Monday, November 24, 2014

Is It Hard for You to Pray?

(We're continuing with Road Signs Along the Way, a presentation I gave at a widows retreat a few weeks ago. Please refer to Friday and Saturday's posts to catch up if you need to).
♥ ferree
 
It was hard for me to pray. I’ve told you I had 2 prayer partners. They were my crutches. I couldn’t put words together to really pray. So when I had to pray to God about my feelings of abandonment, it’s like all I could do was knock on His door.

Knock knock

Is anybody home?
God’s house was silent. Hollow.

I knocked again, Please, please … just open the door! I yearned. I still didn’t have words, but that was ok.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26

After about three days of this silent struggle---by the way, do you remember there’s a parable about the persistent widow in the gospels? It’s there for a reason---widows need to be persistent!---So after about three days of this persistent begging, a small thought came to me: God speaks to us through His Word, and He’d written an entire book about widows—the Book of Ruth. Why don’t I take a look at it?

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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 24, 2014 at 11:27 AM

    Wow! Such timing of a post as I find myself at a place where tears not prayers flow. It is a difficult time of year, the 11th anniversary of my husband's Home-going just passing (YES, I still miss him!) , the 1st anniversary of my precious Mom's Home-going coming up (my heart and soul ache), the holidays, and saddened by other loved ones choosing paths away from the Lord. I found this song, which seems appropriate since you mention those who came along side of you and "prayed you home".

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IMPNTVKfIo

    ~ B ~

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  2. UnknownDecember 5, 2014 at 12:28 PM

    Ferree, I have really missed your blog : ( I have been really really really behind on my quiet time : ( It is so refreshing to come back. Thank You so very much for what you do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ferree Bowman HardyDecember 6, 2014 at 3:50 PM

    Thank you Carla, I was in Wisconsin visiting my parents and hadn't been able to post much ahead to cover for my time away. But the benefit is knowing you missed me. :)
    God bless you as you get back into your quiet times with God, and if my little blogging can help you do that, well, that's a sweet privilege and honor to me. <3

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  4. Ferree Bowman HardyDecember 6, 2014 at 3:53 PM

    Dear "B" -- What would we do without those who 'pray us home!' Thank you for sharing, and I'm so sorry for your losses. It might seem like a long time ago to some, but on God's timeline of eternity it's just yesterday. And I know you're looking forward to our future home as much as I am. ((hugs to you))

    ReplyDelete

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