So this past weekend I had some time to be completely alone for 24 hours.
When I got home it immediately hit me.... I haven't been completely alone, like at all, for I can't even tell you how long.
Before I became a disciple, I really valued alone time and wanted to be alone a lot. Now that I am a Disciple, God totally changed my heart and I love being around people and building relationships. However, I forget many times that if God and I are in a relationship, and if I'm always around people, that doesn't give Him opportunities to speak to me and for us to have intimate time with together, which is important for any relationship.
So I decided to do something I have been meaning to do for a while with God; I made a Prayer Jar.
I sat down on the couch with worship music on and wrote down every prayer from our ministries Prayer Request document, and about a thousand other of my own prayers.
The thing that is different about the prayer jar, is a lot of the prayers in there are prayers I have been praying for for a while, or prayers that I will always be praying about: Character Traits, God and I being closer, Spiritual Maturity, Peace, World Leaders, etc....
Next to the Prayer Jar I also have a jar of Answered Prayers. A lot of time I get overwhelmed with all the needed prayers and I forget how many prayers God has answered; ones that I know of and ones that I don't. It keeps me encouraged and to remember that God hears my prayers.
When people come over, I will have the prayer jar out, so they can't put things that they are praying for so I can pray for them in the jar.
Every morning I will wake up and choose as many prayers as I feel compelled to, and focus on those prayers and people/things that day. It keeps me to have an eternal focus throughout the day and to put others before myself.
I hope this helps you all! Share anything that you do when it comes to your prayer life that really helps! Would love to hear.
"Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2
I absolutely love this idea, Stephanie. I have an 'impossible prayer' list in my journal. As in the prayers that seem really big to me. It's inspiring to see God answer those. Can't wait to see you soon. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is such a great idea! I think I might just start a prayer jar myself! I've tried doing prayer journals but for some reason it hasn't worked for me. I think this visual will really help strengthen my prayer life. Thank you for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you,
Rubi
lilyamongthornsblog.blogspot.com
A broken-hearted Christian minister needs prayer for his only child - a wayward daughter on the US west coast who has been living with an older man. She is having very risky cancer surgery. PLEASE pray that Jolene will survive and finally be drawn to Jesus! (The same minister also has an aneurysm near his heart that needs a healing miracle.)
ReplyDelete(submitted by Johnny)
This is such a beautiful post. Thank you so much for sharing it. =) I'll have to tell my friends about this.
ReplyDelete