guests explore how God can bring redemption, endurance, and even unexpected beauty out of seasons of pain.

Using foundational passages like Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28, the conversation highlights the biblical promise that while God does not cause evil, He can redeem even the darkest moments. Through the lens of free will, provenient grace, and the nature of love, our panel unpacks why humanity’s ability to choose real good also means the possibility of real suffering.

We also discuss the hard truth Jesus spoke: “In this world you will have trouble.” Yet, believers are invited to choose daily—will suffering drive us toward God or away from Him? With encouraging reminders about God’s presence, His peace, and the importance of remembering His past faithfulness, this episode offers a message of hope for anyone wrestling with pain, doubt, or loss.

Whether you are walking through hardship or supporting someone who is, this honest and grace-filled conversation will comfort, equip, and reorient your heart toward Christ’s promise: He has overcome the world.

Here are several links to resources and studies to help you in your Bible study journey. But if you have any questions- send us an email at [email protected]

https://www.youversion.com/

https://www.thebiblerecap.com/

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/41061-52-weeks-in-the-word

https://bibleproject.com/

https://lectio365.com/

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