Today I want to take you on a journey. The beautiful journey of prayer; A journey that through my telling, I pray that you will be encouraged.
Pray is not easy, I speak from experience. I look back at my life 4 or 5 years ago and remember how i would pray the same thing every evening. It was just part of routine. It wasn’t really prayer, just some words that were becoming tradition to me.
It was about this time that a cousin of mine left the faith. I wasn’t close top this cousin at all, but while I watched the family around me grieve, I began to pray. Really pray I mean. I remember how every night I would pray begging God that this cousin would repent, begging so hard that I would cry. As the month went by it got harder and harder to continue to pray, but what kept me going was the truth that I had come to realize, that prayer is not just something we do because it’s asked of us, but that is a conversation with Him and that it comes out of our love for Him, just like talking nonstop with our best friend. So should our prayer life should be. Still it was hard because pray is not this easy conversation, for we have to wait for the answers and in this case it took months
Pray is hard but rewarding as I found out. After 8 months of constant praying and begging God changed this cousin’s heart. It was the first little step that they took, but it was the best answer to prayer ever. For me it took prayer to that next stage for me, from hard to not quite so hard.
Over the years I look back and thank the Lord for that time. For showing me what prayer really is. That even though it’s hard and at times painful and full of longing for a better life. It’s the thing that helps to bring peace and gives me patience as I wait for many answers.
At one time I had nothing to pray for, but then I opened my eyes and heart to those who have become my closes of friends. Through then I have a prayer list to long to count. From trials that they are facing to salvation for those that are dear to them. From wisdom to justice to be done. For health to good exam results and this list goes on and on. Not a day goes passed without me hearing of somebody new that needs prayer. Not a day when I’m not praying silently most of the time for those who are struggling. Not a day when I regret the power and blessing that prayer is. Not a day when I’m not praying for the peace of Jerusalem.
Prayer hasn’t only changed my life but the lives of many Just by them knowing that I am praying for them to the answered prayers in due time.
I ask you dear reader to be open to those who need prayer. There are far too many people out there to count that needs it. Over the past 2 weeks I know 3 people who are in hospital for major health reasons or illness. Three families grieving over the death of loved ones and too many people to count that are struggling each day to carry on. The fight for justice for many more. Yet don’t forget that prayer is also for rejoicing in those whose families are growing whether through babies or marriage.
So be open and ready to pray. Grow in your prayer life by first of all praying for your needs and then those of others. Feel the true power of prayer. Keep it up even when it feels like it’s going nowhere. Keep a prayer log book that you can look back at years later and see the Lords great providence in the prayers that have been answered. But most of all remember that prayer is the communication of two friends the friends ship of Daughter/son and their heavenly Father.
Prayer is hard but rewarding in the end!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
“May peace be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
Psalm 122:6-8
