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Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Daily Christian Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's

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Speaker 1: meditation is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio.

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Speaker 1: If you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find

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Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've

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Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Head

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Speaker 1: over to lifeaudio dot com now, and remember you can

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Speaker 1: have full access to our meditations commercial free. Just text

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Speaker 1: Abide to two two four three three for twenty five

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Speaker 1: percent off. Now receive his piece as we meditate and

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Speaker 1: abide in Christ.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to this Abide meditation. I'm Loname Laura. Do you

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Speaker 2: feel like you're completely accepted? Maybe you feel like you

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Speaker 2: have to hide who you really are in order for

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Speaker 2: that to happen. Perhaps you're free that if you confess

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Speaker 2: your deepest pain you'll scare people off. Go ahead and

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Speaker 2: take a deep breath. Maybe this brings up strong feelings

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Speaker 2: for you. As you release your breath, let your tension

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Speaker 2: ease away. God is not afraid of your questions, your longings,

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Speaker 2: or your pain. In fact, the Psalmist tells us that

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Speaker 2: the Lord is close to the broken hearted. He rescues

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Speaker 2: those whose spirits are crushed. God is with you in

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Speaker 2: the midst of sadness and struggle. If you are devoting

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Speaker 2: your energy to maintaining the mask of happiness, you're actually

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Speaker 2: cutting yourself off from connection with God and with others.

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Speaker 2: Your pride may be blocking you from community. But when

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Speaker 2: you are honest with God and yourself, willing to admit,

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Speaker 2: admit your weakness, your broken heart, and your need for rescue,

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Speaker 2: that is when you will know that God is close

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Speaker 2: and that God is able to save you. Comfort is

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Speaker 2: right around the corner. God is near to you. Come

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Speaker 2: before God honest about your own wounds. As you practice

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Speaker 2: paying attention to His presence, Ask the Holy Spirit to

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Speaker 2: prepare your mind and body for what God will do

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Speaker 2: in you today in every day, Draw near to Him

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Speaker 2: because He is ready to draw near to you. Dear God,

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Speaker 2: sometimes I don't want to admit the pain I feel.

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Speaker 2: I know that I am broken and in need of rescue,

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Speaker 2: but I keep trying to save myself to pretend that

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Speaker 2: I am sufficient. Help me to practice vulnerability, honestly opening

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Speaker 2: up to You into the people You've put in my life.

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Speaker 2: Thank you for your promise to be near to the

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Speaker 2: broken hearted and to rescue those whose spirits are crushed.

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Speaker 2: Be near to me in Jesus' name. Amen, Move into

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Speaker 2: a posture that helps you reflect on your need in

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Speaker 2: God's provision. Pause and hold your hands open, palms up.

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Speaker 2: God feels what is empty. Now take a few deep

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Speaker 2: cleansing breaths. Is there anything you need to confess to

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Speaker 2: God before we go on? Ask God to reveal any

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Speaker 2: sins lurking in your heart. Then confess them to God

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Speaker 2: and thank Him for his love and forgiveness. Admit to

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Speaker 2: God your need for him. He delights and bring comfort

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Speaker 2: and hope to you. We bring glory to God by

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Speaker 2: admitting our need and accepting his gift of grace. Join

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Speaker 2: me in prayer. God, thank you for accepting me as

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Speaker 2: I am and brokenhearted in need of your grace and forgiveness.

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Speaker 2: I know that I can't save myself. I know that

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Speaker 2: I need to be saved. I need to be changed.

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Speaker 2: You accept me as I am, but you don't leave

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Speaker 2: me that way. You transform my life with your goodness.

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Speaker 2: As I bask in your comfort today, help me to

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Speaker 2: seek out those around me in need of comfort and

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Speaker 2: Jesus name, I pray. Amen. There's no way to predict

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Speaker 2: what you may face in the hours ahead, but whatever happens,

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Speaker 2: God will be near to you until next time. May

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Speaker 2: you abide in Christ. F