Father, from time to time we turn our eyes from You and become consumed with troubles that surround us, or worse, we become consumed with self-pity. Our emotions cloud our view of eternity giving us the false notion that here and now is all that matters. The apostle Paul stated, “If in this life we have hope in Christ only, we are of all people to be pitied”. We can become “much discouraged because of the way” that our journey through life is not smooth, predictable, nor can we avoid the twists, turns, and detours by using a gps. You never promised that our Christian walk would be easy, but You did promise never to leave us or forsake us. You promised to come alongside us and work out even the bad things we encounter for our overall good and for the good of others. Keep us faithful and trusting during the journey we pray. Amen.