Oh, the scoffing and laughter I've received from time to time, when my advice or listening ear was solicited and I'd simply suggest prayer. They'd say, "You always want to pray!" Yes, I know no other way. Some of my earliest memories as a young girl include waking up with the awareness that morning time was prayer time in our household.
The tone was set before my mom would feed us or orchestrate the mad dash to school, and before my Dad would climb into his suit and tie. I could hear my mom praying in a discreet voice in their bedroom. My Dad would grab a chair and disappear into a hallway walk-in closet, his designated war room for prayer. I often wished I could be a fly on the wall in there.
Family prayer was a constant and I guess the old saying held true because we prayed together and yes, we stayed together. Los Angeles was home to the stars but also rocky roads for us. Ironic that we first lived in a part of town known as Miracle Mile. We had great times and good memories there. There were also hard times, and it was nothing short of a miracle that we always managed to get by and make it through unscathed.
With no shortage of ups and downs, moves and changes, you'd think my sister and I would notice when something was wrong, but we didn't because our parents wouldn't dwell on their worries when we were around. They must have saved the lamenting for God's ears. So, the hardships weren't always apparent. My sister and I had no idea when our family was facing an insurmountable struggle and we had no clue we were being covered in our parent's prayers like protective gear.
The time I spend alone thanking God for everything imaginable, telling Him every secret, giving Him every worry, and even speaking plainly to Him, has always been sacred to me. It is dear to my heart, and it always will be. I'm a witness that prayers produce miracles which continue to confirm His listening ear. I don't doubt what the Word tells me and directs me when it says prayer should be fervent and unrelenting. I can plainly see why based on the evidence of the things I've personally hoped for.
Prayers don't have to take hours or be eloquently spoken. I believe that whenever you approach Him humbly and intentionally with gratitude and expectancy, you have His attention. I've felt and observed how being vigilant in daily prayer changes my heart and fills me with a sense of intimacy and peace with Him.
So, I have to admit that I continue to struggle with the directive found in Philippians 4:6 to be anxious for nothing, and to let all of my requests be known to God through earnest, humble prayers with thanksgiving in my heart. Don't get me wrong, it can seem impossible to feel gratitude in the midst of a storm but in those times, I am deeply thankful for the privilege of running to God knowing He will listen and even comfort me before answering or blessing me. That's the kind of thanksgiving I often experience when the going gets cutthroat.
When all else fails, there are prayers which simply sound like I'm asking the Holy Spirit to remind me what to be grateful for, to humble my heart, and to just...help. Won't He do it? Well, He has for me. Thankfully, most mornings I am praying with the sole objective of simply acknowledging the Creator, thanking Him for His goodness, for breath in my lungs, lifting up family and friends, and repenting for and reflecting on my shortcomings so I can be better, do better.
As I go about my day, I find many more moments for what I'd call micro-prayers. Quick shout-outs to God for help when I need the words to speak to someone in the right tone, or I need supernatural insight to tackle a task at work, or I could use a little wisdom in making a decision. Prayer can be a comfort rather than a chore and before you know it, it will be fervent and persistent just the way He likes it.
How many more breakthroughs, victories, and testimonies would I have if I really did take "everything" to Him in prayer? In theory, it's not that difficult to do. Then life happens. I start leaning on my own logic and understanding, allowing circumstances (or people) to consume me and control my emotions. Finally, those well-placed distractions are enough to deter or delay me from taking it all to God.
I don't believe that is a coincidence. The very last thing the devil wants you to do is pray, because even your enemy knows about the unstoppable and all-encompassing power of prayer. Prayer is your covering and without it, the enemy intends to leave you exposed and vulnerable.
In the sixteenth verse of the sixth chapter of Ephesians, we are told to carry the shield of faith so we can extinguish the arrows of the evil one, and to use the sword of the Spirit (a.k.a., God's Word). Lastly, it tells us to offer our prayers and petitions in the Spirit "always." The scripture which famously describes the Whole Armor of God ends in the topic of prayer. Done and done!
I hope this serves as a friendly reminder that your father God wants it all. There's no need to be overwhelmed by trying to fix or figure life out on your own. You don't have to if you reject that thinking by taking every request to Him with earnestness and humility. After all, He is the author and the finisher, and there is no one who can write or re-write your story any better.
"Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!"
