WEBVTT - A Prayer When You Don’t Really Get a Vote

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer,

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<v Speaker 1>where we help you find the words you need to

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<v Speaker 1>connect to your Father in heaven. No matter what's happening

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<v Speaker 1>in your life today, you can trust that God wants

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<v Speaker 1>to hear from you. Right after this short word from

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<v Speaker 1>our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer for when you

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<v Speaker 1>don't really get a vote. A Prayer for when you

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<v Speaker 1>don't really get a vote, written by Peyton Garland read

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<v Speaker 1>by Lea Gerard. You intended to harm me, but God

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<v Speaker 1>intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done,

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<v Speaker 1>the saving of many lives Genesis fifty twenty. Have you

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<v Speaker 1>ever felt like you didn't have a say in a

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<v Speaker 1>certain matter, even if you were the expert, the one

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<v Speaker 1>with the experience, the one who was hurt or wronged.

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<v Speaker 1>Were you passed over, dismissed, or completely disregarded because of

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<v Speaker 1>your age, gender, or past. I'm sure all of us

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<v Speaker 1>can answer yes to some, if not all, of these questions.

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<v Speaker 1>It stings to feel overlooked, to be underestimated, and to

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<v Speaker 1>see that others will never recognize the significance of your voice.

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<v Speaker 1>But despite this overshadowing reality, might I offer a bit

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<v Speaker 1>of truth. We like to have our say because we

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<v Speaker 1>like control, and even if our say is right, we

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<v Speaker 1>let pride convince us that we deserve the megaphone. When

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<v Speaker 1>we believe a situation is under our control, we can

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<v Speaker 1>adopt a temporary, shifting, but comfortable idea of peace. But

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<v Speaker 1>deep down we all know how long this idea of

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<v Speaker 1>control lasts, don't we Whether we have a say in

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<v Speaker 1>a matter or not. There are some things that our voice, pinion, experience,

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<v Speaker 1>and pure gritten determination can't force into submission. Some things

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<v Speaker 1>are more severe, like unfortunate health diagnoses, crumbling relationships, church drama,

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<v Speaker 1>financial strain. Others are less severe, but proof further still

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<v Speaker 1>how little control we truly have. Car troubles, toddler tantrums,

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<v Speaker 1>delayed grocery delivery, and millions of tiny, insignificant things in between.

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<v Speaker 1>This is why I've learned and continue to learn the

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<v Speaker 1>art of silence. I'm not talking about giving people, and

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<v Speaker 1>especially God, the silent treatment that never works. I'm talking

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<v Speaker 1>about the silence that keeps you humble, that allows others

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<v Speaker 1>to make decisions that could be a part of God's

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<v Speaker 1>divine plan. I'm talking about the hard art of resting

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<v Speaker 1>in the truth that outside my own actions, there's little

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<v Speaker 1>I can control. Rather than controlling a disagreement by pointing

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<v Speaker 1>out my husband's faults, I find it far more beneficial

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<v Speaker 1>to hear his side and focus on where I can grow.

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<v Speaker 1>Rather than allowing emotional tensions to control my political vote,

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<v Speaker 1>I pause and quietly reflect on the opposition's opinion to

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<v Speaker 1>ensure my ballad is cast on facts and convictions, not feelings.

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<v Speaker 1>As humans, we often speak from places of emotion or pride.

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<v Speaker 1>We want to be heard, we want to prove ourselves.

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<v Speaker 1>There's nothing inherently wrong with these things. But one thing

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<v Speaker 1>is for when we're speaking, we aren't listening. We aren't learning.

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<v Speaker 1>Consider the countless times in scripture that God spoken to

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<v Speaker 1>the lives of his people when they were completely silent.

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<v Speaker 1>He spoke to Moses after he had fled the noise

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<v Speaker 1>of Egypt, while he was alone in the desert tending

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<v Speaker 1>his father in law's blocks. He sent the prophet Samuel

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<v Speaker 1>to anoint David as Israel's king, while David was by

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<v Speaker 1>himself tending his father's sheep. He even sent Jesus the

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<v Speaker 1>Savior into the world in the quiet, without parades and

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<v Speaker 1>fanfare for a welcome Though I have a more strong, willed,

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<v Speaker 1>opinionated personality, I've found both mercy and grace in allowing

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<v Speaker 1>the silence that I believe should be filled with my

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<v Speaker 1>vote to be filled with God's voice. After all, no

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<v Speaker 1>matter if I'm right, I'm not the author of all

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<v Speaker 1>goodness and truth. That title is reserved for the sovereign

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<v Speaker 1>God Almighty. When we allow God Almighty's voice to reign above,

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<v Speaker 1>all lives are changed, souls are saved. What a truth

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<v Speaker 1>to rest in. Let's pray, Lord, it's all too easy

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<v Speaker 1>for us as Christians to gloss over Exodus fourteen fourteen,

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<v Speaker 1>where your word says the Lord will fight for you.

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<v Speaker 1>You need only to be still. We like the idea

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<v Speaker 1>of such sovereignty and protection, but only as far as

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<v Speaker 1>it allows our opinions, our voices, our reputations, and our

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<v Speaker 1>control to remain. Grant us humility and a divine understanding

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<v Speaker 1>of what it means to step back, sit in the

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<v Speaker 1>silence and allow you not only to handle our situations,

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<v Speaker 1>but also to shape our hearts. In the process. May

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<v Speaker 1>we remember that you are the author of what is good, true,

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<v Speaker 1>and right, and as such you will ensure that no

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<v Speaker 1>matter what we go through, how little we feel heard

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<v Speaker 1>or respected, you set our feet on a firm path

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<v Speaker 1>towards your hope, joy and goodness. We praise you for

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<v Speaker 1>this truth that we can rest in. Thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>who you are God Forever Amen. Your Daily Prayer is

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