My guttural groans might get so loud you’ll hear them in your living room. Can you hear me now?
It happens when I hop online.
Oy.
Social Media you slay me.
So many voices.
Dissension rules the roost of our hearts and minds.
Rival banter remains impartial between professing Christians and those who oppose Christianity.
Of course, there will always be people who say they’re Christian but don’t act like it. Then again, someone points a finger at “the other guy” and says “they” are are the ones who profess to know Christ but don’t look – sound – talk – act like it. According to whomever is speaking at the moment, I could end up on either “side”. So could you.
Blech.
I’m weary of listening to all the woe’s.
Everyone has an opinion. I guess instant megaphones gives us all the right to voice our own in whatever way we want. Even so. There’s a difference between constructive conversation fostering healthy growth and finely honed tongues sharpened for persecution. We can choose wisdom over whining. Amen?
I’m constantly asking God to prompt my heart. I want to know when to speak, when to listen, and when to ignore what others are saying and doing so I can pass by and live my life.
One frequent comment on Twitter stood out the last couple of weeks. I heard it (saw it) repeatedly. Usually, in response to posts about hurricanes along the coast, fires across numerous states, or flooding in Sierra Leone, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
The specific wording varied, but the sentiment remained.
They say, “Prayers don’t make a difference.”
But they do. Just maybe not the way you expect them to.
The power of prayer must never be forgotten or minimized.
If you’ve read my recent blog posts (Are You Waiting and Praying but Nothing’s Changing?, More Than Prayer for Whole Healing, or Permission for When You Need a Different Kind of Change), you know I also highly value our steps of faith and action. So much so, I’ll keep writing on this point.
I believe prayer is vital.
I also believe that through prayer, action is incited. Either ours, or God’s or both.
Prayer is meant to be relational and transformative. It’s meant to be an ongoing means of communicating with God and learning to hear from Him.
Christians – we need to hear from the heart of God and we need to let the heart of God work in us.
Prayer doesn’t change God, but it might influence the course of action God takes.
Honestly, I don’t understand it all. I doubt I will this side of heaven. What I do know, is that we are called to pray.
Unceasing. Alone. And with others.
Prayer is constructive conversation with God. We talk, He listens. He talks. Are we listening? Are we responding?
When we learn to engage in this kind of relationship with God, we learn that He is often speaking to us. What He says is likely to prompt change which means we choose to surrender, trust, or respond in some way.
Prayer is not God meeting our expectations for change, it’s us meeting Him, expecting to be changed.
We learn to receive. Not demand.
When I sat at my desk this morning, the first thing I heard from God was – Pray for them.
I want to pray for you. Because you may be facing some kind of challenge either from the natural disasters or from some level of personal, emotional, spiritual turmoil.
Whatever storm or fire you are facing, and whether it’s literal or figurative, and even if the trial is not yet here, we must pray.
Pray on your own
AND
Pray with one another.
We were not meant to do this journey of life and faith on our own. I encourage you to reach out to a safe individual today and ask for prayer or offer it.
Whatever you choose, remember prayer makes a difference. It just may not bring about the kind of difference you expect.
If you’d like me to pray for you, please respond here or on Facebook or send me an email. I may not be able to respond to every one, but I will read them and I will pray.
CULTIVATE CONVERSATIONAL PRAYER:
I’ll keep it simple. Tell God what’s on your mind. Any and all of it. He already knows, so just be honest. Then, ask Him to help you hear and respond to what He is saying to you. Amen.
