“The apostles had this instinct: When in trouble, pray. When intimidated, pray. When challenged, pray. When persecuted, pray.”Here is my prayer for those of us on this journey to a deeper understanding and experience of prayer:
“God, instill in us the same instinct that marked your early followers. When we are in trouble, may our instinct be to pray. When we are intimidated, may our instinct be to pray. When we are challenged, may our instinct be to pray. When we are persecuted, may our instinct be to pray. Whether our days bring joy or our days bring hardship, may we continually find ourselves moving – instinctively – towards the heart of God in prayer.”
2 comments:
it's such a battle, isn't it? it means not depending on ourselves, but depending on God to not only give us this gift, but teach us to rely on it with confidence and trust in Him. It is funny, though, that even thinking about this makes me doubt...not doubt God...but doubt my own ability to trust Him that much, which is sort of what I'm asking for in the first place when i pray that prayer with you.
Yes Jenn, what a battle. When I read 'I couldn't help jumping in to take action on my own, too' when Pastor Cymbala is explaining his daughter's situation, I am guilty of doing the same thing. I pray and then I want to do something to make things happen. I want to push my prayers into movement because I want results now, now, now.
Then as I read how the prayer meeting turned into a labor session (again about Chrissy) I forced myself to think of a time when I prayed as passionately. I honestly think maybe (big maybe) twice in my whole life. I pray every day, all the time, but am I committed to sincerely communing with God? I now pray that I sincerely worship, trust and honor Him.
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