Prayer is absolutely essential to living in this world. Constant communication with God and pouring our hearts out to Him is not only essential, it is commanded. In the Gospels, Jesus tells us to be in prayer always.
I know these things, but so many times I fall short. I find myself thinking, "I really need to pray about this." But then I never seem to get around to it. The knowledge of right that I have learned for myself and have taught to others has missed its way to my own heart and has remained a head knowledge only.
I bring this up because lately I have been convicted more and more on this topic of prayer, knowing that I need to make a change. Knowing that I have been working, ministering, and making decisions without an adequate amount of prayer.
Recently this was impressed on me again when I read this quote by E.M. Bounds,
"The absence of prayer is a sure sign of work done in the flesh. Conversely, the presence of prayer is a sign of work done through the Spirit."
I read that and I had to admit that much of my work has been done in the flesh.
I have spent much of my life focusing on the importance of reading and studying the Word, but I have neglected this area. It isn't like my life has an absence of prayer. I do pray, but the prayer life of a Christian should grow and change as the person grows and changes.
My prayer life has been stunted in its growth for too long, and I don't think that the Spirit will allow it to remain that way any longer.
Therefore, I am endeavoring to spend more time in prayer. But not just time, where I a adding up the minutes, like some little checklist. I am not going to try to meet some quota of time in prayer. No, I have decided to spend some time each day in real, genuine, heart-felt communication with God. I don't care how much time I spend, I just want it to be genuine and I want it to happen daily.
I share this with all of you because of accountability. I want to be able to post again later, and be able to speak of the work of God in my heart. I want to be able to share with you how God can change and mold.
im glad you posted about this. recently in school i hear so much about reading the bible and how thats the fuel to grow in christ. sometimes prayer is forgotten. i think it goes hand in hand with reading the bible. anyway i think its cool you posted about that cause its been something ive been thinking about.
ReplyDeleteI have been convicted about it for a long time. Basically everytime I heard a pastor or missionary talk about spending hours in prayer. I felt that little twinge of conviction, but would usually slide it to the back of my consciousness.
ReplyDeleteWell written, I remember hearing an evangelist say, "Don't bother praying for the big things, if you're not going to pray for the little things".
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