God Wants to Prepare You for Today - Encouragement for Today - October 8, 2026
Encouragement for Today
Audio By Carbonatix
By Lysa TerKeurst, Crosswalk.com
October 8, 2026
God Wants To Prepare You for Today
Lysa TerKeurst
"Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name" (Psalm 86:11, NIV).
It is very early in the morning. Though my body begs me to go back to sleep, my soul stirs to get up and talk with Jesus.
And though I can't physically see Him, I know He is present.
I open my Bible to the book of Psalms and pray through the verses I read to start my day. The more I do this, the less I hear the ongoing naggings of this world. A beautiful melody of God's Truth rises up, and my worries fade.
His perspective on what troubles me overshadows my anxiety. This time alone with God prepares me for what I will need throughout the day. He's equipping me to handle what is ahead with His gentle boldness, quiet strength, and loving grace.
In Psalm 81:10b, God instructs me, "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it" (NIV).
He will give me what to say. What to say in happy moments and in aggravating moments. What to say when I feel insecure and what to say when I am confident.
He also reminds me that sometimes it is good to say nothing at all.
Psalm 84:1 reminds me that God's dwelling place is lovely. So I ask Him to dwell in me richly. I want it to be evident that I'm a girl who spends time with Jesus and that He's working on me — shifting wrong attitudes, guarding my words, and whispering constant truths into my heart.
Psalm 86:11 prompts me to say, "Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
Each of these verses leads me into a beautiful moment of prayer:
Lord, may nothing separate me from You today. Teach me how to choose only Your way today so each step will lead me closer to You. Help me walk by Your Word and not my feelings.
Help me to keep my heart pure and undivided. Protect me from my own careless thoughts, words, and actions. And keep me from being distracted by my wants, my desires, and my thoughts on how things should be.
Help me to embrace what comes my way as an opportunity rather than a personal inconvenience.
And finally, help me to rest in the truth of Psalm 86:13, "for great is your love toward me" (NIV).
You already see the ways I will fall short and mess up. But right now, I consciously tuck Your whisper of absolute love for me into the deepest part of my heart. I recognize Your love for me is not based on my performance. You love me and redeem my shortcomings.
That's amazing.
But what's most amazing is that the Savior of the world would desire a few minutes with me this morning. Lord, help me to remember forever what a gift it is to sit with You like this.
I'm now ready to face today. Armed with truth. Surrounded by love. Filled with gratitude.
Dear Lord, I love You. All that I've expressed above is the desire of my heart. I confess that sometimes my actions and reactions betray my love for You. Please forgive me. Thank You for Your grace to recognize this new day as a new chance to walk closer with You. In Jesus' name, amen.
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ENGAGE
Find everyday encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path" (NIV).
Challenge yourself to wake up a bit earlier this week to spend time with God and read His Word. Soak in these moments, and see how pausing for just a few extra minutes each day helps prepare you for all that will come your way. And make sure to join the discussion about this devotion in the comments today!
GO DEEPER:
©2026 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Lysa TerKeurst is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her latest book is Seeing Beautiful Again: 50 Devotions to Find Redemption in Every Part of Your Story (March 2021). Lysa lives with her family in North Carolina. Connect with her at LysaTerKeurst.com or on social media @LysaTerKeurst.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
