it's one of those things growing up that wasn't really talked about.
you knew the Lord's prayer. and the bed time prayer.
and that was it.
prayer, was just that nice thing you told people you'd do for them. it might have been the thing you did when you reaaaally needed something from God.
it certainly wasn't a daily activity.
it wasn't a conversation with God.
it wasn't a time to believe in HIS name that things would happen.
i don't think i'm great at prayer because i'm just figuring out what it really is.
it's all those things i thought it wasn't.
it's quiet time.
seriously quiet time, with zero distractions.
it's coming to God with everything. the big things. the little things.
it's talking to God. it's expecting from God. it's listening to God.
i've had some serious prayers answered lately. big ones. and even little ones. but answered. in a mighty way.
and i'm always blown away.
which is how i always want to be.
i also don't ever want to pray and just know that God will do it.
i expect God to answer my prayers, but i also know that sometimes He'll do it when, and how He wants to do it. which may not be when or how i had asked for.
sometimes i get intimidated by women when i hear or read about their serious encounters with the Lord during prayer time. because i immediately think i'm doing it wrong.
which is the thought process that has to stop.
because here's what Jesus says about prayer:
"and when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.
truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. but when you pray,
go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
then your Father who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.
and when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask Him." matthew 6: 5-8
quiet. alone. just me and God.
check, and check.
i started about a year ago getting up and reading the Word in the morning and praying. some days i miss it. mostly the weekends. but i'm a work in progress. some days, it's an hour. other days, it's ten minutes.
the biggest thing, is that we have to stop thinking there's a right and a wrong way to do this.
your head and your heart have to open to the Lord.
that's how this all works.
i'm refusing to keep thinking that there's a right way and a wrong way. as long as i stick to His words. i'm good. there may be some tried and true formulas people have. but those might not work for me.
God works for me.
mornings work for me.
being honest works for me.
whatever your time of day is.
whatever your method might be (mines writing btw. if i don't write my prayers out, my brain goes from asking God for healing, to who i think will with the amazing race in 5 seconds).
whatever works for you.
do it.
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