Prayer and self-reflection

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.

There is power in prayer. Yet, I find myself forgetting that. When people are in a time of trial, I tend to ask, “What can I do to help?”. Most of the time, people reply with “Please, just pray…” and I would hate that answer. Yes, I knew there was power in prayer, but I wanted to be doing something. I wanted to help change the outcome by my own hands, and I wanted to “see” it happen. I struggle to sit back and just pray for the situation and let God work. There are a few reasons, I have found for why I feel this way, and I want to look at that with you guys. 1. Control: I guess I’ve never thought of it like this before but it’s wanting to have control over the situation. Especially if that situation is causing hurt, or grief on a loved one. I want to fix it now because God takes a while sometimes… right? Now, I’m realizing as I’m writing why I struggled with this and how wrong this thinking was. I know God’s ways are the best ways, and I need to just trust in Him. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

2. Patients: I want this situation fixed now and if I give it to God, it can be a long wait… but the Bible says, He has made everything perfect in its time… Ecclesiastes: 3:11 and Acts 1:7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His authority.

3. I feel I’m not doing enough: Another reason why I don’t like “just praying” for a situation is because I feel like I could be doing more. But why do I feel that way when I know prayer is so powerful? I don’t know about you, but I am guilty of praying one time, yes you read that right, ONE time for the situation I am asked to pray for and then busy myself with something else… So, I end up feeling useless, and I am right…. I’m not doing enough. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Praying, whether it’s for yourself, family, someone who asked you for prayer, or whatever the case may be, needs to be continual.

I felt like I wasn’t doing enough because I wasn’t. I didn’t give whatever the situation was to the Lord and trust Him because I wanted control, I didn’t want to be patient, and I wasn’t continually praying for God’s strength, wisdom or guidance. Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfast in prayer. God gave us these verses for a purpose. Thankfully, God gave us an instruction manual because He knew we, as humans, would struggle. He reminds us to be PATIENT in tribulations, pray CONTINUALLY, and REJOICE IN HOPE because He is in control. This is now my goal, to learn and live by this verse.

Thank you, guys, for taking the time to read this post. If you have felt similar to what I have, please feel free to reach out or comment below, I would love to chat and encourage one another. *You can find my email in the contact page.

Until the next post, Becca Z.