Tag: prayer

Fading into the Background

#God, #inspiration, sin, prayer, clean heartThe loud music at the start of class bordered on being annoying. Before long it faded into the background and I was no longer consciously aware of it. Instead, I was focused on the activity of the exercises and a brief conversation with the person beside me.

We were about forty-five minutes into the class when the instructor commented the sound system had failed and we had no more music. I was surprised to realize the lack of music hadn’t registered with me.
How is it that something loud and unpleasant can fade into the subconscious so quickly?

I thought about the areas of my life where sin has crept in. At first it is like a pebble in my shoe. I’m very aware of it and constantly uncomfortable. Soon it has become part of the fabric of my life. Others may notice, but I don’t.

This opens the door for more of the same. What once was annoying is no longer noticed. That’s how easily it happens. From there it multiplies.
To remedy this I need to pray about each situation. There is a reason for my uncomfortable feelings. When I bring everything before God he will enable me to get rid of the problem areas and make my heart clean once again.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 NLT)

Things That Go BUmp in the Night

God, peace, inspiration, lessonI had just drifted off to sleep when I heard a noise that startled me. “What was that?” I said. My husband thought it must be something outside. He wasn’t worried so I went back to sleep without giving it another thought.

The next morning when my husband opened the pantry door he knew what had made the noise. Somehow items on a wire rack on the top shelf of the pantry had shifted, causing a domino effect. A few items were on the floor. Among them was a jar of olives with the lid popped off. Liquid from the jar was pooled on the floor.

The cleanup could have been much worse as a large glass bottle of maple syrup had also fallen but remained intact.

I wondered if this situation could hold a lesson for me. If I was alone in the house and heard a strange sound in the night I may have worried about it. Knowing my husband was beside me and not concerned gave me peace that everything was alright.

What I sometimes don’t think about is that God is beside me at all times. The Bible tells me that when I pray I will experience God’s peace. No matter the situation, he is available to get me through it. When he is watching over me I don’t need to worry about things that go bump in the night.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

Change in the Weather

Jesus, inspiration, sunshine, prayerSunshine and warmth embraced us and a gentle breeze kissed our cheeks. Wispy white clouds stretched liked cotton candy in the sky. Near the horizon we could see a fishing boat bobbing as sea birds circled, hoping for an easy meal. It was a perfect start to our morning. I sent up a silent prayer, thanking God for the blessing of this day.

A few hours later clouds started rolling in. We noticed the wind getting stronger. Soon dark grey clouds filled the sky. A storm was on its way.

During the afternoon the howling of the wind drowned out the once peaceful sound of the surf. Waves crashed and thundered to shore, topped with foaming white caps that rose ever higher. Wind lashed the rain onto our windows. Our view became obstructed.storm, obstructed view, changes, weather

We stayed inside to wait out the storm. With the sun tucked away behind storm clouds, darkness came early. Our power was disrupted and we relied on flickering candle light to see across the room.

When the day started we had no idea of the changes we’d face before nightfall. Such is the way of life.

Challenges appear and hit like a gale force wind. There may be little or no warning. The bright sunshine of promise gets blown away. As though in flickering candlelight I can only see far enough to put one foot in front of the other.

This is when I trust on the power supply that never fails. The power of Jesus in my life will guide me safely through the darkest storm. When I lean into him I am given the strength to take the next step. I don’t know how long it may take to reach the sunshine again but I do know that Jesus will help me navigate the darkness when I walk in his light.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12 NLT)

Just Look Up

God, prayer, guidance, inspirationI was being careful of my footing that morning. The tide was in, forcing us higher up the beach than normal. My eyes were focused on where to safely place my next step to avoid slipping. As I picked my way over rocks, shells and sandbags.

Ahead of me I realized my husband had come to a stop. When I started to look up to see why, a shadow just above caused me to duck. My head narrowly missed the base of an overhanging deck. I had been aware of the wall beside me but not the danger looming slightly higher.

This was a vivid reminder of what can happen when I focus only on my next step. I become so self absorbed that I am unaware of dangers that are right in front of me.

By starting each day in prayer, asking for God to lead me, I am looking up for direction. He knows the difficulties I will encounter and will guide me accordingly.

Sometimes he will enable me to avoid them and in other situations will walk with me through them. In either case, my life improves when I practice looking up to the one who has promised to take hold of my hand and help me.

I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand and say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid; I will help you.’ Isaiah 41:13 GWT

Whispers in the Dark

#God, #inspiration, prayerWe woke to the whispered voices of our granddaughters in the next room. It was a dark winter’s morning and they weren’t confident enough of the time to come into our room.

The words were hushed so we couldn’t quite hear the conversation. Occasionally there would be laughter, followed quickly by, “shhh!” They were doing their best not to disturb us.

After a little while, one word kept getting louder. It was, “Hungry.” Soon one of the girls tiptoed into our bedroom, repeating this word as she neared our bed. When we responded, the others joined in asking us for breakfast.

This scenario reminded me of the way I sometimes approach God. I whisper my anxious thoughts, hoping he’ll take notice. Although God hears each word and knows my every thought, he wants me to communicate directly with him.

I need to have the confidence to express whatever is on my mind. Often I feel like what concerns me isn’t important enough to take to God. Maybe I’m taking him away from more important things. The truth is that God is ready and willing to hear from me at any time. These conversations through prayer form the foundation of my relationship with him.

Just because I come to God in prayer doesn’t mean he gives me what I want. Sometimes he tells me to wait and other times he leads me in a different direction. What is most important is the comfort I have in knowing that when I call out to him he will be there for me.

Call to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you great and mysterious things that you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 GWT)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

Happy New Year

blessings, adventureAs I look back over 2015 I am reminded of the many blessings in my life, both personally and professionally. Things haven’t unfolded as I expected, but that is all part of the adventure!

I have posted this New Year Prayer in previous years and as it is still my favourite, I’m sharing it again.

NEW YEAR PRAYER
May God make your year a happy one,
Not by shielding you from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, if it comes.
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to travel any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking all cowardice and fear from your heart.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you where man and his cause need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there, and to help.

Author unknown

How to Get Rid of Anxious Thoughts

Bible, the Lord, prayer, promisesA disturbing dream woke me just after daybreak. I slipped quietly out of bed and headed for the living room. My heart was heavy and my mind troubled. The dream had a basis in reality and this view of myself was not pleasant.

I picked up my Bible but found it difficult to quiet my mind and focus on the words. Instead, I shared my anxious thoughts with the Lord. My mind stilled and I was able to resume my reading.

The devotional I read next seemed to speak directly to my concerns. This must be more than coincidence.

Suddenly a movement in the back yard caught my attention and I went to the window. We had filled a small wire feeder with winter bird food a few days earlier. Our little oak tree had become a gathering spot for numerous birds. I smiled as I watched some in the branches, one or two at the feeder and several on the ground enjoying what had been dropped.

This image was a visual reminder of the promises in the Bible that the Lord will take care of me. I knew then that he had heard my prayer. I had nothing to worry about because I was in his capable, loving care.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26 NIV)
Turn your burdens over to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble. (Psalm 55:22 GWT)

Successful Merging

God, prayer, Guidance, InspirationWhile driving along the highway I noticed the many times I encountered a sign warning motorists their lane would end. This notice was to give time to merge with the lane beside them.

Usually this was done smoothly but I did observe occasional problems. Sometimes the person merging didn’t consider the other vehicles and cut someone off. Other times they held back, staying in their lane until there was no option other than to merge. It seemed they’d rather come to a standstill than join with the other traffic.

To me this had a far greater significance than highway traffic. A visual reminder about reacting to the changes in life was being played out.
My life path seldom has completely unexpected endings. If I’ve been paying attention there has usually a warning sign or two. Knowing that change is imminent, it’s up to me how I will continue. At some point I will need to merge with others going the same direction as I am. This is the only way to keep moving forward.

If I approach the change with hesitancy I run the risk of coming to a standstill. I need to be prepared for the new challenge ahead of me. Conversely, I may rush in without evaluating the timing. This can cause problems with those I cut off in my rush to get ahead.

There is an alternative. I need to pray and ask God for guidance. He is the one that knows where he is taking me and the best way to get there. When I spend time with him my journey will be much smoother.

Call to me and I will answer you. I will tell you great and mysterious things that you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 GWT)

Is Your Glass Half Empty?

Bible, God, inspiration, positiveGenerally I think of myself as a positive person. For many years now I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal. Looking for positive things every day has changed my outlook and my life.

Recently I was in a setting that normally uplifts me. Instead of feeling peaceful and happy I was discouraged and sad.

I prayed for a change in attitude. The next morning my devotional readings had a few things that seemed custom made for me. The first sentence I read said that there was a mighty battle going on for control of my mind. How could this book, written several years ago have the perfect opening line for me on this day?

My Bible verse of the day said “Do not throw away your confidence.” This is when I realized that instead of being grateful for what I had; I was looking at what others had and feeling that I was missing out. I had, in effect, thrown away my confidence and was looking at my glass as half empty.

When I stopped to think of all of the good things in my life I was once again able to see my glass as half full. I apologized to God for my attitude and thanked him for his loving guidance. My day became brighter. My entire outlook changed. I am very grateful to serve a God who loves me and answers my prayers in ways that bring me closer to him.

The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6 NIV)

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:34-35 NIV)

Are You Under Pressure?

sprite bottleThe wording on labels can sometimes evoke a meaning for me that I’m fairly sure is not what the manufacturer had in mind.

Such was the case when I spotted some old glass pop bottles at a yard sale. The Sprite bottle’s green glass had a white banner on the neck with the words Contents under pressure. Handle with care. I called my husband over to see it and said, “Some people should have that warning label!”

My amusement faded when I realized that I have often qualified as one of those people. Too many things to do and not enough time to accomplish everything can put me under pressure. This is usually something I’ve brought upon myself, either by taking on more than I should or procrastinating until I’m short on time. Even so, the pressure builds and those around me need a warning to stay clear, lest I explode.

This doesn’t happen as frequently as it did in the past. I am learning to bring my plans to Jesus. When I ask for his direction on what to say, “yes” or “no” to, my life runs much smoother. By making time with him the number one priority on my list I am better equipped to handle whatever comes my way. His guidance will enable me to keep the pressure under control. There is no better way to start my day than letting Jesus handle it with his loving care.

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3 NIV)

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