Making my own plans and not seeking God in prayer first has ended badly for me. Plans literally fell apart before my eyes. I mean, they crashed and burned before they could even take off. And I have made this mistake so many times.
We should always leave room for God to speak to our plans. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” I will always need God to guide every part of my life, and that is why prayer will continue to have the top spot in my life.
When we humble ourselves and show God that we really need His strength, His power is revealed. Recently, I have felt a
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huge push to reverence God in all seasons of my life. An increasing feeling of spending more time, simply praying. When we pray, we are inviting God in. We are making room again…and this should be daily, if not, a few times during the day. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that we should pray continually.
God has the ability to show up in many ways when we are expecting it and unexpectedly. I am careful not to treat prayer like a one-time thing. God is not a genie in a bottle, and we shouldn’t wait until we need something tangible to pray. God desires an intimate relationship with you and I. Just think about it: How would you feel if someone you love only came around when they needed something? You never hear from them unless they need money—a new car or new clothes. That would be hurtful to me…so just imagine how unimportant God feels when we make Him the last resort! We call everyone else but Him. We post our issues on social media for temporary ego stroking…but fail to remember there is Someone far greater, waiting to hear from us!
Prayer is powerful. There is something special about being able to communicate with the Father in this fashion. For me, I have had many encounters where all I could mutter was, “God. Send your help. I am scared and I need you!” Being vulnerable is a clear indication that we realize there is a need for help. Fear and anxiety will consume you if you don’t know how to combat these emotions.
Isaiah 43:1-3 (NRSV) “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 (NRSV) “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
When put into practice, prayer will turn into a continuous conversation with God. Practice prayer? Yes, practice. To some, it may seem silly; but for others, praying does not come easy. In this case, it might be helpful to start a prayer journal. This way, you can see what and who you are praying for. Picking a certain place and time to pray is also helpful for establishing a healthy and thriving prayer life.
A prayer life is important—yes, in 2019. It doesn’t go out of style. It’s not a phase. Make prayer a lifestyle.
Tenia Marie
Tenia Marie is a Chicago-based freelance writer, a devoted wife of fifteen years, and a mother to three amazing children. She recently left her career in the dental field to pursue writing and music. Tenia Marie has a heart for women and mothers who face depression and anxiety. She is currently working on a series of devotionals to encourage weary souls and remind her readers of God’s joy and peace during the toughest seasons of life.
TENIA MARIE
This was good Tenia! I have found that when I make prayer a priority, I can better deal with the “unexpected things” that happen in my day.
Thank you Kisia. I really appreciate your feedback. A day without prayer is a nightmare. I value prayer so much! It’s a necessity.
Wow! Yes, that could have been a good theme also! “A day without prayer is a Nightmare!”
Hello Tenia,
I enjoyed reading your post. I know that when I don’t pray or spend that quality time with God in prayer, I feel lost, without direction. Thank you for this. We all need to be reminded of how important it is to make God a priority. He will always be first.
Hi Brenda! Thank you so much for taking time to read and leave feedback. I am overjoyed that you found value in this blog. It is truly amazing how lost and misguided I feel without prayer.
Thank you for this! I have been in situations where I didn’t pray and it felt so tight; I felt frustrated. But as soon as I prayed, I felt a release so now I know no matter how small an issue may appear to be, if it feels a little tight or weird making that decision, I remember that I haven’t prayed on it. Thank you for this!
Hi Ladebra,
Thank you for leaving feedback. That is so true, the feeling of being unsettled is common when we don’t consult with God first.
This is a wonderfully insightful article. Thank you for helping us simplify prayer and intimacy with God.
Hi Natalie,
Thank you so much for the kind words. It’s my joy to share what God speaks:)
I thank you Tenia Marie for words of expression. The passion to help others to become healed & redeemed from the demonic spirits of anxiety & depression. God Bless
Hi Cheryl,
It’s my honor to share what God has spoken to me. I pray we all can live free and continue to put God in HIS proper place. Thank you for reading and leaving feedback:)
Tenia Marie, thanks for not making prayer so intimidating!
I love that we can simplify prayer. The Father wants us to find and seek Him with our all, it doesn’t have to be a big production.
Thank you for reading Denise!
This was a good read Tenia! This part particularly got me “How would you feel if someone you love only came around when they needed something?”
I pray that we will continually seek to pursue deeper levels of intimacy with our loving Father!
Nancy,
I am so glad you enjoyed this. I really liked the part you mentioned as well. God laid that on my heart. We should treat God like a priority always.
Thank you for reading!
I enjoyed your post as well, I have not been as diligent about my prayer life as i need to be, but i believe God is calling me to begin praying about everything and i am rising to the occasion more daily! Thank you!
Hi Aja,
With every new morning, we have another opportunity to get this relationship right. Pray about it all, even when it doesn’t feel good or comfortable.
Be Blessed:)
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