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New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Liturgy for Morning Prayer," Upper Room Worshipbook

Used by permission from the Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. This prayer appears in “A Liturgy for Morning Prayer” in Upper Room Worshipbook.

Today’s Reflection

CHANGE OCCURS on the path of a slinky-like spiral rather than on a stepwise, linear path. We take steps forward but then experience a setback. We revisit our familiar vulnerabilities over and over again. But as with the slinky, each revolution is from a slightly different place. The spiral is heading upward, slowly but surely; when the slinky uses all its rotations, it can work as a whole and travel down a flight of stairs. Each revolution, each path of revisiting our challenges from a slightly different place, gives us added perspective, tools, and life experiences so we are never back at square one. When we find ourselves in a familiar emotional struggle, we can remember that it’s to be expected and look for the slight change in perspective and opportunity to learn that was not apparent or available during our last cycle through the struggle. Each rotation is a knock on the door of change. Eventually, a door will open.

—Angela D. Schaffner
Revealed: What the Bible Can Teach You About Yourself

From page 126 of Revealed: What the Bible Can Teach You About Yourself by Angela D. Schaffner. Copyright © 2018 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

When has God used a struggle to change your perspective? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

—Matthew 7:7-8, NRSV

Prayer for the Week

Jesus, help me to see myself in your Word, so that others might see you in me. Amen.

Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

Did You Know?

Join The Upper Room staff for Lenten morning prayer. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 6, 9:00 a.m. (CST) and continuing on Wednesdays through Holy Week, we will meet online for 15 minutes to pray together. Learn more here.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.

Sponsored by The Upper Room. Copyright © 2019 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

10 Comments

  • Luis Castillo Posted March 9, 2019 3:21 am

    El Señor usa cada circunstancia en mi vida para cambiar, pulir y mejorar mi relación con Su persona para hacerme más apto a su reino y poder servirle con más eficacia.

    • robert moeller Posted March 9, 2019 6:12 pm

      Muchas gracias Luis. Entiendo tu oracion. Espero que el Senor entiende tu oracion tambien.

  • Brend Posted March 9, 2019 7:23 am

    Today’s question: When has God used a struggle to change your perspective?
    Almost half of the 1st quarter, I was having hard time with three of my students. Until one Sunday, after my morning prayer, I was reviewing my journal to see how is my encounter with God in my life for that week. To my realization, that the thoughts of my 3 superstar students always came into my prayer and some frustration feelings toward each one. I couldn’t reach whatever their might be but they were my prayer companions for that whole week. That morning, I was praying on the passage Ephesian 4: 31 to 32. The passage caught me on time, the Lord is telling me to get rid of all bitterness, anger and etc….I need to change my negative feeling to love. I cannot change the students’ but I can change my way of looking each one of them with more compassion. When I change my negative outlook with eyes of faith….things change gradually. At then end of the 2nd quarter, everything went well.

    Thank you and bless you

  • Julie Posted March 9, 2019 8:08 am

    The situation with h has changed my perspective. I always acquiesed to h and generally acted meek. I have now stood up for myself. I am not angry towards h but firm and calm. This is very different from my former demeanor when h confronted me.
    Prayers for Jill as she sits with Goria. Please know your UR family is surrounding you and Gloria in prayer.
    Prayers for Robert, may he be guided by God as he moves. Prayers for Anneliese, may she have needed medical care.
    Prayers for Marcy, may her surgery help her pain and may she recover quickly.
    Prayers for Mary as she cares for so many others, may she be strong.
    Prayers for Connie, may she feel sunshine on her soul today.
    Prayers for safe travel for Andrea and may time apart mend her relationship with Lowell.
    Prayers for Betsy, Lou, and April.
    Prayers for Rusty, may he continue to improve physically.
    Prayers and blessings and warm hugs dear UR family

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 9, 2019 6:02 pm

      Thanks Julie for all your prayers!

      Glad that you have wisdom in managing your situation. May God transform your h.

      Prayers for Marcy, Rusty and Bill’s speedy recovery.

      My struggle is to do my best in teaching my students and leave the results and progress to God. My perspective is God is working on my students as I pray for them and rely on God to help them.

      Blessings!

      May God grant Andrea a safe trip and restore her relationship with her husband!

  • Nadine Shaw Posted March 9, 2019 9:20 am

    I have truly enjoyed Upper Room Reflections, shared some, and also
    recommended it to others.

    My comment is that I sincerely prefer the prior random selection of
    study rather than same author for a week at a time. It feels like we
    get a fresher view each morning with the way thing were done in the
    past ..

    I do want to continue, but want you to know I don’t feel the same
    “fresh view” I felt in the past. I’ll appreciate you giving this thought
    some consideration. Thank you.

    Nadine Shaw
    ~ ~ ~

  • Connie Posted March 9, 2019 9:33 am

    Dearest Nadine, thank you for sharing and your honest comment. I have been around the UR for a looooong time and for me ‘Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long…..JESUS. May He bless you always.

    • Julie Posted March 9, 2019 9:56 am

      I rather like the new format. I felt the old way was disjointed. This feels cohesive and provides an in depth study of each subject.

  • robert moeller Posted March 9, 2019 6:04 pm

    Not sure of an answer to today’s question. Have to think about it.

    Today has been a good, busy, long day. Was off to a train show in St. Albans, VT at the sports center of my high school. Thankfully the trip there went well, met my coworkers and set up our display, took some pictures, and found a replacement for the model of my boyhood station that was smooshed. Met some interesting people and old friends. Had a safe trip home, picked up sushi/sashimi for supper and enjoyed it with my son for supper.

    Thankfully the septic system problem we experienced yesterday seems to finally be solved as the line was cleared.

    Prayers for Anneliese, have not heard from her for several days. I didn’t do well telling her of a change I made, and I am sure she is not taking it well. I still wish her well and have done things to enable health care . None of us are perfect, we all make mistakes.

    Prayers for God’s peace to everyone. Thank You, Lord

  • robert moeller Posted March 9, 2019 6:14 pm

    Wonderful news Julie concerning how you relate to h. Bless you.

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