Prayer Power

True confession time. I've been a lazy prayer for a while. Just snippets here and there as things came to mind, but seriously neglecting the devoted prayer. In my head, I thought that was OK because after all, I was praying in a way that was unceasing. However, our Sunday school class has been reading Paul Millers, A Praying Life, and I've been very convicted about my wrong thoughts on prayer.

1. As a believer in predestination (I know many people struggle or just discount this idea, but hear me out), I kind of just came to have the attitude that things were going to happen the way they were going to happen regardless.

2. Praying without ceasing meant an on-going, but not devoted chunk of real time.

3. Praying without ceasing meant I could multi-task. Wash my hair and pray, wash my dishes and pray, wash my car and pray- you get the idea.

4. The Holy Spirit- who intercedes on our behalf could just pray for me. I'm tired!

Now, I'm learning what I was missing!

1. Prayer changes things! I'm thinking predestination is one of those "too lofty for me to understand" topics, but if nothing else, praying about things can at least change our attitude about what's going on and give us grace to deal with it. I do think however, that prayer can change things and we can't just wait for our fate.

2. As Miller says, you can't build a relationship on sound bites. AMEN!! It's like I've been texting God. He's got more for me than a text or tweet size message. THANK YOU, LORD!

3. Yes, I can pray while I'm doing all my washing, but I don't really get that stillness that my soul needs. I need both! OH, and God wants time with me and my little text-style relationship is leavin' Him in the cold.

4. YES, the Holy Spirit is willing and able to intercede, but that doesn't get me off the hook. That's like my children always asking me to tie their shoes. I CAN, and I'm willing, but I can't follow them around for the rest of their lives helping them tie their shoes now can I? I would be handicapping them to deal with life.

So, my analogies and examples my be lack luster, but they make sense to me. I'm praying more, and I'm already seeing the difference. Normally, the morning is about the worst time EVER. The kids who by lunch can be best friends are picking each other apart like vultures. This morning, I prayed for each of them by name and concentrated on their weaknesses. OH MY GOODNESS! THE GRACE and MERCY that FILL MY HOME!! How exciting!