I have had an interesting year thus far. It has been busy at work, and busy at home. In many conversations with friends and loved ones, they have asked,
Is there anything specific you would like me to pray for?
My answer was always the same,
Please, pray that I can find peace. I feel there are so many things going on at once, and I feel that I am not at peace.
Please pray I can feel God’s Peace Beyond Understanding.
I know so many people have been praying for me to find peace. We have had several conversations throughout the year about my finding peace. I know I have been asking God to help me find peace. Yet, here I sit, in October, and I must say I do not find myself at peace. Here is the challenge:
I haven’t been in a close relationship with Jesus praying of peace throughout the journey.
Let me explain:
When I pray for others, I pray fully. I pray for the entire journey, from start to finish. I am in deep prayer for them, for those around them, for their thoughts and experiences. In full, deep prayer in communion with The Lord.
When I think about my prayers for myself, I pray about a meeting, or a conversation I am going to have. I pray for a moment in time or a situation. I am not in full, deep prayer in communion with The Lord.
How can I find peace if I am not in communion with The One who can provide it?
When I think about this past year, I can definitely feel a distance or separation from Jesus. It is not that He is not there; it is that I haven’t been holding up my end of the relationship.
Think about this:
- Think about a friend that you were really close with a few months or years ago that you might not have connected with lately. You both have gotten busy with work or kids. While you may see each other and connect on occasion, it is not as often as it was previously. And, while the discussions are good, you are holding something back. There are things you aren’t sharing either because time will not allow or maybe you just aren’t ready to share.
- Now, think about the next conversation when the two of you really connect. When the kids aren’t running around the house and work isn’t piled up. When you leave everything where it is and you go to your friend for a deep connection. You share what has been going on – both the good things and the not-so-good things. You ask for their guidance and support.
- How do you feel at the end of that last conversation?
- Happy
- Loved
- Connected
- Safe
- At Peace
See, that is what I have been missing. I have kept my prayers to my gratitude for His Love and Blessings, requesting forgiveness for my sins, focusing on praying fully for others, and then simply asking for small things for myself…instead of being all in!
What I love about our Gracious, Loving and Forgiving Father is that He is always here. He is standing at the door waiting for us to come through. He tells us through the Gospels that God is not just waiting for our return, He leaves all others in the hopes that He will find us and bring us back into His loving arms.
Luke 15:4-5 (ESV): “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
He does all of this, not because we deserve, but rather because He loves us so very much, He gave us His only Son so that we, through the belief in Jesus Christ, can spend eternity together.
Here is a great song by Cory Asbury titled “Reckless Love” that puts this amazing love into a beautiful song: Click Here
Heavenly Father,
I come to You today in Thanksgiving! Thank You for Your love for each and every one of us. Thank You for Your forgiveness as we sometimes choose poorly or fail to do our very best to represent You and Your Love for us. Thank You for Your patience as we work through the challenges in this world that try to separate us from Your Plan.
Loving Father, I ask You to please help me find Your Peace Beyond Understand. Peace at home, Peace at work, Peace in all things. Please help me find that by putting You first, putting You always. While I can find other important things to fill my day with, please help ensure my day be filled by being in deep communion with You. I will find time for the other important things, but they will not interfere with our relationship. You have already done Your entire part. It is up to me to do mine.
Lord, I do believe my challenge is that I do not feel worthy. I can pray fully for others because I see their worth, I see their value, I see them through Your eyes. Please help me see myself through Your eyes. Please help me to remember that I am worthy of praying deeply for Your Help, Your Guidance, Your Strength in my life.
In Jesus’ Holy Name,
Amen
