Through prayer....

I've been a Christian long enough to know when a verse or topic surfaces often in a short period of time, God's trying to tell ya something...and prayer has been surfacing a lot lately for me. For the longest time I was terrified to pray out loud, in front of others. I'd tell my grandma no, I'm not praying when it's time to eat. I'd tell my small group no I'm not praying at the end of our time together. I'd even tell God no I'm not talking to you out loud. It just felt weird, to be talking to "someone" who wasn't even here. To talk to air...really? I think that was one of the major issues I had with becoming a Christian, believing in what seemed to be air.

Over the seven years I've been a Christian I've come to have a different view on prayer and a different view on talking to air. I now ask for people to pray for me and I offer to pray for others. I don't feel weird saying to someone well, lets pray right now about that. I believe in the power of prayer, the power that comes from centering our minds and hearts in the moment and truly seeking God. I also believe we will get little accomplished apart from prayer. Which is why I'm so puzzled as to why I've let my life slip from prayer.

I pray, don't get me wrong...actually what I do is talk to God throughout my day. What I have seemed to let slip is starting my day by focusing on God, the kind that comes from sitting still and truly seeking Him through prayer. The kind of prayer where I'm not saying "please do this...amen", but rather the kind of prayer that says "I'm here, what would you like me to do?" The kind that focuses on the needs of those in my life, the needs of those in this world. The kind that says I know what I want, but what do you want? I've let that kind slip.

We're all busy and it seems that as time goes on we become more busy. We long for more hours in the day, but if we step back and seek God's idea for us it actually involves less hours in the week. After all, the Creator even took a day off!

Last night I went to bed spent and overwhelmed. I wondered how I'm exactly going to pull all this off. How I'm going to be effective at everything I need to do. This morning though I felt a strong sense to just sit and be with God. I journaled during that time and this is what came out "I have not continually invited You into my moment". The path I'm on is very full and I'm not meant to do it alone. It's filled so that I remember I need God, it's filled so God's light shines..not mine.

As my day has gone on I've felt a peace, I'm re-centered. I encourage you to seek to invite God into all of your moments...I'm willing to bet you haven't and I'm also willing to bet you're feeling overwhelmed just like I was. Start your day with true prayer, true time of focusing and seeking His will. End your day knowing you did all you could and you trust God to do all He can.