It’s been a minute since I’ve attempted a writing task for this blog. I have been immersed in an exciting writing assignment for the last few months. We’ve also adopted a little baby boy, and our family is one size bigger now. He is all sorts of cute and out of sorts at the same time. It’s been four months of learning to ride the waves of change.
I started a prayer journal a few weeks ago. It’s a delightful spiritual practice. I have so enjoyed writing out all my prayers and petitions to the Lord. This practice has reopened my eyes to the power of prayer and just how effective prayer is. I’m learning to take note of just how often God actually answers our prayers – even when we’re too busy to realise.
James 5:16 – “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
At the beginning of the year I felt God show me that twenty-twenty-two would be a year of growth. It is truly in hindsight that we understand the full weight of Gods words to us. We hold His whispers close so that when the waves of life come at us, His whispers soothe the wondering.
Oftentimes, when we go through growth spurts, it’s slow and silent. Other times, it’s fast and furious. Either way, growth demands change. And change is not always casual and cushy. Most times, it’s stretching and sore. But change is like a sieve; it involves sifting and straining. It separates our ideals from reality, the truth from the lies and the gold from the sand. And it’s those gold nuggets that nourish us as we learn to navigate our new norms.
As I’ve reflected back on the last six months, these are the gold nuggets that I’ve picked up along the way:
Firstly, I’ve learnt over and over again that Jesus is trustworthy. As covid hit us two years ago and so much pain filled my feeds, I began to walk down a road of wander. Not the good kind. It was the wandering that would cause my heart to stray away from that which I knew to be true. My fears robbed me of steadfast faith. But it was in this place that Gods Word became even more real to me. As I turned the pages of my Bible, soaking up the truth, I encountered not just the Word of God, but the person of Christ. And He’s gentle but steady nature became my anchor. So when the waves hit, I held tightly on to my Anchor.
2 Timothy 2:13 CSB – “if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.”
I’ve learnt that you can live in the promised land season without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The promise land represents walking in to or receiving that which God has promised to give you. Too often, we feel like we’ve arrived when we enter into such a season. I’m learning that the promise without His presence is not worth it. Our only worth is found in the One. No matter the waves that come.
In Exodus 33, we witness something wonderful. Moses was a glory-carrier and he refused to move on without the presence of God as his guide. And so the cry of my heart has become this:
Exodus 33:18 ESV – “Lord, please show me your glory.”
Another thing that I continue to learn is that God wants our complete obedience, not in the absence of chaos but in the midst of it. We need to stop using our chaos as an excuse to say no. May we posture our hearts in a place where we are constantly seeking Him for more. Then, we will walk out on the water and ride the waves, as we surrender our hearts in complete obedience to His will.
And then, even in the unknown we continue to hold on to our Anchor, a little tighter and a little longer than the season gone by.
Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
“Where are you?” A question God asked Adam and Eve when they hid from Him in the garden of Eden. If God had to ask you this question today, would you be found hiding, too?
Genesis 3:8-9 – “When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
What promises are you holding on to today?
Are you holding on to the Promise Maker and Promise Keeper over and above the promise?
Has more of His presence become your prayer?
As always, here are some scriptures to pray through and ponder on. You can journal these scriptures as a starting point. Allow Gods Word to show you the Way and the WayMaker.
Luke 2:19 – “But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.”
Romans 12:12 – “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Matthew 6:6 – “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Ephesians 6:18 – “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.”
Romans 8:26 – “In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings.”
Matthew 21:22 – “And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 – “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
When we pray Gods Word back to Him, it is powerful. The Psalms are a great place to start if you don’t have words of your own to pray.
I’m loving this simple prayer method:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is the foundation of this method.
Write out, reflect and respond:
Rejoice: what are you celebrating today?
Pray: what are you trusting for today?
Give thanks: what are you grateful for today?
My prayer is that as you seek the face of Jesus, you will encounter Him in new and fresh ways.
Encouraging you always,
Robynne
Here is a free prayer journal for you to print out and enjoy!