PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...
Or a conversation with God
Does anyone other than me, even after years of serving the Lord, wonder - God are you REALLY listening to my prayers? Well I know I have wondered this MANY times. But I can say that every time God has shown that He is listening, He is there working and doing in my life...just not always as quick as I'd like. When I study my Bible I find that many of the men and women who's stories are recorded also had times of doubt and feelings of being left alone. But I guess the quote "the teacher is always silent during a test" fits well here. There are three times we will be allowed to go through things in life!
1. When we are in sin and God is trying to get our attention.
2. When He is trying to test us and see if we truly believe what we say we believe.
3. When someone else needs to learn from our example of going through.
So when you feel like you are going through STUFF its a good time to examine yourself and pray and ask God what He has going on in the spiritual realm.
Praying is a major part of our relationship with God. Praying is conversation, its building a relationship, and its learning more about God. If we aren't talking to God can we really expect Him to talk to us?
But there are times when it feels like our conversations with God go a bit like this....
Day 1
Me: "Hi, God I'm here. Things are really frustrating right now. Please help me handle this the way you would have me to. Please give me the strength to deal with this. Thanks for always being with me. Continue to be with me and bless me. Amen"
God: The LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth. Psalms 145:18
Day 2
Me: "Hey God its me again. Things have kinda went from frustrating to overwhelming within hours. I know you have a plan though and somehow you will work it all out. Could you PLEASE get through to this person so they know you are there and you have a wonderful plan? Amen"
God: that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Luke 18:1
Day 3
Me: "Well God I'm really not sure what you are up to. Things just seem to keep getting worse. They won't listen, we fight and it hurts to not be able to get through to them. Can't you just send a bolt of lightning or something to get their attention?"
God: I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting 1 Timothy 2:8
Day 4 - Day 100
Me: "God I keep praying, I keep trying to do what you've told me. I'm trying to submit and be there and well hold onto your promises but this is getting rough. Will he ever see the fullness of you? Will he ever get on fire for you? Will it always be thus? God I really am not sure what you have going on here!"
God: The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29
Day 101 - 700
Me: "God here I am again. Still praying for the same thing. Still hoping that you are hearing this request. I know that you are there but I am really unsure of how to keep holding things together. Maybe I'm doing something wrong...God if that's it PLEASE show me so I can fix it!"
God: Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually 1 Chronicles 16:11
Day 701 - Day 1,824
Me: "God are you really there? My doubts are overcoming me...."
God: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
Day 1,825
Me: "Well God maybe I've got this all wrong. Maybe your plan is different then mine. I guess you do have a lot of people to work with and you have to get all the right people in their right places to make it all happen. So....I'm sorry God for doubting you! I'm sure you have this all under control. I know you'll work it out in your time. You'll open his heart to your plan in your time. He will stand up with vision and leadership in your time. I give it all to you God. I give him to you God. Amen"
God: If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just to forgive you your sins, and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving Colossians 4:2
Day 1,826
Me: "My God you are SO amazing! I never would've guessed you had it planned to happen THIS way! How could I have even thought I knew better. How could I have interfered. WOW! You know the best ways to make things happen. You don't do things on our time but you do them RIGHT ON TIME! Thank you with all that is in me! Thank you for not giving up on me or him. Thank you for your love. Thank you for loving us enough not to leave us the way you found us. Thank you for who you've made me into through this all! Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: you have enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. (Psalms 4:1) AMEN!!"
God: Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
If you are wondering 1,826 days is 5 years! For some of you, your request may be answered long before then and others it may take many more years than that. But know God still wants to hear from you even when it feels like you aren't hearing from Him. Keep praying, DON'T GIVE UP! What if you gave up today and tomorrow was the set date for the break through? God really does have a plan and He is working all the time to get everything to line up just right. He really is ALWAYS with you and He will NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU!
So right now take a few minutes and PRAY! Pray for that overwhelming request that you've almost given up on. Surrender it to Him. If you are unsure how to pray after that...ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you! God's got your back, He has every detail under control. Keep your focus on worshiping Him through the waiting time. Worship is living a lifestyle of thankfulness onto our God. Stand in His presence and watch Him work in ways you never imagined possible!
Blessings to you all!
~RACHEL~
P.S. If you ever want to share a prayer request or unspoken request feel free to share it here or on our facebook page.
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