So that's what you are planning!

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always. (Romans 12:12)

How many times are we less than delighted with the plans we see being laid out before us? We might be a little 'okay' with them, but in the long run, they aren't what we really 'wanted', so we end up going along with them, but not whole-heartedly. God isn't always going to lay out plans we are going to jump with joy about. Some of the stuff he asks us to walk through will give us an opportunity to develop trust in his direction, while other stuff will be easy-peasy. It is the stuff we walk through that will eventually develop our character and a deeper trust in his ways that we struggle with the most.

Why? It requires us to be patient and that isn't always the easiest reaction to things that give us a little 'trouble' along the way. In fact, we want to either bypass the trouble, or get some kind of instant 'faith boost' to make it through without much effort. Unfortunately, those 'instant faith boosts' don't always come - sometimes we just need to walk through that hard stuff before we really begin to 'feel' or 'appreciate' that our faith has actually been increased. Prayerfulness in the midst of the trouble is always God's recommended plan. It is how we develop the patience to walk it out. 

I have sometimes begun my prayers in those times with complaint - telling God just how 'uncomfortable' I am in the midst of the trouble, how much I want 'out' of it, and what I believe HE should do in order for me to be relieved of it. Ever been there? In rather short order, I usually find God changing those complaints into more of a discussion - showing me where I need a bit of change, how much he is caring for me as I go through the challenge, and what steps to take next. In essence, he is helping me embrace the trouble with less complaint and more trust. How about you? Have you started out with complaint and ended with thankfulness, not really understanding how you got from 'crankiness' to 'joyfulness'?

It is only by God's hand that we walk through those troubles. We can be glad in the midst of troubles, but it may take some honest 'unloading' of our feelings and frustrations before God in prayer to get us to that point. Never be afraid to express yourself to him - he knows what is in your heart, but sometimes he just needs to hear us express it to him. In so doing, we open the door for him to bring peace in the midst of anxiety, hope in the midst of what seems to be unlikely, and freedom when it seems like we are being 'boxed in' by some force beyond our understanding. Just sayin!

To soar, one must stoop

Wisdom is oftentimes nearer when we stoop than when we soar. (William Wordsworth)

Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (Psalm 27:7-8)

Come and talk with me - these are God's words to each of us. Somehow, we think prayer is some art form we must master through recited phrases, but it is nothing more than talking with God. He calls, we respond. That is prayer - just talking plainly with him. We might not think he needs to hear everything in our heart, but when we speak those truths to him, he is assured we know what is in our heart! I hope your heart's response to God's beckoning call is "Lord, I am coming." 

We always want to 'soar', but before we soar, we must 'stoop'. Why do you think we kneel or bow our heads when we pray? Most will say it is an action that reflects us humbling ourselves before him. I would submit that it just gets us in a 'posture' to listen. Some might see prayer as a sign that we don't know what to do next when we really do. We might believe prayer is unnecessary, but without prayer, our lives are pretty much lived on our own terms. God isn't inviting us into his presence as a means of pointing out our failures and shortcomings, although we may find ourselves a little convicted when we begin to share the reality of what is in our own heart!

We don't have to pray for hours, but rather engage in a consistent seeking of his wisdom throughout the day. How? I find myself just sitting for a moment or two and 'pondering' my next steps. Am I on my knees? Do I always have my head bowed and eyes closed? Nope. Do I recite prayers learned in some way? Nope. I just stop, ask God outright to enter into my moment, and listen. I might begin to share how something has frustrated me or brought me extreme joy. I could even admit to being tempted or giving into some temptation around me. These aren't long intervals of prayer - they are short, honest, and direct. I think God likes it when we are this free with him - free to share our heart honestly right there in his presence. Just acknowledge that you know he is there and begin to speak with him. He isn't going to help you soar if you are weighed down by all the stuff you should have rid yourself of when you 'stooped' a little while before him. Just sayin!