Pray About Everything

Every experience in our lives serves a purpose. Bad things happen. All the time people are faced with seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Yes, even Christians. Especially Christians!

I know I've said it before, but I have to say it again: I've heard over and over and over again that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, and over and over He has proven to me that that is just not true. God does give us more than we can handle ~ to show us how much we need Him.

When I was younger my teachers used to tell me, "Never say 'I can't'. Yes, you CAN." Somehow that never helped me. How I wish someone would have said to me, "You're right, you can't do this on your own. Ask Jesus to help you!" That's what I tell my kids, and they smile every time...with relief. They know it's true!

The last few weeks I have found myself driven to my knees. Begging God for strength and help to get through the difficulties that have come at me from every direction. One day, as I got up from praying I heard God say in the sweetest voice, "Yea, I will help thee! I will strengthen thee for I am thy God." I could almost feel His Hands on my shoulders as He said it. It was like asking my friend, Andrea, for help with a project, and hearing her say "Sure! I'd be happy to. I'll be right over!" It had that same ring of joy and enthusiasm. The kind of response that gives you the assurance that you are not being a bother for asking.

And THAT'S why bad things happen to good people ~ to bring us to our knees. When you can no longer stand, kneel! What comfort I have found in prayer. I can just see myself kneeling in front of my Savior with my forehead resting on His knee as He strokes my hair and whispers His promises to me. I wouldn't trade those times for all the peaceful moments in the world.

You don't have to convince Him to care.

All you have to do is rest in the fact that He does. Oh yes, He cares! Does He ever.

I read once of a man who actually wore the wood of his floor down where he knelt to pray everyday. Just imagine how many hours he must have prayed in his lifetime!* That's how I want to be. And if trials and troubles and struggles are the only way to get me there, then I want them. Just knowing of the sweet fellowship awaiting me resting in my Savior's arms and talking with Him gives me cause to glory in my weaknesses!

He knew our lives would entail "manifold temptations". Josh gave the perfect illustration of this in one of his sermons. At the pipeline they have a box that is kind of like the hub of a wheel called a manifold. Conduits are attached to it all around. The gasoline flows through the conduits from every direction into this manifold. And that's how the Christian life is sometimes. We really do have temptations and troubles to deal with every which way we turn. But we were not created for the purpose of worrying and fretting. Because we have Him, even in times of deepest sadness and grief we can always have peace that passes all understanding as an undercurrent in our lives. Instead of pulling us under though it is what keeps our heads above water and carries us farther along. Don't struggle so, it only makes things worse. Rest in Him. Lean back hard on the Savior and float. You will see and know that He is carrying you and you will have no choice but to look up!

We should never worry or fret and we should never fear anything or anyone other than Him. We're human and we will face these emotions, but whenever you start to feel overwhelmed or afraid take it as a cue from your Heavenly Father to run to Him. And take Him up on the offer of sweet relief. Leave your burdens at His feet. Don't be afraid of being transparent with God either. He sees all anyway. Share your heart with Him, even if it's ugly. He can handle it.

Follow Nehemiah's example and spread what troubles you before the Lord. I have a notebook in which I scribble thoughts that God gives me so that I can remember to share them on facebook or on here. I spread it before the Lord this morning, and asked God for wisdom to know what and what not to share. I know He heard me because as soon as I got on my blog He prompted me to read old entries that I never posted, and made it clear that He wanted me to share the post previous to this one.

Sometimes God just longs for fellowship with His children. I know there are times when I wish for adult interaction after talking to my children all week long. That's how I picture God feeling. And He's chosen me. And you! What an honor that is!

We ARE chosen ~

to serve Him

to suffer shame for His name

to glory in offenses and needs

to bring Him honor and glory and praise

to be a reflection of Him to a lost and dying world

to inspire others to live to know and love God more and more

and to have sweet fellowship with the God of the universe moment by moment!

I heard a song recently entitled, "The Fire". I'm not sure who wrote it but it says,

"I've been through a fire
That's deepened my desire
To know the Living God more and more.
It hasn't been much fun,
But the work that it has done,
In my life has made it worth the hurt.

"Because sometimes it takes the hard times
To bring us to our knees,
Otherwise we do as we please
And never heed Him.
But He always knows what's best
And it's when we are distressed
That we really come to know (and love) God as He is."

There are an infinite number of things in this world that we can get too much of, but praise His Name, time spent with Jesus isn't one of them!

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An Additional Word of Encouragement:

"Faith" is the theme word of my life so I've decided to do a word study on it. The word "fear" keeps rearing up its ugly head so it's kind of been about both fear and faith, but what I've discovered has been fascinating! Three things I've learned so far are:

1) there are only two references to faith in the O.T.

2) no faith = no peace, and

3) a lack of faith = an abundance of pride. Wow. {Duet. 32:20 and Hab. 2:4}

It's especially gripping when you look at the definition of faith in the N.T. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." If I'm anxious I'm not being hopeful, and if I'm proud I won't choose to believe what I cannot see. Worry and pride are sin and sin blinds us to faith. I've be chewing on that for awhile now. It is so good!

This morning I read Romans 8:24-27 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

I'm always conscious of trying to pray in the will of God and the next verse covers that "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God!" (emphasis mine)

What confidence and boldness we should have in prayer with these promises to claim!

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*Helpful Hint: I'm a wimp. I have carpeted floors and I don't mind kneeling on the floor when necessary, but I have a prayer pillow I kneel on when I pray. It's one of those memory foam pillows that is really firm; too firm to lay your head on in our opinion, but it's perfect for kneeling! And I'm so thankful for it. I've found myself dropping whatever I'm doing numerous times a day lately to run up to my room to pray, and I haven't yet become sore or fatigued from the extra time spent on my knees.