05/21/2024
This morning my devotional reading spoke of the effect that prayer has on our hearts and, through our hearts, and it dealt with our fervent nature that seeks God. E.M. Bounds wrote that "Prayer in times of trouble tends to bring the spirit into perfect submission to the will of God, and delivers from everything like a rebellious heart or a critical spirit.... Prayer so prepares the heart that it softens under the disciplining hand of God." The Lord uses trouble in our lives as a tool to discipline and instruct us, but prayer is the catalyst that brings us into submission and knowledge.
“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.”
Psalms 34:6-9 KJV
When trouble surrounds us we are encouraged to call on the Lord. Our prayers then begin the process of our learning from the problems we are facing; they allow God to speak with us regarding His will and the lesson of faith He wishes to convey. Furthermore, prayer is our avenue for seeking relief from those things which trouble us... God wants to provide for us whether that be in bodily healing or spiritual peace and He has provided this avenue (or dialog) of prayer for this purpose.
My sons and daughters participated in sports as they were growing up. The physical benefit goes without saying, but in the course of these events came opportunities to teach lessons in life. There were easy lessons regarding such things as being a good winner, but there were harder lessons like losing well, playing through pain, picking yourself back up after a setback, and using what went wrong to prepare yourself better for the next game.
Interestingly enough, following a disappointment such as losing a game, not performing well, or an injury, they really didn't want to talk about it... They wanted to withdraw into themselves with their emotions. As a father it was my job to draw them back out; giving me the opportunity to teach a life lesson. Do you withdraw from your conversations with God following a disappointment? Does He have to wait on you for that perfect moment to reach out and begin the conversation that starts healing and improvement? How about when the embarrassment is so strong that you are ashamed to face Him?
God is with us, much like I was with my children. I was at the game; I was on the sideline during practice; I saw the events firsthand that my children were embarrassed to discuss. Not talking about it didn't change the fact that it wasn't a secret... Although painful to talk about, no healing or help could come until we began to talk. Prayer is that way too... We need to discuss our shortcomings and embarrassments so that God can teach and help us through them. On most things I was patient with my children and God is patient with us too, but sometimes that conversation must occur sooner rather than later, and that is when He steps in and gets our attention... maybe a stern talking to, if you will allow me that.
So this morning let's let our prayers prepare our hearts to receive God's lessons, or help. Let's come to Him with our most embarrassing failures and confess that we need His help (after all He was there when whatever is troubling us occurred). Let's have that father-child talk that brings us enlightenment or returns us to a place of peace. Let's let Him remove the weight from our shoulders. All of this begins when we pray... Prayer is the catalyst for God's intercession in our lives, and in many circumstances it allows Him to put His arm around us in comfort.
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
1 John 5:14-15 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for witnessing every hardship we face. Thank you for loving us and wanting to help us face our fears, disappointments, and failures. Thank you Father for interceding in our affairs and transforming us through our belief in your Son Jesus, by the interjection of your Word, and with the eternal wisdom you provide. Help us Lord to come to you in prayer, and to talk about our troubles when all we really want to do is retreat into ourselves and ignore what is bothering us. It is our nature to withdraw from pain, and make excuses for our failures, but until we address them, clean the wound, and apply the ointment of prayer, there will be no healing… only a festering wound. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God and the healer of our injuries, sicknesses, and the damage done by every sin that damages us. Merciful are you who will not let us languish in our suffering, and who blesses us with the grace you pour over our infected spirits through Jesus Christ who is the redeeming power which washes away all sin and cleans the wound left behind so that we can heal completely. Wise are you who shows us our cuts and infirmities then teaches us how to avoid them as we go about living our lives. Wonderful are your words “Go and sin no more” which you speak to us after your instruction has been administered, and the healing touch applied. Praised be your name Father, and by it we give you all the glory for the merciful healing we have received and could not possibly have accomplished for ourselves. Walk with us Abba and speak truth into us. Hold us close as we sob in your arms, then dry our tears, and heal those things that we didn’t want known… not even by you.
“Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
James 5:14-15 CSB
Amen
Rich Forbes