The first month of the new year is nearly done. This year I didn’t make any resolutions but I did start a bullet journal. I’m “tracking” some habits I deemed important to engage in each day.
Hmmmm… aren’t those resolutions?
My habit tracking consisted of two categories – health and spiritual. Water consumption, no sugar, morning stretching and quiet time (bible and prayer).
Full disclosure… I’ve X’d out more boxes than I’ve filled in.
Quiet time each morning was my “spiritual” habit. This has looked very different over the years and I’ve not always been consistent. I have a page in my bullet journey with my January prayer requests for friends and family. I keep adding names to the page and I know there could be so many more.
I would sit with my coffee and pray all day if I could. I love to pray. That sweet time to be vulernable and lay it all at the feet of Jesus.
I’ve struggled over the years thinking it had to be some grand event. There have been times when all I could do was say “change me, oh God.” There have also been times when I could utter no words… but I knew that God was right there and already knew my need.
If He already knows our need then why pray?
I’m reading through a couple quick 5 day plans in my bible app by Max Lucado. One is from his book anxious for nothing. Today, Day 3, was about prayer. Here is my take-away. Perhaps you need to hear this… I know I did.
Prayer gives us chance to take what we know about God’s character and act in faith when we reach out to Him. When we pray for specific things and see God respond on behalf of them our faith is strengthened… it grows. His response might not be exactly what we prayed for so that’s where our faith comes into play! When we pray in faith it deepens and we trust that God is always present…no matter what. Even in those moments of our deepest despair, worriedness or anxiety, we continue to pray out of faith more than need. We rely on His promises… for they are many.
Through prayer we are able to place our worries, fears and anxieties into His hands and them remind Him (and ourselves!) of those promises He made in His Word.
Max Lucado said, “These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and activate the angels of heaven.”
Let me say that again…
“These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and activate the angels of heaven.”
So when we reach out to God in whatever way we do it, this is what is happening. Reach out in faith… even if all you can do is whisper “Jesus” … ready or not.
All heaven breaks loose!
I’ll leave you with that…
Thoughts and Reflections on Life 