As human beings, the cells of our bodies carry memories from our past that can influence our experiences of our present. Here is a prayer that invites the cleansing of the Holy Spirit into those parts of our emotional bodies, so that we can experience greater peace, freedom, and physical health.
It’s easy for us to have a tough time being fully present. Instead, we constantly prepare for the future or analyze the past. As Christians, we are accustomed to hearing about Jesus being our greatest teacher. But we don’t often consider the fact that Jesus is one of the best teachers for something else: living in the present.
Take a minute to think about the last fight you had with someone. What really got under your skin may not have been the obvious—like the fact your husband still hasn’t completed that one chore or that your mom still tries to control you. What really bugs you about those things, is a certain message you receive from them: You’re not being heard.
Most parents would agree that their children don’t want to wait for anything. This “dis-ease” of waiting follows most of us into our adult years. But believe it or not, something actually happens while nothing is happening. God uses waiting to change us.
The main reason we worry is actually plain and simple: We are trying to protect ourselves. It doesn’t make much sense. After all, being afraid and worried does not prevent problems or make us more able to handle them. But it comes from a part of our thinking that isn’t quite rational.
Do you ever wonder if you’re doing enough to please God? Sometimes we don’t think we should let go of being hard on ourselves because that’s too easy. While we tend to make it all about us, He wants us to shift our gaze and make it all about Him. He wants it to be all about faith. That’s what pleases God. That’s what unlocks His power in our lives.
Hearing God speak to us is like an art. Much to our frequent frustrations, it’s not as easy as hearing the audible words of a friend or mentor. Sometimes, we just need to hear what’s true—about ourselves or about a given situation—to obtain the comfort and freedom we desperately need.
While we might not like to admit it, most of us experience times when the thought of praying feels like a chore we have get done. We’re already so busy. We’re tired. Or maybe it’s tough to get time alone. These reasons can feel like either hills or mountains in the way of a consistent, thriving prayer life. And yet, when there’s something we really want to do, we’ll make time for it. If we look a little deeper, we’ll see bigger reasons why prayer can feel unappealing…
Have you ever thought of King David as a good teacher for prayer? Reading his Psalms the other day, I became very aware of how much we can learn from the way he prayed. The way he viewed and treated God and the way he saw himself through God’s eyes…