As an immature Christian, I used to view prayer primarily as a way to get things (a good grade on a test, healing for a friend, protection from harm, or maybe something "spiritual" -- salvation for someone I loved). I thought that if I just prayed hard enough, or long enough, that God would eventually give me what I asked for. As I matured, I learned that asking is only one aspect of prayer, and I began to see how selfish my prayers had been. I realized that God is not my servant to be ordered around, neither is He my personal magician to perform miracles so my life can be easy and pain-free. He is my Savior, my Lord and master, and my friend. It bothers me when I hear people say, "God answered prayer" only
when it means "I got what I wanted!" God always answers prayer - "no" is
still an answer, and in His wisdom he knows when it's the best answer. As I grow in my walk with God, prayer has become less of a "shopping list" of things I want and more a conversation and relationship.
Prayer for me is becoming...
* a conversation with God wherein I read His Word and respond - sometimes with joy, or shame, or hunger, or confession, or worship
* a relationship with God that isn't limited to a certain number of
minutes a day, but rather continues all day long, all life long
* a time of keeping company with God, getting to know Him for who He really is, learning to care about the things He cares about
* a place of meditation on the truths of His Word
* a rest for the soul as I pour out my thoughts, burdens, worries, and cares
* an opportunity for submission - learning to find God's will and not being so intent on getting mine done
* a friendship -- no one listens, understands, or cares like Jesus
* an occasion for confession of my deepest fears, flaws, and sins
* a journey of learning, growing, and changing
* a place of intercession for the lost, broken, persecuted, enslaved, and hurting
* a refuge from the storms of life
* an exercise in persistence - not so I can get what I want, but so I can become what I should be
* a time of reaching for God - to walk with Him, to know Him, to love Him, and to please Him with my life
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- These colors of Distress Oxide (Ranger)
- Salty Ocean
- Faded Jeans
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1 comment:
Gorgeous page, lovely bird and flower! So true, when we pray God grants us wisdom, to see what we need to do to be the person he has meant us to be, not who we want to be. Give guidance and a chance to praise him whether we are deep in a storm or doing well. So thankful that we can pray at anytime and he hears us!
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