Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Praying about everything

Sometimes our greatest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses.  One of my greatest personal strengths is that I am a strong independent woman.  One of my greatest spiritual weaknesses is that I am a strong independent woman.

I have gifts and talents in the area of leadership.  I have a graduate degree in educational leadership.  I have been a school administrator for more years than I care to admit. 

And yet, sometimes that independence can have a negative effect on my Christian life.

Here’s an example.  I was praying through a list of requests the other day and I really felt like God was prompting me to pray for myself.  I wondered why.  The people I am praying for really need my prayers right now.  They are not doing well and they need a touch from the Lord.  Yet God kept prompting me the pray for myself.  I thought I am doing fine and then it hit me….

I’ve been doing some study on the topic of prayer in preparation to teach a Sunday School lesson.  I read verses like pray without ceasing.  I know I need to pray.  After all, prayerlessness is a sin.  It’s like telling God that you don’t need him.  You can do it on your own.  You are self-sufficient instead of God-dependent.

This is exactly what God was trying to tell me when I was praying.  I need to pray for others but I also need to pray for myself.  It is an act of submission and surrender to God when we pray for ourselves.  Placing everything I am doing and needing at His feet and asking Him to walk through it with me.  Depending on Him to get me through and not on myself.

I need God every minute of every day and yet I don’t always acknowledge His presence in my life.  This is something I can pray for, not only for myself but for others. 

What about you?  Do you truly rely on the Lord for everything or are you too self-sufficient?  Do you trust Him moment by moment or just run to Him when you are in a crisis?

No comments: