As a few of you may know, this week I have begun anew the study on the Power of Prayer. As a guide, I am using Stormie Omartian's book The Power of a Praying Woman. Prayer is the one area in my personal Christian walk that I struggle. It isn't that I don't understand the importance of prayer - I do! It isn't that I don't have the faith in those prayers being answered - I do! And I am great at the "popcorn" prayers, you know, the onces that just pop up throughout your day as you are doing your daily tasks - and that is a good thing! But I lack that quality time, set aside for deep, intimate prayer.
I will be totally honest with you. I think that my great faith in who God is is somewhat the hinderance to my prayers. I believe that he can do anything and do anything and that he will do that which will be according to his plans and purpose. So why should I pray? If I know God can heal that person, and will heal that person if he desires, what does my prayer have to do with it? I know that this thinking is wrong, but that is what I struggle with. What we all need to realize is that prayer is not so much for that person or thing, or for God, as it is for us.
Prayer is our alone time with God. Husbands and Wives need alone time to reconnect, rekindle the flame, share their hearts with one another. Parents and children need alone time to open up, get to know the real person inside, discuss any life situations going on. That is what we need with our God as well! We need time with him to reconnect, rekindle the flame, share our hearts, get to know him better and discuss what is going on in our lives with him. It is about being a woman who knows her God.
So as we begin this prayer journey together, there are a few things we need to do to begin -
Make the commitment to do what it takes. Don't let your busy life keep you from that which will fill you up and sustain you for everything else.
Set aside a time and place. Make your prayer time just like a meeting or outing with any other person. And be there! No excuses!
Spend this first day getting to know God. Learn the different names for God that there is in the Bible and what each of those mean to you. Learn who he is to his people. (Psalms is a good place to start!)
Comment below on what this time of prayer would mean to you? What is your deepest prayer need? What is it that hinders your prayer life?
I am so excited to start this with you! Thank you for joining me!
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." --James 4:8
Prayer is awesome :) To think that we are commanded to pray - whew!!
ReplyDeleteI pray all the time. In college I read the verses that instruct us to pray without ceasing, and to rejoice in all things - and since then I pray my way through my day. It's awesome!
That is so great! I love the power of prayer and, as you said, I do the through-out the day praying. I just long to grasp hold of that deep, powerful time spent in prayer (for more than 2 minutes!) It is so great to hear that prayer is such a big part of your life. Maybe you will have some good suggestions as we go through this study!
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