This weekend our pastor concluded a 3 week long series on prayer (if you're interested in hearing the messages, you can listen here. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page to hear the most recent message). I don't know about you but I struggle with my prayer life. Pastor Scott taught us that we tend to have a "me centered" prayer life. But God intends for prayer to be used to build and foster our personal relationship with Him. He referenced a book by Larry Crabb called The Papa Prayer. I haven't picked it up yet, but I think I may. Pastor Scott says it will take your prayer life to a new level. For me, I pray best when I can take the time to sit and journal my thoughts to God. That way I'm writing and not allowing my mind to wander. If I sit and close my eyes to try to pray, I end up thinking about a multitude of things unrelated to my time with God! Anything from, "oh, I've got to put that load of wash in the dryer", to "hmm, what should I wear to the Christmas party?". I really feel God is trying to draw me out of my sometimes stagnant walk with Him, but it seems like there's this invisible force that I try to walk through, but it bounces me backward. Does that make sense? In some ways I've come so far and experienced SO much in the past year and a half and I know that those experiences have pulled me closer to God. But I know that there is so much more that God desires from me. And honestly, I'm kind of scared to take that next step (even if I knew what it was) because what if it's hard? What if He asks me to do something totally outside of my comfort zone? What if He asks me to give up something that I really cling to?
Wow, that was some serious spiritual rambling, huh? Anyway, tell me your thoughts and feelings on prayer. Are you satisfied with your prayer life? Anyone feel like I do?
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2 comments:
I can definitely relate. I have a really hard time staying focused in my prayer time. I like to journal to keep me focused. I also feel like I am self-centered in my prayers, like your pastor said. I am doing a discipleship study with a girl right now and one of the topics we covered was prayer. I learned some really interesting things about God's desire for our prayer life. Have you heard of ACTS in prayer? Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication? Since doing that study, I've tried to structure my prayer that way and it has helped to keep me focused a little better.
I left you something at my blog... love you!
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