Heal Thy Spirit

Heal thy spirit and through the spirit and relationship with God Almighty and Jesus Christ our Lord, our minds can be cleared and restored. When our hearts and minds are clear, our mind and spirit along with the help of God, together, releases the pain and hurts that physically manifest in our bodies.  *Please note that there are some specific illnesses that are genetic, but we must remember that we are more than our diagnoses. Abandoning God in your time of sickness or trial is probably the single worst thing to do. Yet it is in our very human nature to accuse God and ask Him, why should I be subjected to this pain?

 The Bible teaches us that it was the work of Satan that brought sickness and disease and strife into humanity. We know that when someone is ill or suffering, this was not God’s plan. God provides us with such simplistic resolutions, yet many of us stumble for many, many years trying everything but to no avail. We wonder why can we not receive the answered prayer from God? Why does He stand by and let me suffer?

 God has inspired me to let you in on one of the best secrets to health and happiness in this life. Because in the midst of our illnesses and stresses, our minds and emotions will take us to far off places, far away from the love and truth of our Lord. We analyze, intellectualize, emotionalize and we begin to know the every facet of our sufferings. Yet even with the insight, the diagnosis, having people listen to you for support, after begging from God please make me free, we are left in silence.

People are suffering from many diseases in the 21^st century. Everything from Cancer to Aids which are deadly, to debilitating conditions such as fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Anxiety, Depression the list could go on and on. We often wonder, why me? We take on the mentality that it was something we must have done to cause the illness and we further the work of Satan’s plan by allowing him further access into our lives. Something all too natural for most people. Society also is very judgmental and we see evidence of this in many different societies in all countries around the world. Our sheer lack of compassion for humanity and indifference to greed has greatly contributed to the many ails in society.

 What are we, as true believers in Christ to do about these problems that plague our daily lives and sometimes can throw us into the prison of self-condemnation? The answer was revealed to me, an old adage, so simple that I thought,That’s it?? That’s all it is??!!! Wow what joy I find in God’s love and mercy for His beloved children who are lost in this chaos on Earth. When we heal our spirit, our hearts and minds are then opened up to the ways of God. We are brought into a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father, and thru daily prayer, worship and reading His word; we open ourselves, that is we align ourselves to receive the inheritance and blessings of God.

 I realized in all of my pain and in all of my strife, there is a way out, if only I could surrender to His plan. If only I could let go of my earthly and fleshly habits, which essentially undo everything God tries to do with me.  I have come to realize that I am “very functional in my dysfunction”.  My need to always be in control and to do things “my way” have caused me hardship more often than not. As I walk further into His light, my darkness goes away. I realize that the traumas and memories of everything I’ve experienced are stored inside my body. My human body carries a heavy load, a burden that often makes life too overwhelming to bear. With every trauma and major life experience, whether for good or evil, plants a seed in my mind, heart and soul. Those same seeds implant themselves into our bodies. We are living out the scattered seeds and repetitive patterns of our lives. Make no mistake about it; the seeds that are planted are mixed with evil and good and it’s no accident we are going through such pain.

 I am taught from a young age conflicting messages from the people who I cherish most. Through the experiences of life, my very thoughts and emotions are ruled by these traumas. Joy becomes something fleeting, something I yearn for but can never receive. No matter the countless acts of kindness or grace to my brothers and sisters, I still focus on the things I did wrong. This endless cycle of begging God to release me, doing acts and going thru the roller coaster ride of emotions takes hold of my inner life.

 As I nourish my spirit through my relationship with God, I am guided into the truth. That the layers of evil works and the fear that is instilled in me must be tossed away cast off and released. It is when I realized that God so loves me, unconditionally, that no matter how many good things or bad things I do, He loves me as any parent loves their child. I come to realize that Satan’s primary target and mission begins in our minds. Satan loves the stubborn and proud; the people who insist they’ve found all the answers and need not consult with the Creator, author and designer of our lives. He finds the things you most yearn for and narrows his targets ever so specific. Jesus calls me to uproot these plants, and some have longer roots than others.

 The unconscious lessons life has taught us, the negative patterns and distorted thinking, the fear that paralyzes us, isn’t a part of His plan. God very much wants us to walk in joy, peace and health, instead of the conflicts we are co-existing with. When we repress and hang on to these unresolved issues, the very matters of our hearts and being, over years of self medicating, workaholic schedules, (we women are famous for giving our last drops to others), we further foster the growth of the poison in our minds and bodies. No matter how much we say we would do anything to get better, the truth is we just aren’t. Whether by fear or doubt or the overwhelming unjust and unfair conditions we are living through, we aren’t just willing to do “anything”. If we were, we would follow God’s simple plan.

 Since I’ve started my journey and walk with the Lord, He has sparked a change in my inner most self. The “Me” He created, the person I was always meant to be. What an awesome and often painful walk it has been. God has shown me and Jesus has shown me, that love should be the foremost things on our minds. All the commandments and laws stem from love.  I also realized that He loves me, little ole me, the misfit, the victim, the little girl lost. He so loves me and He loves you too. Through every bad mistake, through every misdeed, He may have not been pleased with my choices and sometimes saddened, He always leaves a way for us to find our way back to Him. (Jesus Christ)

 I am writing this letter to all fellow Christian believers who are suffering from trauma related illnesses, debilitating conditions and people suffering from the stress and enormities of life. Don’t just ask for the answers. Listen to Him when He gives them. We can spend months and even years to find the answer that was waiting for us all along. If I could surrender completely, and know that He is in control, that God’s plan for my life is always the best plan, far better than I could ever conjure up in my intelligent and inspirational mind.  Letting go of our earthly desires and knowing that in real truth and love He will never forsake us or leave us. God is simply with you all the time.

 As my mind is cleared away, as Jesus shines his light into the cobwebs and shadows, the filled up storage containers in my body, and shows me truth, I can allow true healing to occur. When we begin to heal our spirit, we can then get to the truth of our lives and God’s will and plan. I realized that the only reason I am still suffering is because I have trouble trusting God with the most crucial areas of my life. We can often be swayed by circumstances and emotions, and that often is only a part of the bigger truth.

When our mind and hearts being to heal, so do our bodies. It is shedding the layers, throwing away the lies and garbage the devil wants you to believe. Heal thy spirit. The spirit heals the mind, the mind can then be free to go ahead and finish out the healing process. We are never promised a pain free life. In fact pain is often our only indicator of a major problem. Persistent and long-term pain means we are missing this one simple truth God reveals to us. Not only does He love us unconditionally and He gave His only son to save the world yet even more, God wants me to love myself. Judgment is not ours to pass on others. Forgiveness, love and faith are. I can only begin to imagine what other awesome and wonderful blessings lay ahead for believers in Christ and to the unbelievers too.

I tried everything this world had to offer me; therapy of all types, medications of all sorts, treatment centers and hospitals, doctors and social workers, and various “spiritual” thoughts and paths, but the one thing I never dared to try was God. Not because I was desperate, but because it was the one thing I never believed had any weight or truth to it. I wanted to know if possibly I was wrong all the years in my life. I challenged God Himself, in all my pain and self-righteous pity. I’m happy to report that this walk with the Lord is far better than any drug or therapy this world could ever provide me. When I allowed even the slightest opportunity for God to show Himself, He showed up with flying colors. I’m so very glad God proved me wrong. As I continue my walk in the faith, I realize the more I learn, the more I realize there is so much undiscovered to humans. Evidence of God is all around us. Love can and will prevail.

Dare to love yourself, as God so wants you to do. If you still have doubts, keep posted on my life and feats. I am living proof, that the blessings of God are ours, in this lifetime, and our suffering need not continue. There is freedom in the ways of the Lord. There is release from the deadly arrows of Satan. If only we would allow ourselves to claim it. I love you all and may God continue to keep you close and prosper you all the days of your life.

 

 

Mapquest

Make godly plans on purpose.

Ask directions. Your road map is the word of God. Go to the throne. Trust in the Lord. Trust the map.

Pace yourself. Rest & pray.

Quit being pigheaded. Be willing to listen. Be teachable. Humble yourself.

Undo your mistakes. Forgiveness for self and others. Repentance. Remember that Jesus is our Savior, teacher, brother and friend. Through Him we are empowered to do much, including having a right relationship with God and others.

Experience life. Note that the word ‘if’ is half of life. Take godly chances. Step out in God’s direction. Have fun.

Stop listening to bad advice. Remember that you become what you connect to. Pass it on. Reap what you sow. Recognize the difference between love & lust, between what you want and what God wants.

Take time to fall in love with God. God is love and love never fails.

Thought For The Day

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning

Face it, friend – He is crazy about you!

God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without
sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for
the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

The Sky Isn’t Falling

For many people reading this they will not understand what I’m saying. But for those of you who are open to hearing a message about God then this is for you. I’ll start off by saying that there have been plenty of storms and crisis through out my life. In fact for the first 25 years that’s all i knew. After going through so many storms I began to doubt God’s existence, was angry with Him for allowing me to suffer in such horrifying ways.It kept me away from spirtuality and away from God Himself.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. Many of us do exactly that. We fall into the same traps and similar situations and either personalize it or blame others. We never really look at trials with a God perspective. I went through so many situations where I was left alone to shoulder the storm. I never actually examined my choices or motivations, I merely survived as a survivor does.It was only after losing absolutely everything did I bother to look to God.

After twenty something years of trying to do things my way, I decided to try God.Pills never worked, friends and boyfriends never worked, jobs, materials, therapies I mean nothing I tried ever lasted long.I got tired of falling in the same holes over and over again.I began to take a step back and examine why i was having traumatic experiences over and over.

God doesnt promise us a pain free life or that tragedy wont come our way.But He does promise to be there with us through it, He does promise that it is never for nothing. I have enough tragic reasons to never listen to God. But I choose to anyway. It’s all about taking a tiny step in faith.

When your life is starting to come apart at the seams it’s for a reason. You are a child of God with a plan and purpose for your life.Often the choices we make or the patterns we repeat will progressively get worse until we come to a new awareness. When our lives are going upside down there is always a lesson we are being taught if we can ask God to help us see it.

Why do we suffer a loss of a loved one? Why must we go through hardships, we have so many questions. I know from personal experience that everything I have suffered wasnt for nothing. When things fall apart you can look at it two ways – break down or break through.Sometimes the way we are living is unhealthy for us and our loved ones.Crisis is natures way of letting us know something is wrong.We can throw band aids on it to avert the immediate symptoms, we can say use drugs or alcohol or negative relationships to get us through, but ultimately until we address the core wounds they will never be solved.

Just as a loving parent we discipline our children, so must God discipline us. We can’t see God’s purposes and we can’t always see what He has in store for us. just as children think it’s unfair to be disciplined by their parents.Children cannot see that their parents are acting in their best interests.But He surely can’t bless or save us when there are life lessons to be learned.And we surely can’t just hand things to our children and think they will be okay without them learning.

for me, I got tired of repeating patterns.I still make mistakes and I still have trouble obeying God. but whenever I’ve given Him even a tiny chance to be in my life He shows up.He doesnt come and answer my prayers and give me everything I want. He gives me what I need. He is the leader of my life and through His unfailing love He gives me the grace to keep on this journey.

The sky isnt falling. your world is merely saying it cannot continue in the same way anymore.Sometimes things have to fall apart so we can re build our lives in a healthy way. So we can live the life we are truly meant to live.What blessings are abound if we could learn to seek God in our trials, to recieve His love and comfort and infinite wisdom.Crisis asks us to re evaluate, seek God, and address what’s broken. God longs to heal our brokenness.If only we would let Him.

Faith Vs Fear

The last little while I have been thinking alot about conditioning. Not just the human condition but rather the conditioning and distorted thinking patterns we learn as we grow up and take with us into adulthood.I am starting to think that most of us are not born free.

The world would have us believe that we are all different. The world caters to the individual. It promotes selfishness and materialism. We market to our children that our self worth is tied to what we own and what  we do. Our world is divided and purposefully so.We have backed God into a corner.When we have modern comforts we dont need God.When we lean on our own strength, when we make ourselves personal gods we remove God from our daily life.

Much of life is divided into catergories and labels. Rich, poor, pretty, ugly, smart, stupid, good, bad etc.Without very much thought we are conditioned by class and race. We need only to look at our family of origin and society to see how we are shaped by this. Conditioning is the repeated messages we are exposed to year after year and how that impacts our behavior and actions.

For twenty some odd years I have fell victim to classic conditioning. I have learned helplessness, I have learned powerlessness, I have learned that love hurts deeply. I have lived my life from a stand point of fear and have grown unhealthy because of it.

After much prayer and meditation I realize that God never intended us to live in this way. Alone, scared and addicted.Rich in money but poor in spirit. He wants us to live with hope not fear. He wants us to love ourselves and others, He wants to teach us that life is a gift not a curse.

My personal healing journey as of late is recoginizing the lies I have believed in all of my life. And replacing those lies with the truth. If I could be conditioned through trauma painful messages of worthlessness than I can certainly change it through positive conditioning. God wishes to breathe new life into my soul. When I am ready to stop living in my comfort zone, when I dare to take a step towards healing, God is always there to meet me.

I am starting to see the world like a bunch of infants. We do things because it feels good, we want things because society says we should want it. We spend more time consuming and doing that we have stopped growing as a species. We remain in an infant state, crying out when things dont go our way, always focused on self. As long as this world can convince you that you’re ‘different’ and as long as you’re self worth is caught up in fear based and pleasure based consumptions, we’ll never realize what God already put inside of us.

 It’s not a matter of changing or breaking a bad habit it’s more of a matter of shedding the layers of crap and lies. It’s about discovering who you truly are despite what bad and horrible things you went through.I don’t want to be an infant anymore.It’s time to get excited about discovering your authentic self. The person God made you to be. I know I am.

For God so loved who? You!

Today someone came to our door and left Christain literature.They call themselves seed sowers and want nothing except to spread the good news.

They gave us a colorful paper with John 3:16 on it. They want us to place it in a frame and hang it up in our home.This isn’t the first time we have recieved literature such as this. It was a wonderful message and one i wholeheartedly welcome.It’s nice to be reminded when you’re in the thick of things that God loves you.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Luke Warm

Being a follower of Christ presents challenges. Taking up the cross and following Jesus means a great deal. As I get deeper in my faith I become less and less concerned about the superficial and material things of our world. I no longer care about buying things and going places. I care about people. I care about God’s plans and purposes.

The bible teaches us that we are among the world but we are citizens of heaven. I don’t store up everything here rather my treasures are stored in heaven. Things that cant be counted by monetary worth, gifts that we give and recieve that can never be measured by this world’s standards.When I die, I hope people remember the way I made them feel. I hope they remember the good.

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. ” This is a quote that I find myself thinking about often. I’m starting to think that just because someone isnt necessarily bad doesnt also make them good.That much of what we see in the world is because people sit back and do nothing.

I never wanted to see myself turn into a self righteous religious holy roller. I need only to examine my own behavior to know that I fall far past the mark of goodness. Yet as I get closer to my God, I find myself unable to be around people who are fully engaged in the world. I grow very bored listening to people go on about their possessions and how much fun it was getting drunk the night before. I know from Jesus’s example that it is not my place to judge. Yet now I am being faced with a question.

How deep do my beliefs go? I carry a fear that if I completely surrender myself to God I will have to give up the ways and things of this world. I know they are ultimately bad for me and I also know that God loves me and has a better plan than I could ever think of.Do I want to be a luke warm christain, where I am prayerful some days and wickid the next? Should I only open my bible when I’m in dire need of God’s help?Or should I read it daily to gain God’s wisdom and spiritual nourishment?

When I first became a christain a friend of mine made a comment to me. He said ” I’m glad you’ve stepped back from church I thought you had gone off the deep end.” Does walking out your faith and trying to live out your beliefs make you “off the deep end”? I imagine to the non believer or luke warm believer that it is.

It’s time to decide how far I want to go with my God. I could enjoy the benefits of having His insurance. I could enjoy being resigned to things of this world and seeking God when it suits me. The answer to much of my problems these days lies in how far I am willing to surrender. Surely adventuring with God and seeking His plan for my life has to be better than what I think I can muster up.I’ll never see the ocean if I’m afraid to leave the shore.

 ”…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things that which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Why?

Why do we experience pain and suffering?I think this is a question that has plagued us for generations. If there is a loving God, why would he allow people to go through such terrible and horrific experiences? My partner recently purchased a book called ‘God’s Problem – how the bible fails to answer our most important question – why we suffer’ by Bart Ehrman.He too had the same question and was hoping this book could shed some light and theory on the issue.

For me, the answer has always been very simple. Though I certainly don’t like to suffer nor do I want others to suffer either, I know the answer is rooted in love.Seems hard to wrap your brain around.As someone who has experienced deep suffering I still question God around this issue.

I believe that God created the Heaven and Earth. He created us in His image and gave us this earth to live in. He made us stewards, He gave us dominion over it and He left humans in charge. God also gave us the most important gift, free will. Only a selfish God would create beings to worship himself. We are given a choice every day through out our lives to be in relationship with God or not. God does not force himself onto His children. Yet He is always with us, always present and forever ready to meet us no matter what the circumstance. To me, the gift of choice is an act of love.

When I look around our planet I am affected deeply by what I see. Wars,famine,disease,poverty,greed and oppression seem to go on without ever ceasing. I feel saddened and angry that so many innocents are made to suffer. I feel frustrated that I myself am facing situations that I cannot seem to change.It’s easy to look up at the sky and blame God. A lot of people say if there really was a loving God we wouldnt have suffering. But I disagree.

What kind of world would we live in and what would we spirtually learn if God was a magician? If God ran around all day answering our every request? There would be no adventure, no journey and no life lessons. Life would lose its worth. We would be mindless robots worshipping a magic God all day. We are not only human beings, we are spiritual beings living in human bodies. If you are a believer, than you know this earth is not all there is.

When we suffer, I believe God suffers along with us. What happens here on earth is not God’s doing. What happens on earth is human kind’s doing. We have been created and empowered to live on the earth. We possess all we need to heal pain, ease suffering and live in peace. There is enough food to feed the world. Collectively, as humans we choose not to.  Everything that goes on in our world, good or bad, is because of free will.

When we choose to have a relationship with God, we are choosing to begin a journey of our spirit. As we grow to know who God is, who Jesus Christ is, we begin to see that we are missing out on so much. I don’t believe anyone was meant to be alone or suffer the indecencies of this world. But because we were given free will, these are the choices we have made.When you choose to be in a  spritual relationship with God you have a chance every day to make a different choice.One that is filled with life, love and hope.

I can find hope in knowing that the earth isnt all there is. That what we do here on earth, how we grow and learn has an everlasting effect on our souls.You can choose to believe it or not. There is hope in knowing that we do have the power to change the world. When we learn to stop focusing on our selves and learn to focus on the needs of others. We need not suffer when collectively we have so much resources.

I am no stranger to heart break or hard times. I absolutley detest going through suffering. But I’ve learned that God does have a plan for each of us it’s just that sometimes we haven’t understood it. As I seek Him with all of my heart, as I grow closer to Him, I hope that one day what I face will make sense. I trust in the plan that God has for me.I trust in the person who created me and all the mysterious and vast beauties of our world.Until then, I will strive to keep my faith, try to serve others and love in the best way I can.

Free will means we can make the choice every day to do something positive.We can reach out to those in despair.We can choose love.God truly made us in His image. He wants us to love others in the way that He loves us. Unselfishly. I need only look to Jesus for a guide into just how far that love goes. Everlasting.

One Moment At A Time

“When I am anxious it is because I am living in the future.  When I am depressed it is because I am living in the past.”  – Author Unknown

For those of us trauma survivors the past can be a never ending thing.Because much of our perspective and values were learned in childhood – we learned to look at life through broken pieces of glass.Everything we learned served us well  because it protected us through many difficult times.As I come out of the darkness and grow into adulthood I realize that much of what I have learned  no longer serves me.The old ways of thinking and coping only bring more trouble.My life became engulfed in depressive thoughts.My old memories kept coming back to haunt me and when I looked to the future it was met with fear.

We humans are pretty silly.We spend our time running from the past and pining away for a better future yet we never take the time to really heal.A big part of my recovery is just giving myself permission to go through what I need to go through.Because we are so busy doing things we think we should be doing, we stifle our grief and pain and keep going through the motions.We miss out on the simplest things.We never know what we are missing because we have settled for those old notions.

One of the most important lessons Jesus taught was to live one day at a time.I have taken His teaching to heart and learned to practice it in my life.For today, I am going to let myself feel sad.For today, I am going to express my anger in a healthy way.As I slowly express & release my pain,as I give it a voice- I make room for new things to grow.For today, I am going to spend time with my loved ones.For today, I am going to breathe in the fresh air and appreciate all the gift’s God has given me.God has pretty big shoulders.He can take our pain,anger and despair. He wants to free us from the traumas of our past.

When I live in the moment I can live in hope.When I need to cry out to God He is with me.No person can take on the world by themselves.We need each other and we absolutely need God.He knows how much I can handle and He is always willing to accept me even when I’m in the wrong.Turning to God is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I think it requires some courage in order to heal. It’s tough re living old situations that scarred me. When I place Christ at the centre of my healing I am filled with His love and safety.As I learn to grieve what was lost and then give it to God every day I feel a bit better.

The past was horrible.But today doesnt have to be.When we live one day at a time we can cherish what’s right in front of us.We dont need to look back with regret.We don’t have to continue focusing on everything that went wrong.When I accepted Jesus into my heart  the old script changed.Becoming a believer,learning God’s word has helped shaped my thoughts and beliefs.I can shed the old ones and embrace what Jesus says.I have the gift of God’s powerful love on my side.I have a hope that abides no matter what this world throws at me.

I am a work in progress. Because I am human I have days where I fall down.I am His creation. He is the potter and I am the clay. Nothing will magically disappear over night.Yet as I allow Him in, when I open myself up to Christ, He cleanses me and heals me bit by bit.

One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus

I’m only human, I’m just a woman.
Help me believe in what I could be
And all that I am.
Show me the stairway, I have to climb.
Lord for my sake, teach me to take
One day at a time.

Chorus:
One day at a time sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time.

Do you remember, when you walked among men?
Well Jesus you know if you’re looking below
It’s worse now, than then.
Cheating and stealing, violence and crime
So for my sake, teach me to take
One day at a time.

(Chorus)

 

 

Effective Prayer

Funny how most of my life my only idea of prayer was at 3 o’clock in the morning when I had gotten myself into some pretty awful scrapes and needed all the help I could get.We’ve all been there.We usually only turn to God when things really hit the fan and we have nothing else to do but pray.

Most people’s idea of prayer is one of making requests to God.We call on God all the time without ever really praying to Him.As soon as our immediate situation improves in the slightest we quickly forget about our promises and we push God back to the sidelines.

My father told me a story of how one Christmas he got a holiday bonus from work.My mother had handed him the xmas list and off he went to go shopping.Along the way he gets a call from my uncle asking him to get in on a poker game.Against his better judgement, my father finds himself in the height of a poker tournament and the stakes begin to get high.After awhile he starts to lose his shirt.He begins to sweat and get anxious.He starts to think about what my mother will do when she finds out he lost all the christmas money on a poker game.

In between deals, my father goes to the washroom.He looks himself in the mirror and then decides to pray. “God, he says,If you help me win this game I swear I’ll never play poker again.”He means it with all of his heart and returns to the poker game.Out of nowhere his luck begins to change.He wins his money back and even makes a small profit.My father was amazed.A few months later he is invited to another game.But because he made a promise to God he turns it down.My dad has never gambled since that day.

Prayer is not just insurance. Prayer is simple communication with God.It’s taking the time every day to acknowledge Him and Thank Him.It’s pouring out your heart and it’s learning to listen and pay attention to what He’s saying.Prayer is so powerful.It is the one thing we can do anywhere and anytime.We can pray for the needs of individuals,families and communities.It’s asking God, including God  and inviting God into our daily lives.

God longs to welcome His children into His arms.He very much wants to aid and help us.He wants to have a relationship with us.Often Jesus knocks but He doesnt get an answer.God is so faithful to us and we need merely to humble ourselves before Him and start praying.It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.As long as we are humbled, honest and heartfelt.

There are many scriptures in the bible that tell us what to pray.Recently, I have come across a bible passage that can be prayed for anyone and any situation.Praying from the heart along with quoting God’s word can be very effective. 

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14

This passage teaches us so much about prayer.The first part says to pray without ceasing.It means keeping a constant connection to God via prayer.It means having an awareness for the needs of others and paying attention to what’s going on around us and simply communicating to God about it.

The next part asks to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spirtual wisdom and understanding, so we can walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.This means we no longer have to pray, if God will’s it, we can simply pray that God’s wisdom and will be given.It’s also asking that a person be enabled to walk in a manner worthy of God.For some people,that means a fundamental change in the way they operate.We know from the gospels that Jesus is the example of how we are to walk.

The next part asks to be strengthened with all power, for endurance and for patience and joy.This means recieving the strength and power we need to face obstacles and to further God’s plan. It goes on to remind us to give Thanks to God because He has made us inheritors of His light.

We give thanks because of the eternal gift of life and salvation given to us by Jesus Christ.We have been delivered from darkness and brought into His kingdom where we can recieve redemption and forgiveness of sins.We no longer need to walk through life alone or carry burdens.Everything we need can be found in God.Prayer is the first step towards building a personal relationship with God and the strongest foundation for life on this earth.Prayer allows God to move in our lives.

I can’t think of a more effective prayer.