This blog post by a wonderful blogger and woman of prayer (and widow, of course) brought a tear to my eye and a change to my heart. So often my prayers try to make it easy for God to tell me "no," because I don't want to risk being hurt or disappointed (again). . . I can't simply summarize Cynthia's words, so please click onto the link to her blog so you may have the whole of her thought-provoking and perhaps, prayer-altering piece.
♥ ferree
Multiple - Choice Prayers
cynthiaprayblog.wordpress.com
I hate multiple choice surveys. Ask me a good question, give me enough space and time, and you’re likely to get a response that’s thoughtful, maybe even passionate. Just don’t force me
(click here for more)
That was great and very encouraging.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
When Christ prayed in the garden with the cross before him, he asked the Father " to please let this cup pass from him"
ReplyDeleteHe prayed his(human) desire, he prayed his (human) will...... but closed in saying "not my will, but thy will be done".
We too pray our human will and human desires. Christ did too, but our Father had a divine desire a divine purpose of intention. We often many times just don't understand.. . . . but Christ (our example) in total submission submitted and yielded from his heart to do his Father's will.
We yield, we submit, but choose reluctantly do so, we yield but in anger, we yield but in confusion, we yield but against our will .. .
Do you believe that if we just yielded in trusting - (myself included) our path would not be as painful? - (unsure)
Since I know my desires can sometimes not be the best choice or the best road (not always) but I do try and pray -
Father, not my will, but thy will - even if I don't understand, even if it is painful - I must trust and believe my Father knows what is best and knows a better way..
Since Christ is our intercessor, he takes our petitions before the Father and probably straightens out the mumbo, jumbo mess, because he already knows our heart, our motives and understands our thoughts afar off.
Do you remember when our children were small and first started to talk and they just couldn't complete their sentences.... and in love you finished their sentences for them?........ Well this is just what Christ does for us.....he most likely straightens, finishes and completes his children's petitions.
His grace is so much greater than our feeble frailty.
I used to think it silly over praying over the insignificant, until I read where A.Paul said pray over everything. If God notices every hair that falls from our head, and sees a tiny little sparrow fall to the ground .....then he will take notice of everything that upsets us, no matter how large or small. Nothing is too insignificant of his all-seeing eye, especially our prayers.
Peter when sinking in the water prayed "Lord, help" just two words but God noticed.
Thank you Lord for finishing our sentences for us and interceding or our behalf, even when we goof.
blest-sparrow
Oh my goodness. I have been struggling with my prayers in the same way, giving God multiple choices. God if it is Your will...Even though I want to be in God's will, I feel I pray with fear of God saying no. I just wrote this in my journal this past week. I sound like I really don't want what I'm asking God for. For others, I am strong and pleading on their behalf, but for myself, I'm weak and afraid of the dreaded No; not realizing like Cynthia says, God gave Paul something better when it was no to the thorn being removed from his side. I just always thought that God's no will leave me totally disappointed, but that is not the case. So I will be bold in asking and I will continue to use Psalm 24:17 and Psalm 25:21 as my Waiting Anthem.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to get together and pray with you sometime Lucy, I feel your fear, but I admire your boldness!
ReplyDeleteDear Blest-Sparrow, thank you for your beautiful and well-said words. You reminded me that Jesus is our mediator, and I agree, He can and does finish our sentences at times. I love Romans 8:26.27 about the intercession of the Holy Spirit too, and thank you for bringing that to my remembrance.
ReplyDeleteFerree, thanks for sharing my post with my sisters on the widowhood journey. One dear woman commented on my blog that since her husband's death it has been hard for her to pray specifically, and hard for her to trust that God really wants what is best for her. Oh, how I understand that. Been there, done that.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a short response to her, but I thought I'd share it here, too, because I imagine many of us who have gone through the agony of losing a spouse can relate. Here's what I said (name omitted):
I felt like that for a long time too,
Sweet Sister, There’s no easy answer for learning to regain trust in God after a great loss like yours. Maybe two things that God showed me could help you. First, is letting Him enter into the wounded emotions. I tell my story about that in an October 2012 post: http://cynthiaprayblog.wordpress.com/?s=getting+below+the+waterline
Second, I have spent many sessions wrestling with God over the hard questions. One time when I was asking Him for the umpteenth time, “Why?!?” I sensed Him quietly respond: “Dear one, if I told you why, it still wouldn’t help. What you really are asking is, ‘Do You love me?’ and the answer is yes, yes, yes. I love you deeply and I hurt with you.”
I don’t for a second think the answer God gave to me will satisfy your soul, Sweet Sister. But I do believe that if you take your honest hurt, confusion, and even anger to God, He will meet you.
Thanks for being so honest. May God meet you and restore and heal your hurting heart.
Cynthia