I’m so excited to have my dear friend and fellow Posse member, Sarah (she’s in the middle), guest posting on today’s Monday Mama Devotional. She has some great words to share about her journey and the new song God has placed in her heart. Follow her on Instagram and let her words encourage you today!

I have been a parent for ALL of 25 days. Obviously, I’m an expert – ha! But when Jessica asked me to share my thoughts with you today, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about.

In preparation for the placement of our beautiful little girl, Ellie, I had been reading Psalms of gratitude and one particularly stood out. In Psalm 40, David is writing about God’s ability to redeem a really tough situation and secure him. He says in verses 1-3,

“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.”

What stuck me was how David says, “he put a new song in my mouth.” Just like David, I often do not feel like singing praises to the Lord when I’m in a pit but the Lord takes those thoughts and gives us a new song of praise. Do you know that feeling? In the last couple weeks, when I’m an exhausted first time mama to a newborn, I’ve been praying, “Lord give me a new song and a new perspective”, instead of my stressed out anxious mind.

The best part of the new song of worship is that it’s not just for you but for others. Just like in the last verse, when your perspective changes and you fight your anxious thoughts with thanksgiving and worship, it creates Gospel curiosity. People will see a loving God through your life when you worship in spite of your circumstances. It may even cause people to put their trust in the Lord.

As a believer, I know I’m encouraged when I hear how people keep their faith strong in difficult situations. It spurs me on when it feels like my feet aren’t secure. Maybe you don’t feel secure in your faith and trust in God to take your pit and turn it into a new song; but take heart! He hears your cries.  He heard our cries for years when we didn’t think we could have children and he answered our prayers. Through that wait, he put our feet upon the rock if His Word and He strengthened our faith.

Oh, and because I’m a new mom, look how cute our answered prayer is!

Thanks for letting me share with you today!

Sarah