There is so much to be yet learned about prayer. I am not sure we will ever exhaust the subject as each day brings new needs, challenges, and requests.
For the past few days, I revisited a book I’ve read several times, having even done a 31 Day Challenge on the book one year (2014).
Today I’m sharing some thoughts from 31 Days of Going in Circles by Mark Batterson:
- “If you pray to God regularly, irregular things will happen on a regular basis.”
- “God is great not just because nothing is too big for Him; God is also great because nothing is too small.”
- Sometimes God delivers us from our problems; sometimes God delivers us through our problems.”
- “The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered simply because they go unasked.”
- “Going back to places of spiritual significance can help us find our way forward again.”
May we never stop praying but in fact, pray with increased fervency. May we be ever faithful to come before Him just as we are, right where we are in the present moment of time.
The disciples spent much time with Jesus and one day, they came to Jesus asking, “Teach us to pray.”
Jesus responded to them and to us:
“Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
(Matthew 6:9-13, NASB)
“Bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayers.”
(Mark Batterson)
May we come today and lay our burdens before Him, before the Cross. May we leave them there knowing, and believing, He will tend to them as He knows best. May we continue to let Him teach us how to pray, giving opportunity for Him to show us more of Himself.
Come!
The book of Psalms is rich with emotions we so often find difficult to express. It is no wonder we so often turn to those pages to calm our hearts and minds. You will find encouragement to bring your overwhelming emotions to God in this post “How to Trust God with Anxiety” HERE.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Today I am joining …
It continues to amaze me that God desires relationship with us and invites us into meaningful conversation through prayer.
Michele, I so appreciate your words – “meaningful conversation”. I am so grateful my talks with Him are not small talk. We can bare our deepest thoughts, our fears, our hopes and it all matters to Him. If we but sit still long enough, He imparts His Word, His wisdom, and much needed guidance.
Thinking about what kind of confidence I must have to pray boldly – confidence of who I am to Him. Praying boldly today, Joanne! ~ Maryleigh
Amen, Maryleigh. We pray boldly because we are His and confident in our Father.
Love your post today and this is so true: “My answer? Often its when it isn’t what I wanted or desired or thought how it would go.” Help us Jesus to just let You be the One who sees us through!
Yes – we need to let God be God, and we will be amazed.
Joanne, love your sweet invitation today to “come and pray”. I am continually amazed at God’s graciousness in inviting us to come and fellowship with him in prayer. I don’t savor this as much as I should, or need! Thank you for the reminder of the huge privilege and blessing it is.
Thank you also for sharing my post from Psalm 3!
I am learning to savor this privilege more and more myself these days. And it was my joy to share your post, Donna, as it blessed me. I am sure it will do the same for others!
I agree, Joanne, we can always come and pray to Him, and we can always learn more about prayer. Amen to this, “May we continue to let Him teach us how to pray, giving opportunity for Him to show us more of Himself.”
May we continue to learn while we faithfully pray!
I agree, I don’t think we could ever exhaust the subject of prayer. Not only is there more to learn, but I need frequent reminders about what I already know.
It is so true. I find myself needing the reminders as well. May we keep growing and learning in the school of prayer.
I love that we can come to the Lord for a chat, a deep & meaningful conversation or just sit with Him in silence because there are some prayers of the heart that just cannot be uttered but He knows our heart cries anyhow.
Blessings,
Jennifer
Yes (!), I am so grateful God reads our hearts and knows every prayer we have hidden there.
Joanne, I appreciate this thought from Mark Batterson’s book: “Going back to places of spiritual significance can help us find our way forward again.” It reminds me of the stones of remembrance the Israelites set up in various places. Remembering specific ways God has worked in my life in the past is so encouraging when I am waiting on Him to work in my present life. In fact, I just might have to spend some time reflecting on that very topic this week … 🙂
Lois, that quote has so resonated with me as well. And I love seeing the examples in Scriptures of the stones of remembrance. Seeing God’s hand at work so faithfully in our lives in the past so encourages us He will yet work in our lives in the days ahead.