Tags
Christianity, Eve, prayer, pride, Religion and Spirituality, Satan, self
Prayer is a hard thing for me. I think, from what I hear, it is hard for everyone. Why is it so hard to go to God with our concerns? Why do we feel the need to do everything ourselves? Why is it that we only cry out when we are at the end of ourselves?
One word: Pride.
What would have happened had Eve cried out in her temptation by Satan? Things would have turned out a lot different for Eve, I think.
Yet I can’t complain about Eve. I’m a lot like her. I think I can do things my own, feel I have more insight or knowledge in an area when clearly I don’t. I think I am my own master, my own God. I don’t consciously say these things to myself, no. This is a much deeper sin and more deceptive sin than most. It hides behind a face that appears loyal to God, yet it isn’t. These lips deceive the deepest parts of me. These thoughts whisper that it is not sin…it’s simply using the gift God gave me to make a wise decision without Him. How sad I am!
My thoughts focus lately on the fact that I need to pray. With prayer, I am able to see how selfish I’m being (Dear Lord, Help me prayers are fine, but when it’s always about me…something is wrong). Prayer helps me see where I am not walking in truth. Prayer helps me focus on loving my enemies. Prayer helps me focus on accepting God’s love for me. And when I pray, I don’t have time to complain. Prayer lifts my spirits and puts my focus back on God, not self. Prayer is so important and yet I fail so many times to see how good it is.
My prayers don’t move God. My prayers allow God to work in me. My prayers put my heart back in tune with what God wants — His will, His love for me, His plan. When I don’t pray, I put the focus back on myself. I become my own God. And Lord knows I fail…and I fail hard.
So this week my focus is to pray, in every and all circumstance. I can’t always open my lips to pray, but my heart is praying and my thoughts are thinking about God. You don’t have to shove yourself in a prayer closet. Pray without ceasing, friends…in your heart, in your head, in your actions. Prayer is an attitude. It’s not about me, it’s about the one I’m praying to.
Prayers (Photo credit: Xerones)
Sound of Stillness 
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I appreciate your thoughts on prayer. I agree about pride being so deceptive. God hates pride. It’s such a destructive sin and so easily hidden even from ourselves. It’s so bad that it keeps us from our most important relationship-the one with our Savior. Prayer can overcome it. Thank you.