Have You Had A Heart-to-Heart With God Lately?

"We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties" -Oswald Chambers

Recently, there was a poll taken by the National Opinion Research Center in Chicago. The findings of this poll revealed some pretty interesting facts. It was ascertained that 60% of the American people pray at least once every day. It was also discovered that 78% of the American people pray at least one time a week. And, that only 1% of Americans say that they never pray.

Thus, whatever their view of prayer, whatever their understanding of the subject of prayer, the majority of people in America do believe and practice prayer. Which is great news, right? But, do we really understand what we're doing when we pray? Let's look into this a little further.

To begin with, prayer doesn't have to be complicated. There shouldn't be any rules, or stipulations attached to praying. Prayer is simple. It's just you talking and listening to God. Think of it as having a personal conversation with a really good friend. This is the basic prayer format that I use in any heart-to-heart with Him: I ask God questions, then listen. I talk about my problem(s), then listen. I ask for guidance, then listen. Simple as that.

Some of us who do pray might think of prayer as a routine. Prayer has become kin to brushing your teeth, or making a pot of coffee. We might rush through it as if we were in a race to the finish line; perhaps quickly glancing at the clock on the wall. Sad, isn't it? I could easily list a dozen more examples just like these because I've done them myself.

But, I learned something along the way that totally changed my entire outlook and approach to prayer. I learned that prayer is a wonderful privilege. Stop and think about this for a second. When we pray to God, it's like being invited to talk with the Creator of the Universe. How awesome is that? God wants to hear from you. He's never to busy to hear you. And, you better believe that He listens when we pray!

Beloved, God not only loves hearing from you, but there's a very good chance that He has something to share with you. This requires an open heart and a listening ear from you. Be quiet, and receptive to Him. He wants to refill your empty tank with a fresh supply of the guidance and wisdom you require! According to 1 John 5:14, we can be confident “if we ask anything according to His will, then He hears us.”

Now, how do we know that we are praying His will? This is accomplished when we spend time getting to know Him by reading the Bible. Prayer fits so perfectly with Bible study. When Christ comes into your life, the Holy Spirit lives within you. This allows you to pray with understanding according to His perfect will.

When we read the Bible, God is talking to us. When we pray, we are talking to God. Hence, prayer is essential to the Christian life. Even so, you'll never become an expert in prayer. I know that I'll spend the rest of my life trying to grasp what prayer is all about; and trying to learn to be a better "pray-er."

In fact, we are quite like the disciples when they came to Jesus and said, ''Lord, teach us to pray.'' (Luke 11:1) Unfortunately, there aren't any doctorate degrees in prayer. However, God doesn't ask that we become experts in prayer in order to connect with Him. He accepts all of us just as we are.

In conclusion, God allows Himself to be stirred by the prayers of people. It's important to know that God is unchangeable, and all-knowing. He knows how He's going to answer prayers; and how we're going to pray about something. Though He may adjust His actions, His purposes remain the same. He knows what's best for you and I.

Scripture: Romans 10:17; John 10:27-28; Hebrews 4:12; Luke 11:28; Romans 8:14

Prayer: Dear Lord, I love you and thank you for everything you have done. Because of your grace, my heart can now see what my eyes cannot. Thank you for this blessing. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Amaris