The word stood boldly before me.
PRAYER
I had come to church about half an hour early and decided to browse through the small Christian bookstore that is at the back lobby of our church. I had no intention of buying anything… I was just looking for a way to kill some time before services start. Somehow I found myself standing in the section entitled PRAYER.
What does prayer mean to me? Do I pray enough? Should I pray more? Do I pray “right”?
Why is prayer so challenging? How can I learn to pray? #faith Click To Tweet
I stood there, overwhelmed by the uneasiness I felt in knowing that I had all these questions and no clear answers to any of them. Suddenly a book caught my eye… Whispers of Hope by Beth Moore.
I picked up the book and leafed through it. Within seconds I knew I would be purchasing this 10-week prayer journal/devotional. I started the devotional the next day and immediately felt enlightened.
The uneasiness I felt as I stood in the bookstore was justified. I have not been comfortable with prayer. My prayers have felt systematic, inauthentic, routine, and have fallen short of being a true and honest dialogue with God. They were a necessity in my Christian life but did not feel alive but rather like grocery lists of requests, concerns, and needs.
Prayer has been my spare tire. I’m okay with sharing this with you… to put this out there and expose my vulnerabilities. I don’t think it makes me any less of a Christian. I think a lot of us have similar struggles, but we somehow let pride get in the way and hide rather than share our vulnerabilities. Today I am taking a step and letting you know that this is an area in my Christian life that I struggle with.
I think the stumbling block in my prayer life is impatience. We live in a time and in a culture where results are instantaneous. Hungry? There’s fast food and microwaveable dinners. Want a cup of coffee? You have your choice of drive-thru coffee shops. Moreover, we have the world at our fingertips. Need a definition for a word? Look it up on your smartphone. Like a song? Download it instantly.
These instant requests and answers present a challenge to the modern day Christian. How do we have patience and wait on God when everything else in this world is immediate and instantaneous?
How do we have patience with God when everything in this world is immediate and instantaneous? Click To TweetI knew that patience would be the first area I would have to tackle in prayer. It’s one of the “fruits of the spirit” and something that I am in great need of.
A few days after starting my prayer journal, I saw a status update from my church in my Facebook feed….
“This weekend we’re starting a new series on prayer. We’re going to get practical. Prayer is like a 24/7 Facetime with God. Learn how to make that time count.”
Praise God! He always delivers doesn’t he?! Just as I chose to start this journey of enriching my prayer life, he bolstered me with a series at my church to educate me and lift me up!
Yesterday I attended the first sermon on this series about prayer. I felt as though God confirmed that I am on the right path. So here I am… on this journey of prayer. If anything I have written has stirred you or sparked an interest, please let me/others know. Let us lift each other up both with our words and in prayer.
Wishing you a blessed week.
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I totally get where you’re coming from! Many times I just use prayer as a spare tire, I will admit. And it is hard for me to be patient as well. You made a good point about how everything is so instantaneous in our culture. I think that does add to my problem with waiting and being patient. We always have room for improvement!
I think that’s it Tammy… we always have room for improvement. Right now this is what I need to work on. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been the same way Jennifer. Prayer has been routine for me, and now I’ve just realized that I’ve passed that down to my daughter. We say the same thing every night! I am going to make a change starting today to try to be more deliberate and thoughtful with my prayer.
You are right on with everything being so easy and quick for us these days. It’s hard to take that step back and have patience while we wait for God to do his (or her) magic.
Have a great week!
xoxo
It’s reassuring when you hear other people have similar experiences isn’t it? Thanks for sharing your experience Tiffany.
xoxo
Hi Jennifer! Wow, it sure looks like God wants to comfort you by helping you with prayer. Finding that book, and now the speaker series too? You are going to have some wonderful experiences with the Lord!
I sometimes feel like I’m ‘not doing it right’ or that I only resort to prayer when I can find a minute ( great quote from ten Boom!). We are human and I get confused. But God always calls, so it won’t take long, and he’ll reach out and help. Just like he did with you! Inspiring! Hope you really enjoy your journey with prayer.
Thanks for sharing this call :)
Ceil
I love that God calls on us and talks to us so clearly. I certainly feel blessed and I am looking forward to this journey.
Lovely! Only Gods know the reason for things that happen to us. Let us know about your experience with the book.
Thanks Remy! Yes, I’ll make sure to give everyone an update on the book. So far I’m loving it!
I love how God whispers to us in chance coincidences, and yet the message is loud and clear. I believe you’re right when you say patience is a struggle for other Christians as well. Sometimes I find myself talking to instead of talking with God, and as I start apologizing I joke and tell him that he knows what I mean…because who else, if not him, who would? There’s comfort in knowing that the all-knowing knows you, even when you think you’re being too demanding- he knows where it comes from. Great post!
Thanks Becky! I forget how clearly He speaks when He really wants you to hear. Or maybe He’s always speaking but we’re only receptive sometimes. Regardless, I am blessed and humbled to be starting this journey.
Earlier this evening, we just were talking with our daughters about prayer. How prayer is just honest, authentic conversation with God when we have a chance to both speak and listen. (Too often I remember to speak, but not to listen!)
I know I often need to step back, unplug and disconnect from distractions. That’s the only way I really can make the time necessary for prayer.
I love that you have these discussions with your daughters too! It’s so important for them to understand the meaning behind our actions. Thank you for sharing Robin.
Thank you for this uplifting & honest post! I’m visiting from the “Unite Link-up”.
Thanks
Angie
godsgrowinggarden.com
Thanks for visiting Angie!
I just got that devotional/journal and I’m so excited to start it!
Susannah, it’s fabulous! I’m certain you’ll love it.
Beautiful post. There is so much power in prayer – if only to get something off your chest… I am a huge believer that what you put out in prayer will be answered, and if it is not – it is because there is a better purpose for you.
Thanks so much Soozle. I too believe our prayers are answered… just sometimes not the way in which we expect.
Visiting you back :) I am also currently using Whispers of Hope & am loving it. May you be blessed as you journey through the book. Blessings!
I am loving the book. It is a wonderful tool to put me on the path of starting an authentic prayer habit. Thanks for visiting.
Thank you for sharing. I need to look into that journal. Beth Moore is a name that keeps popping up.
Beth Moore creates some pretty awesome Bible studies/ tools. I’m absolutely loving this book. Thanks for visiting.
I love Beth Moore, I will look that up, because like you the area that is hard for me is prayer.
Beth Moore is wonderful. This devotional/journal is awesome. I’m loving it!
Love Corrie ten Boom’s quote. Thanks for sharing!
Kerry
I love it too! Thanks for visiting, I’m glad you enjoyed this post.
I love that quote by Corrie Ten Boom. She was an incredible lady. In fact, I have an entire post dedicated to her quotes on my blog that includes that one. I just wanted to encourage you that I think it is wonderful that you are willing to admit your weaknesses. We all have them and they don’t make us less as Christians. It is important to acknowledge them so that we can grow. My prayer used to feel routine and list-like, but we all need to start somewhere. As I grow in relationship with Him, my prayers become more like conversations with Him. It is a wonderful thing, but we need to remember that He grows all of us differently. Thanks for your honesty, Jennifer. It is so refreshing!
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement Heather. I am terrible with self-condemnation. One of the ways that I “deal” with it, is I share with others what I am struggling with. Often by doing so, I feel a sense of relief and I hope that by sharing my struggles and shortcomings, that my journey will help and can a blessing to others.