iBelin

Climbing and Praying

// July 3rd, 2009 // 2 Comments » // prayer

The Way of Prayer is sometimes like climbing a trail. It is a beautiful journey but not an easy one. Prayer really can be strenuous. Trying to get rid of distracting thoughts and concerns, pushing past our fears and getting away from the demands of the day really is hard work. But, the most challenging part of prayer is, perhaps, overcoming our unwillingness to pray. We do not always want to pray…

To pray is, too often, to be confronted with unresolved issues OR problems we have been avoiding OR failures we are trying to forget OR various conditions of suffering, pain and misery OR mistakes we’ve made OR the lack of something OR broken relationships OR some other unpleasant situation. Then, if we are praying for others, we are carrying additional weight as we climb in prayer. Prayer really can be strenuous.

Some challenges to the way of prayer are caused by the wrong focus. Prayer is focused on God and not problems. A problem may lead you to pray, but God is the focus of prayer. God is the Focus of prayer, the Words of prayer and the Answer to prayer. When God becomes our primary desire and focus, prayer becomes more meaningful and more powerful and more transformative. Prayer is the essential means of nurturing our relationship with our God. We cheapen prayer when we think of prayer as our way of getting something from God. In prayer, our hope must be for more of Him and a closer relationship with Him. This life-giving relationship yields answers and solutions and healing and wholeness.

Still, prayer really can be strenuous because life pulls at us from many different directions. But we have to keep climbing that trail because there is nothing like reaching a place while you are climbing and stopping to look out at the view. When we focus too much on the challenges and difficulties of the climb we miss the beauty of the space we have reached. When we look out, we look out with a new perspective.

The next climb will be challenging too, but our prayer-legs will have gotten stronger and our stamina will have increased. The more we climb the more we learn that we must not only take care to ensure that our footing is secure as we climb, but our anticipation of the view from the place we climb to in God make this strenuous climb irresistible. More than this, the secret place of health and wholeness God welcomes us to in Himself is a place of love, joy and peace.

Do the Work!

// July 2nd, 2009 // 7 Comments » // Uncategorized

“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” James 2:17

Everybody wants a better life, better relationships, better this and better that.  The real question is, do you want to do the work?  I am not getting into the “smarter” or “harder” discussion.  And, yes, I know, “Prayer changes things.”  But what I have learned is that prayer and work go hand in hand.

Everybody that knows me well knows that it took me a long time to get out of college with a degree (reasons for this are many and, right now, not relevant so pull your nose back out of my business…).  I prayed constantly during those agonizing and humiliating years that God would deliver me with a degree.  At this moment, I am not sure what I wanted God to do.  I had the resources and the ability.  Maybe I wanted Him to become me and sit through the classes OR maybe I wanted Him to move upon the hearts of the administrators to just grant me a degree.  When I emerged from that cloudiness, I was fully aware that degrees are earned.  You have to do the work.  I was focused on many other activities and, as worthy as most of them were, they would not fulfill degree requirements.

So, here’s the thing, change is available but you have to do the work!  I know, Gershwin got your mind all messed up with his, ‘Summertime and the living is easy…”  Well, it’s summer and life is not easy.  But in life you can have love, joy, peace and fulfillment if you simply pray and do the work.

Want a better relationship? Do the Work!
Want a better life? Do the Work!
Kill the excuses and Do the Work!
If you want something, go and get it! It is NOT going to fall out of heaven.  Do the Work!
You do not need specifics because I am sure you know what to do.  You just need to make it your intention to DO THE WORK!

Prayer and work go hand in hand.

Jesus: My Prayer and My Answer

// July 1st, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Uncategorized

The Name of Jesus is a prayer in itself. Sometimes life can be so overwhelming that words do not come, but only thoughts that prove stressful and counterproductive to prayer.

This is the time to simply call on the name of Jesus. Mentioning His Name is a sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air. To call Jesus is to quiet thoughts and to still aggravation.

Early in the morning and late at night when your thought life threatens your peace, whispering “Jesus” makes you aware that He is near.

Many and more words in prayer do not necessarily bring more answers. Simple confidence in His love for you expressed in the calling of His Name is a prayer… and the answer.

“Jesus”