Here's a post I found today that I'd love feedback on, it will most likely have plenty of response there but I wanted to share it here too: http://www.eliyah.com/forum2/Forum10/HTML/004412.html It's about prayer and how we think of it. I agree with the article author for the most part.
Perhaps that's why all my prayers go something like this: You know I want this to happen but of course I don't know all the ramifications if it does. You may have put me in this situation because of what I'll need in the future or because someone else needs me here. If you allow what I ask it may be totally wrong, I may regret it horribly, someone may suffer needlessly because of it. Basically Father, I have no clue, not the slightest inkling of what's best, I can't read the future so ... so just never mind.
It always ends up with me asking for help to stay close enough to Him that I only want what He wants whether I want it or not!
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I love your prayer. It is so true, from my limited perspective what I may think of as tragic may wind up be the greatest gift.
ReplyDeletePrayer is just a way of communicating our faith in God. We are told to pray and I believe there is power in prayer, but also God is sovereign, can do whatever He sees fit and knows what is best and what will happen. All we can do is trust him and submit to his will. God is in control even though it's sometimes hard to see. Prov. 3:5&6 are good verses that I believe apply to this:
ReplyDeleteTrust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and he shall direct your path.
I have often wondered why we should pray if God is sovereign and there is nothing that happens outside of His will. Why ask for anything? He knows what we need before we ask. Who among us would give our son a stone when asked for a piece of bread or give our daughter a serpent when asked for a fish? If everything is in the hands of heaven, what can we hope to accomplish through prayer? Does it not suggest a lack of faith in the Almighty to tell Him that things are not the way they ought to be? A person is sick? Well, God HAS to heal that person since it cannot be His will that that person suffer. How do we know? Are we so wise?
ReplyDeleteRather, let us ask that not our will, but His will be done. And that we submit to Him in all things, whether we like them or not.
I think God wants to hear from us. Yes he wants to hear our praises and our confessions, but he also wants to hear our desires, our sorrows and our fears. God is sovereign and He knows all, but He is our Father and wants us to ask our hearts desires from Him even though he already knows.
ReplyDeleteJesus prayed that if it be God's will that the cup be passed from Him. He knew God's will but he still prayed to the Father, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."
God wants us to open up our souls to Him. Just read many of the Psalms.
It's by pouring out our souls to God that he gives us the strength and courage to not only accept His will be done but for our desires to line up with His will be done.
Okay, submitting to His will, not trusting our own understanding - what do those things MEAN? How can we not trust our own understanding? We can't go by circumstances so what do we go by?
ReplyDeleteJesus did nothing, not a single thing, of his own, nothing except what he was shown by the Father. What do we do when we're not shown anything? Are there default actions? I suppose helping others in need is what we can be doing until we have a specific task.