Prayer for the Path of the Shining Sun

Does your future seem misty and unclear–or even dark and shadowy? Are you in a season of uncertainty? If so, I have a word of encouragement from the book of Proverbs for you–and a sample prayer for the path of the shining sun!

Proverbs 4:18 contains a gem of encouragement from the Lord that really touches me deeply.

It says this:

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18 NKJV).

On the day the Lord spoke to me about this recently, I was dealing with a lot of uncertainty. The Lord has me in a season of making all things new. I am glad for the good parts of that, but “all things new” also means some old things are going away. 🙂

Any kind of change can be difficult–but some changes are more difficult than others. And personally, I’ve been going through some of those “more difficult” parts. So even though I trust and believe that the Lord is working all things out for my good, I’m still having to cling to Him like glue to get through this season of change.

Can you identify? Are you in a season of uncertainty right now?

For example:

• Are you going through a job change, or even a total career change?
• Do you look at your future–whether the next hour or the next week, month, or year–and see only mist and fog?
• Are things so difficult financially that you don’t even know how you’re going to pay your bills this month? Do you not know where your next meal is coming from?
• Do you not know if your marriage is going to last or not?
• Do you feel so lonely and hopeless that you don’t know how you can get through another day without hope, but hope seems far from you?

These are just a few examples of what you could be going through; insert your own situation here. But no matter what the particulars of your specific situation are, the question is:

Is the enemy trying to tell you that things are going to be bad, difficult, dark, and hopeless?

If so, I want you to know that the truth of God’s Word says the exact opposite of the enemy’s lies.

Because friend, JESUS is your hope. He is Hope Incarnate, and He loves you. You are safe in His hands.

Not only that, but Jesus is the Light of the world. He is SO much “the Light of the world” that He dwells in you and now also calls YOU the light, little “L,” of the world. His glory is in you, and His light shines out of you, whether you realize it or not.

And you have to believe the report of the Lord.

Even if your future looks misty, unclear, and uncertain, the truth is that the path of the just–your path–is like the shining sun.

Let’s look again at that Scripture verse:

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18 NKJV).

If you really want to internalize this Scripture in your heart, you have to know who “the just” is.

Who is the just person mentioned here?

Why, it’s you, of course–if you have given your life to Jesus Christ, making Him the Lord, Boss, Savior, and Master of your life. If you have given your whole heart to Jesus and made Him your personal Savior, then He has replaced your old, sinful identity with His own righteous, perfect identity.

As it says in Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).

Your life is in Jesus. And since you have no life of your own, but are only alive in Jesus, He has attributed HIS righteousness to your account:

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV).

And when He did that, He did a thing called “justifying” you.

“Justified” is a big word that basically means “making it just as if you’d never sinned.”

Galatians 2:16 says this:

“knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16 NKJV).

When you made Jesus your Lord and Savior, God justified you. He wiped all the sin off your account with the cleansing soap of Jesus’ blood, and He wiped your account clean.

That also means He wrote “righteous” over the account books that used to contain your sin, and He made it IN HIS SIGHT just as if you’d never sinned, because you are hidden in Christ and His righteous identity became yours.

Forever.

Powerful, huh? 🙂 Thank You, Jesus, Father God, and Holy Spirit! Thank You!

So let’s look again at our encouraging verse of the day:

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18 NKJV).

Now that you know “the path of the just” is talking about YOUR path …

We can see several things:

1. Your path is like the shining sun. It is bright with hope.
2. The path that is illuminated by the shining sun is not going to be a shadowy path. It’s not going to be hard to find. The path of the shining sun is going to be CLEAR. Your path is clear in front of you!
3. Not only is your path clear, but it is going to get brighter and brighter unto the perfect day!

What is “the perfect day”? The perfect day is when Jesus comes back.

First Corinthians 15:51-55 says this:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55 NKJV).

Things on earth will not be perfect until Jesus comes back to make us whole. When He makes all things new on the whole earth, that will be the perfect day. It will be the day that each of us mortals will put on immortality, and that we shall all be changed into His image.

As it says in 1 John 3:

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 NKJV).

When Jesus comes back, He will make us like Him. Whatever still remains in our character that is not yet like Him will suddenly be changed, and we’ll finish the distance to being like Him in one instant. Hallelujah!

So, friend:

Not only is your path clear, but it is going to get clearer and brighter all the way until Jesus comes back.

Look at Proverbs 4:18 again:

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18 NKJV).

I know the enemy may be trying to convince you that you have no hope; that your future is dark; or that you’re going to flounder. But you know what? Those are LIES. The enemy doesn’t even have any truth in him to tell you. He is a liar and the father of lies, according to Jesus.

As Jesus told the Pharisees in John 8:44:

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44 NKJV).

So friend, you are not going to flounder. Your future is not dark.

Your future is bright like the shining sun. Your path–the path of the just–is like the shining sun, and it will shine ever brighter unto the perfect day.

That means:

No matter what’s in front of you, Jesus will guide you.

He will give you all the wisdom you need, as it says in James 1:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:2-8 NKJV).

And not only that, but He will personally instruct you and teach you in the way you should go:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him” (Psalm 32:8-10 NKJV).

And even if you don’t feel like you have clarity yet, your path is still bright like the shining sun.

Sometimes you have to put your toe in before you understand the way Jesus is guiding you. But He will instruct you, teach you, guide you, and lead you in the way you should go.

Every time.

Does that sound good to you? If so, pray this short prayer for the path of the shining sun with me:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ name. Thank You for Your Word, which promises me hope in Jesus, no matter what. Thank You for taking care of me, and for leading and guiding me always.

Abba Father, I’m stepping out onto new territory. I don’t know what things are going to look like. I am not even sure where you are directing me. Like Abraham, I am going out–not knowing where I am going.

But Father, Your Word says that the path of the just is like the shining sun, and that it shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Thank You for Your Word in this, Abba. Thank You for giving me reassurance through this promise. But I know I need help walking in Your perfect will. Therefore, I ask today in Jesus’ name:

• Please instruct me and teach me in the way I should go.
• Guide me with Your eye upon me.
• Help me to come with You meekly and easily, wherever you lead, without kicking against Your guidance.
• Fill me with Your hope, which springs eternal.
• Fill me with so much hope that Your hope and joy beams out of me in every direction!
• Give me wisdom and clarity.
• Give me understanding, prudence, knowledge, and discretion!
• Help me to obey You, no matter what, and to stay strong in faith.
• Please provide for me and my family, and for all our needs, better than You ever provided before!

Father, please help me to walk on the path of the just, which is like the shining sun. Help me never to step off that path. Help me to hear Your voice behind me, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it,’ and help me never to turn to the right or to the left.

Thank You, Abba Father. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen and amen.”

Friend, did you pray that prayer for the path of the shining sun?

If so, God will answer it. Keep on praying for wisdom and guidance every day, and the Lord will lead you. If you will keep your eyes on Him, He will help you walk exactly where He wants you to walk. He will keep your feet from slipping or stumbling. And He will preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and forevermore.

Does this word speak to your heart today and encourage you? If so, leave a comment below!