Tag: Philippians 4:6-7

Bonus Post: Why Prayer Matters

What is the purpose of prayer? Many see it as a way to ask God for what we want or need: healing for a loved one, a solution to a big problem, or a positive outcome for a challenging circumstance. So, when we get what the desired result, we say our prayers “worked” and that God is good. The challenge comes when God keeps us waiting or gives us a different answer–which can lead us to become confused, angry, or disillusioned. 

Megan Fate Marshman offers a different perspective on prayer. She describes it as “connecting with the one who loves you most.” So, prayer isn’t only about asking God for what we want but about cultivating a relationship with Him. This is also what Jeremiah describes when he writes from God’s perspective saying: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13, NIV)

Prayer is so much more than just a tool for making requests of God or a last resort when we’ve run out of all other options. Over the years, I’ve discovered many truths about it through consistent practice and study. It’s changed me and caused my faith in God to grow deeper and wider.  Prayer is more powerful than most of us realize. Let’s look at four reasons why it matters:

Prayer Invites God Into our Circumstances: Psalm 139 tells us that God perceives our thoughts and knows what we’re going to say before we speak. Some would argue that there’s no reason to talk to the Lord since He already knows everything about us. However, the purpose of prayer isn’t to inform God of our circumstances; it’s to invite Him into them. Prayer opens the lines of communication between God and you, just as you talk regularly with people you love. It gives the Lord permission to speak into our lives and to share His wisdom. Often, prayer changes our hearts more than it changes our circumstances. That’s exactly what we see at the end of Psalm 139 when David says: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)

Prayer is the Healthiest Way to Manage Fear and Worry: Anxiety is on the rise in our culture. Many of us feel a constant undercurrent of fear and worry at all times. We try to control our surroundings, our circumstances, our plans, and our relationships as a way to stave off those panicky feelings. Our minds churn over worst-case scenarios and “what-ifs” that fill us with dread. The irony is, all the time we spend worrying and fretting does nothing to change our circumstances. It wastes our energy, overwhelms our thoughts, and steals our joy–preventing us from living life to the fullest. In contrast, taking all that angst and laying it before God frees us to trust Him and to expend mental energy in more meaningful and productive ways. No one says it better than the Apostle Paul: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

Prayer Changes Our Perspective: When we praise God in prayer, we’re reminded of His character. Consider David’s words: “The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:13, 14, 18, NIV) Praising God for His trustworthiness, faithfulness, and nearness reassures us He can handle anything we bring before Him. This simple but profound quote from author and pastor AW Tozer sums up the power of praise: “As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.” 

Prayer Lets Us Take Action When We Feel Powerless: When circumstances unfold the way we want or expect, we have the illusion that we’re in control, which makes us feel powerful. But here’s the harsh truth: There are few things we can actually control beyond our reactions. When we accept our humble position, we give God more opportunity to work in our lives. Consider Paul’s realization He could only rely on God’s strength in light of his personal struggles: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10, NIV

How freeing it is to accept our frailty and weakness and to recognize humbly that we have no power on our own. Acknowledging we don’t have control and trusting God gives us access to true power from the One who loves us most of all. 

Phil Wickham’s “Battle Belongs” is an incredible song filled with Scripture that reveals the power we have through prayer. Click here to listen and celebrate this truth today.

Megan Fate Marshman, Meant for Good: The Adventure of Trusting God and His Plans for You, Zondervan, 2020, page 79.

I choose joy.

I’ve been writing blog posts consistently since fall of 2012. In all that time, I’ve never had a guest writer on my site. But today that changes. With his permission, I’m sharing an article written by my son, who is a junior in college. He has been sheltering in place in his dorm room 1500 miles from home. As a Community Leader (RA) in his residence hall, he chose to stay at school, continue his job, and do classes online. There are twelve other students in the building who didn’t return home. In his role as a CL, he was asked to write an article for a weekly newsletter sent out to the 550 students who usually live in the community. When he shared what he’d written with me, I felt compelled to give it a broader audience. It’s a thought provoking perspective– especially coming from someone so young. I hope his words inspire and challenge you like they did me.

“I choose joy.” by Garrett McCullum
Originally published in “Updates from the HRC” Special Edition, Issue 6, April 19, 2020. (Baylor University)

It seems like every day we hear more bad news. Coronavirus is still spreading. Shelter in place has been extended again. We haven’t seen our friends in weeks. Someone we know is sick. We are stuck at home with families we may or may not like but are definitely tired of seeing every waking moment. Our professor still hasn’t figured out how to unmute his microphone on Zoom. 

Often times when I talk to friends and family over Zoom or Facetime or text the conversation centers on coronavirus and sheltering in place. We talk a lot about how hard it is to be stuck at home, unable to see friends or even family in some cases. We talk about how long this might drag on and how much different online classes are. It’s not uncommon for me to feel more discouraged after these calls than before. When we talk only about the things that are difficult and only focus on what we have lost, it is hard to find any encouragement.

Things may not be easy and fun right now, but there is more to life than coronavirus. I think that too often we choose to let all the bad things in the world color our attitude and outlook on life. We choose to dwell in our sadness, frustration, and loneliness. The problem with this is that there will always be hardships, and even when we aren’t sheltering in place life won’t be perfect. So instead of sitting in loneliness and self-pity, I am going to choose joy. No matter the circumstance I am going to make a conscious choice to be joyful. 

Our happiness does not need to depend on the world around us, in fact if it does, we will be disappointed time and time again. The apostle Paul went through countless hardships in his life and ministry. He was imprisoned frequently, beaten repeatedly by both Jews and Gentiles, shipwrecked three times, and almost constantly in danger. Paul had every reason to be miserable and give up. But through all of it he did not lose hope and through all of it he remained joyful. As he sat in prison, Paul wrote to the Philippians, “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” 

Paul’s hope and joy did not come from this world, they came from God and his work in the world. Paul knew something that we would do well to remind ourselves of: we serve a God who is greater than imprisonment, greater than coronavirus, even greater than death. Just last Sunday we celebrated the resurrection, when Jesus rose triumphant over all of our sin. In the resurrection we have hope beyond this world, an assurance that no matter how dark the world may seem, God is greater. 

So, because of this we have a choice. We can choose to place our hope in the world and its uncertainty. There will be good times and bad times, and our outlook and attitude will change as often as the weather. Or we can choose to place our hope in God. There will still be good times and bad times, but we can choose to look beyond these to the God who made it all and has a plan for everything. I’m going to choose God. When I feel overwhelmed and when I feel completely alone, I am going to look to him. I am going to do my best to not let my circumstances determine how I feel, I am going to lean on God for hope and assurance. The world is only as dark as we allow it to be, all we have to do is ask and God will shine his light into the darkness. I’ll leave you with this verse: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Photo by Emma Nelson

The Pursuit of Peace- The Armor of God Part 4

Peace doesn’t just come to us by accident; we must pursue it, not hope and wait and wonder if we’ll ever receive it. Like all of the other elements in the list of Spiritual Armor, it is already ours, but we must take steps to activate it within us.

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Boosting myself over the side of the rubber raft, I slipped into the icy water, a shiver going down my spine despite the sunny day. A large boulder protruding from the river’s rocky bottom had stalled our adventure floating down the Truckee River. As the person with the most rugged shoes, I’d been elected by my fellow passengers to jump in the water and push us off. My sandals had thick rubber soles that protected my feet from the many jagged stones. They also provided stability for walking on the river’s uneven bed and maintaining balance in the moving waters. Once I pushed us off, I hoisted myself back in as the raft got swept into the river’s current. Without my shoes, I would have been more tentative and fearful about jumping in to help. The chances of cutting my foot, stubbing a toe or losing my balance in the river’s flow would have made me think twice before taking action. Yet having the right shoes gave me confidence and enabled me to accomplish the task quickly and easily.

Similarly, the swift-moving pace of life would be difficult to manage without putting on the shoes of peace described in Ephesians 6:15. God’s peace guards and guides us, enabling us to face anything that comes our way with confidence because we know God is trustworthy. Priscilla Shirer explains, “Shalom, the familiar Hebrew word for peace which permeates the Old Testament, does not refer to the absence of chaos, bur rather to an overall, deeply entrenched sense of harmony, health, and wholeness in the midst of chaos.” (The Armor of God, p. 98-99)

This explanation is contrary to the worldly definition of peace, which the dictionary describes as “freedom from any strife or dissension.” This kind of peace is based on exterior circumstances being harmonious and agreeable, which isn’t always possible to control. The “readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” provides the inner tranquility and stability we need to navigate life when things don’t go according to plan. (Which is most of the time, isn’t it?)

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I struggle to strap on the shoes of peace. Sure, I have ultimate peace knowing that God wins in the end and that I’ll spend eternity with him. But some days, I forget to let that deep-seated peace sustain me as I navigate different challenges life brings my way. As I was looking up different Scriptures about peace, I found a repeated phrase that caught my attention: “seek peace.” (You can find that phrase in Psalm 34:14, Psalm 37:37, Jeremiah 29:7, Ezekiel 7:25 and 1 Peter 3:11).

To seek something is to go in search of it, to attempt to attain it, to ask for it or to try to find or discover it. Action is required. Peace doesn’t just come to us by accident; we must pursue it, not hope and wait and wonder if we’ll ever receive it. Like all of the other elements in the list of Spiritual Armor, it is already ours, but we must take steps to activate it within us.

Peace is one element in the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. And the only way to produce this kind of fruit is by abiding with Jesus, which he explained by saying, ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV) So in the end, the key to having peace and letting it guard our hearts and guide our steps is to spend time with Jesus, the Prince of Peace. It is only through him that we can maintain steady footing and stay balanced amidst the swirling waters of our chaotic lives.

If you find yourself feeling anxious, start your time with Jesus by applying the wisdom Paul offers in another one of his letters: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV) Along with your requests to Jesus, spend time thanking him for the things he’s done for you and the answers you’ve received to earlier prayers. Doing this not only re-aligns your focus, it also provides reassurance in your current struggles. Remembering where you’ve seen him move on your behalf before gives  you confidence he’ll do it again.

Sometimes I feel discouraged that all of this is so hard for me. It’s as if I’m pushing the re-set button every day to activate the peace God has given me. My natural inclination is to be anxious, so anytime I feel peace I know it must be from God. I’m thankful that it’s just one more opportunity to rely on him to supply what I can’t provide for myself.

Rend Collective has a great song called “My Lighthouse” that inspires me to seek God for peace. Click on the link and let it encourage you today.

Continue reading “The Pursuit of Peace- The Armor of God Part 4”

Praying God’s Will for Your Circumstances- What Love Is Week 5

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Waking up in the dim morning light, I listened to the rain pelting our tent. It was the last day of our church’s mission trip to Mexico and the first day I’d overslept. My muscles were sore from three days of manual labor and my head foggy from not sleeping well. The sunny weather that started the week had given way to grey cloud cover that eventually turned to a steady rain. I groaned inwardly but tried to be positive as I prepared to wake the six teenage girls in my tent.

Before climbing out of my sleeping bag I prayed silently, asking God to give me strength. Later, I realized my prayer fit perfectly with what I’d been learning in First John. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15, NIV)

I could have focused on our circumstances and prayed for the rain to stop. Instead, I focused on our hearts, praying for things God promises in his Word. I knew he would give us strength, because I’d been assured of it in Paul’s writings: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13, NIV)

I also knew that to make it through the day our group of 275 students and adult leaders had to remain positive and encouraging. We needed to work in unity and to look beyond the wet day of physical labor that awaited us. It was vital to keep the right perspective as we slopped through the mud to finish building fourteen houses for impoverished families. We couldn’t control our circumstances, but we could control our attitudes about them.

It was our sixth day away from home and our fourth day of work. Tempers could easily have flared as people were worn down from working hard and being away from the comforts of home. And yet, instead of grumbling about the less-than-ideal conditions, the group rallied to make the best of it and to support one another. This, too, was God’s will and exemplified Paul’s writings in Colossians:

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)

I thanked God as I worked with my team carrying buckets of cement, sand and water to hand-mix stucco for the exterior walls. They smiled and sang, encouraging each other and making jokes to keep the mood light, despite the continued rainfall and the challenging conditions. Again, I realized God’s will was clearly evident in their behavior as I thought of another verse: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” (Philippians 2:14, NIV)

As the afternoon wore on, most groups in the neighborhood were putting the final touches on their houses. However, one group was scrambling to finish due to a week full of unexpected setbacks. Since my team was finished, I walked over and joined with people from other build teams to lend them a hand. Tension hung in the air as we worked to finish the house. Ankle-deep mud and cramped workspaces made it difficult to move without falling. Dogs and playing children ran through the site, creating an even more chaotic environment. I knew the team leaders were feeling anxious about finishing the house by the end of the day so I prayed God would bring a spirit of peace to them and to the site. Later I realized I’d known to pray for peace because I’d read it many times before: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

By the time the buses arrived, every house was finished. More importantly, the build teams had maintained positive attitudes and willing spirits throughout the day. We’d kept our eyes on showing God’s love to the homeowners and to one another.

Climbing onto buses at the end of the day we were wet, sore, and tired, but filled with joy. We had given our circumstances to God and had prayed for his will to be done. The end result was that fourteen families had solid homes to shelter them and 275 students and adult volunteers experienced the power of being used by God to accomplish his will.

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That rainy day in Mexico will stand out as the most memorable one of the week for me. I saw the power of praying God’s will and recognized that prayer isn’t about removing obstacles or increasing our comfort, but about aligning with God’s plans

Do you want a confident prayer life? Make it a priority to know God’s will by studying his Word. Then stand back and be amazed as he answers.

Click on the link to enjoy Hillsong United’s song “Hosanna.” Make the lyrics your prayer today.

Continue reading “Praying God’s Will for Your Circumstances- What Love Is Week 5”