Finding Faith Again: How a Sunday Sermon Shifted My Heart

Yesterday’s sermon hit me way harder than I expected. Honestly, we have not been the most consistent church-goers this year. Life has been busy, schedules have been messy, and Sundays sometimes look more like “catch-up day” than a day of rest. But what blows my mind every single time is that even when we show up inconsistently God still shows up consistently. Every time we do walk through those church doors, it feels like He meets us exactly where we are. Somehow, some way, the message speaks straight to us. And usually one of us ends up crying… or both of us.

But here’s the part I’ll admit: even though we feel moved on Sunday, we don’t always carry that into our daily rhythms the way we want to. I know we aren’t alone in this, but it’s still hard to say out loud. I see women online praying over their homes, their husbands, their babies… and it looks beautiful. It’s so easy to hit “save for later” thinking, I’ll do that tonight, or I’ll pray like that tomorrow. And then tomorrow comes, and we’re rushing to get kids dressed, cooking dinner, folding laundry, answering messages, and before you know it those saved posts may as well be buried treasure.

I think I’ve gone back to my “saved” folder maybe three times in my entire life.

And on top of that, there’s this weird pressure sometimes… like maybe I’m not “good enough” to pray like those women online. Maybe I don’t know the right words. Maybe I don’t know enough scripture. Maybe I’ll say something wrong. Maybe I don’t deserve to pray over my home when I’m still learning so much about God and His stories.

It sounds silly when I type it out, but I know I’m not the only one who has ever felt unworthy, under qualified, or honestly… a little intimidated.

That’s why yesterday’s sermon felt like a breath of fresh air.

Our preacher talked about Psalm 103:1–5, and it was such a simple but powerful reminder that we are ALL on our own walk with Christ. No two paths look the same. No two stories sound alike. And yet God meets every single one of us with love, patience, and grace. He accepts any prayer—big, small, simple, or beautifully worded.

Even if the prayer is just:

“Thank you God for the trees, the stars, and this food tonight. Amen.”

That counts.That matters.That reaches His heart.

A Quick Breakdown of Psalm 103:1–5 (In Simple, Real Words)

Verse 1:“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”This is basically telling us to praise God with our whole heart not halfway, not just when life is smooth, but fully. This is worship that starts on the inside.

Verse 2:“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits ”We forget so fast. We rush, we stress, we worry… and we forget what God has already done for us. This verse says, “Slow down. Remember what He’s given you.”

Verse 3:“Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,”He forgives us. Every mistake. Every failure. Every moment we weren’t “enough.” And He is our healer for our bodies, our minds, and our hearts.

Verse 4:“Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,”God pulls us out of our lowest places and surrounds us with love we don’t even feel qualified for. He doesn’t just save us He honors us as His children.

Verse 5:“Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”He gives us what we need. He fills our life with good. And He renews our strength when we’re worn out or overwhelmed.

It’s basically God saying:“Don’t forget who I am and what I’ve done. I’m here for you. Always.”

The Story That Hit Me

Our preacher shared a story about a military man, one of the smartest, most intelligent people he’d ever met. When he asked him to pray, you’d expect this deep, eloquent prayer full of scripture references and perfect wording.

But instead, he prayed the simplest prayer:

“Thank you God for the trees, the grass, this day…”

Just simple gratitude. Childlike faith.

And honestly? That encouraged me more than anything.

Because sometimes I think I need to have the “right” words. Or know the Bible front to back. Or sound like the moms on Instagram. But really? We are children of God. We don’t need fancy words to talk to our Father.

He just wants us.Our honesty.Our gratitude.Our presence.Even our messy, imperfect prayers.

What I Took Away

Yesterday reminded me that God isn’t sitting there grading our prayers. He isn’t waiting for us to sound impressive. He isn’t comparing us to other moms, wives, or families online.

He just wants a relationship.He wants us to slow down and notice His goodness.He wants our hearts, not our performance.

And even though we aren’t perfect and never will be we can still take small steps. We can still whisper a simple thank you. We can still invite God into our day. We can still pray childlike prayers that come straight from the heart.

Because those are the ones that matter the most.

With love, Bailey