How's Your Prayer Life?

I used to not pray everyday.

I would just go about my day, busy with three small children at home, 

and make it through the day some how.

Remember me telling you about my friend who prayed over the phone for me to get a hunger for the Word? Well, that started my daily quiet time with God.

 I write down my prayers in notebooks. It helps me stay focused and allows me to go back if I choose to, and see how those prayers were answered.

Mark Batterson, the writer of Draw the Circle said, "The primary purpose of prayer is not to change circumstances; the primary purpose of prayer is to change us! But either way, the chief objective remains the same: to glorify God in any and every situation."

Have you ever prayed and that prayer felt like it in God's one ear and out the other?

I think can all agree that we've had unanswered prayers.

However, remember, that God has a plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that. It's not a plan to harm up, but a plan to prosper us. 

Maybe what we asked for didn't follow God's plan. 

Some prayers that go unanswered hurt. I have a friend who's 7 year old son passed away last July. She and everyone who knows them were praying for God to earthly heal him. That prayer didn't get answered. I personally, do not think God took Max as a form of punishment, or as a way to teach someone a lesson. He doesn't work that way. God's wrath was taken care of the day Jesus went on the cross in our place. God is love. He's not going to pour out curses on us. And He also can not give us something He doesn't already have.Therefore, He did not make Max sick. It's not how He works. We won't know this side of heaven why He didn't heal Max. I can tell you this, Max's death has already saved several other children. His disease is curable but goes undiagnosed. Because of what happened to him, his mom is a warrior fighting that disease and helping other families. 

She and Max are heroes in my eyes.

As hard as it is sometimes, when we are able to still find the joy in situations, 

it helps us cope.

My Jesus Calling devotional said this today, "Thank Me for each blessing along the way; this brings Joy to both you and Me. A grateful heart protects you from negative thinking. Thankfulness enables you to see the abundance I shower upon you daily. Your prayers and petitions are winged into heaven's throne room when they are permeated with thanksgiving. In everything, give thanks, for this is My will for you."

It is NOT easy to thank Him when times are bad. It can be very difficult to find something positive in a negative situation. I bet you can if you try.

I am a very positive person. I try to find the best in people and situations. I still get down sometimes. I'm human. I just feel like looking for the good helps me cope with the bad.

So, how's your prayer life? 

If you aren't praying everyday, start for a few minutes. God wants to hear from you.