A Prayer to Help Us through the End of Daylight Savings
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.” - Proverbs 9:11
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How many of us are thinking, “Oh, no, here we go again, another Daylight Savings!”
Although falling back an hour doesn’t sound like it’s too earth-shaking, it seems to take people weeks to adjust, causing somewhat of a stumble and confusion for a few weeks when individuals show up late or early for church, appointments, work, and events, naming just a slew of side effects of time-changing.
Additionally, the mornings become a little brighter, and the evening darkness starts a little later. Just when we’re finally adjusted to it all, our time will change back to our original time zones.
For some states, it becomes even more confusing with parts of Indiana and Arizona changing, while others remain the same.
So, how do we approach Daylight Savings Time with an optimistic attitude? The following six tips can help us through the adjustment period:
1. Believe that every day and hour is good. Whatever time zone God has us in, we can believe it is the right time for us to be living in. No matter how many hours we are behind or ahead of yesterday, we can trust that it’s good.
Genesis 1:31 describes how God looked on the days and evenings He created. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”
2. Dedicate our days and hours to God. If all our days and hours are dedicated to God, then it doesn’t matter what time zone we’re currently living in. And if we fall behind or jump ahead an hour, He is still with us.
Romans 14:5 assures, “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.”
3. Trust God to lead us through the changes. Sometimes time changes can throw us off a bit, but if we trust God to lead and help us through them, we’ll adjust and be okay.
Jesus assured us in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
4. Take the opportunity to prioritize our hours. Either way, whether we lose or gain an hour, we want to make every hour count.
As Psalm 90:12 urges, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
5. Trust God over missed opportunities. If changing times cause us to miss an appointment or event, and we show up too early or too late, we decide to trust God, knowing that He is leading us and will work even missed opportunities together for His good, as Romans 8:28 assures us: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
If we truly believe and trust that God is directing our steps, we’ll be able to look at missed opportunities through eyes of faith in what He is doing in our lives.
As Jeremiah 10:23 reassures us, “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.”
6. Keep our lips from complaining. Griping and complaining about daylight savings time changes doesn’t help us or anyone who hears us. It’s better for us to keep quiet, like the popular saying goes, “If you can’t say anything good, then don’t say anything at all.”
1 Peter 3:10 explains how, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
Our hearts are deeply grateful that You daily go before us and behind us, protecting us and directing our steps, in the days and hours You created for our lives.
Help us to have patience through Daylight Savings time changes, and to rely and trust in You to direct our steps.
When we’re feeling frustrated or angry over having to adjust our daily schedules, we ask You to calm our hearts and minds, and focus our eyes to see how You are working these changes together for our good.
Lead us through these hourly changes in a gracious and loving way that glorifies You and strengthens us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum!
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Renel Wackett
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
But what if rest is not optional? What if it was never meant to be? Tonight, lay down the hustle. Receive the gift. This is exactly what you were made for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast from the LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team behind Crosswalk.com brings you a devotional and prayer to help you end your day in conversation with God. May these nightly prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God as you end your day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!