As you know, I’ve chosen my word of the year 2020 to be PRAY, which somehow seems oddly appropriate for all that has happened in the first half!
A few weeks ago, I told my friend Rob that I had been given a burden to pray for him. He was taken aback and told me he didn’t want to be a burden to anyone. I thought about my choice of words, and said that maybe I had chosen them poorly… that a “burden to pray” for someone was more of a privilege or special assignment from God.
I thought about the phrase I had used, somewhat cavalierly, and wondered where it originated, so I googled it…. because, of course, google would know…
What I came across was this blog post by Stephan Neilson, an excerpt from the book, Principles of Prayer.
The blog articulated what I could not… I am blessed by the burden to pray for Rob that it’s hard to describe. When he faced uncertain medical issues last summer, I literally became prostrate and cried out to God because I had absolutely no control over anything that was happening and the ONLY thing I could do was pray.
Turns out it really was the only thing I could do… and the most powerful. God heard my prayers, my pleas with Him to show the doctors what was happening, to remove roadblocks, to heal Rob… and then I watched it happen. Rob began to heal… it wasn’t instantaneous it occurred over several months, with some relapses along the way. And then again in December and January, I found myself prostrate once again, begging God for healing as Rob once again faced uncertainty…. and I knew my word had to be PRAY.
Over those months, God would tell me my job was to keep moving Rob and praying for him, allowing him room to continue to grow… and God reminder me that it was His desire to use Rob. At times, I felt my “control” creep in and I would begin interjecting my opinion, God would remind me that’s not my job… my job is to love and encourage growth, even if I feel it’s not fast enough… not my gig… God’s gig.
Because I am a very take charge type of person, I have a hard time relinquishing control of things I can affect. I learned a very valuable lesson in that experience, where I literally had no control… it is in those times that we can be most open to seeing God work.. for me, it was spiritual growth… for Rob too, as he began to see that God had truly answered my prayers.
As I look back over the past year, I see all the things that have happened, I remain convinced that my prayer life is a privilege… my time communing with my Heavenly Father… asking does guidance, for healing, for salvation, and more.
I absolutely love the God of the universe… and am so very blessed to be able to talk to Him as my best friend every day. My mind is blown all the time at the things I see happening, where His hand is so clearly evident.
“Are you going to trust Me when things get ‘really bad’”? I heard my Lord say…. yes, Lord, I will trust You… because I’ve seen what You do… am I know I’m Yours.
We are all called to be used by God, and we learn to do it by learning to trust Him… for me, the way that happened was first by me being obedient to step out of my comfort zone to do something for Him… then by continuing to seek Him by reading His Word and listening to sermons and praying… then, as I began to see answers to prayers, I grew deeper and deeper… I don’t know where God is taking me… all I know is wherever it is, I am going. 100% committed. 100% vested. 100% trusting that He will guide and provide. 100% praying.
Be blessed today my friends, and rest assured in the promise that God hears your prayers.
SB
Journey-For-Life 