Prayer is such an integral part of our Faith-walk, yet, how many of us neglect it because we are not sure what to do, how to do it, and just don’t understand how it works. Is this you? Are you at a loss when it comes to Prayer?
Let’s start with some elements of Prayer. First, there is Gratitude. Do you want to feel Grateful? Start with the things you take for granted: electricity, running water, a great shower head, supermarkets, and sunshine. List 5 different things every time you have negative thoughts going through your head. Give them over to God by way of thanking Him for the abundance in your life. Actually feel it in your heart and let that Gratitude fill you and overflow in Praise to Him.
Another element is Prayer for others. Do you Pray for someone each day? Chose 1 to 5 people and Pray for them each day for a week. An activity I like to do is to feel love for the person in a real way as I Pray. Especially if I am Praying for someone who has bothered me and I need to get over it. This can be achieved by focusing on God’s love as a cloud radiating love outward. See yourself filling up on this love, God’s love, and allow it to fill your heart with love. Now start to Pray for the person. As you do, push the love that is in your heart toward the thoughts of them. Allow God to fill you with the words they need you to Pray for them.
Confession and Forgiveness are also part of Prayer. Each of us knows when we have done something to offend another. Do we know when we have offended God? We must stay in right relationship with Him in order to Pray without hindrances. In fact, each of us holds a very different person inside of us that represents all the things we don’t want to be. It is how you view yourself. AND, a lot of your behavior can be attributed to ‘hiding’ this other self. But what if you could embrace this inner shadow. It would allow you to see yourself in a new light. It would allow you to Forgive yourself like God Forgives you. To do this activity you need to imagine your shadow in front of you. Look at your shadow and make an agreement with it that you are better together and face yourself more honestly. Fill up on validating yourself (and your shadow) by accepting God’s Forgiveness. Feel His acceptance of you as a warmth coming from outside of you and filling you with Forgiveness.
The last part of Prayer I want to talk about is asking God for Power. God has promised us the Holy Spirit to be our Power. In that way you can take your pain and turn it into Power. Every time something happens in your life that you would rather avoid, that is the time to ask God for His Power for you to overcome it. Start by imagining a cloud out in front of you. In the cloud see the thing or the person you are trying to avoid. Yell, ‘Bring it on’ and allow yourself to feel the discomfort. Then, move into the cloud and yell, ‘I love pain’. Next, move through the cloud and yell, ‘Pain sets me free’. By doing this you allow God to grow you from the inside. Use the adversity to Grow your dependence on Him.
Only by taking control of your mind (your thoughts) can you become Spiritually Mature. Your Prayer-life is where you can work on controlling these thoughts.
Prayer is important to your Growth, don’t neglect it. Find ‘your way’ to Pray so you can be consistent and connect your heart to God’s heart. PRAYER IS- Purposeful, Real, Adjustment, Yielding, Expectation, Routine. . . (another post in the making).
Be filled to overflowing,
Deneen
Leave a Reply