Praying When We Don't Know What To Do
A rare treat indeed, for my hubby and I to be sitting across the table from each other mid-week, holding hands while praying and preparing to share a meal together.
Our schedules just do not allow for this every-day, boring, taken for granted activity. Our weekly time together is typically spent on the phone, as it was earlier in the day, but God rearranged our schedules for some face time, MUCH needed face time.
Our phone conversation just a couple of hours earlier had been filled with a lot of “I don’t know what to do’s”, “decisions need to be made”, “we could do this… or this… or this…”, you get the picture.
Not an uncommon conversation between a husband and wife, but unusual for us because all the indecisive statements inflected with worry were coming from me…. ME … the non-worrier of the family! Yes, it’s true, I am generally a non-worrier and I can only give credit to God for wiring me in such a way. I know some who deal with the anxiety of worry almost constantly (even in my own family), but not me.
I should have been able to tell myself what I tell others, “worry and confusion are not from God, they are Satan’s favorite weapons to derail us from God’s work.”
But even without an utterance on my part, God saw my need and met my need… face time with my husband.
Our schedules just do not allow for this every-day, boring, taken for granted activity. Our weekly time together is typically spent on the phone, as it was earlier in the day, but God rearranged our schedules for some face time, MUCH needed face time.
Our phone conversation just a couple of hours earlier had been filled with a lot of “I don’t know what to do’s”, “decisions need to be made”, “we could do this… or this… or this…”, you get the picture.
Not an uncommon conversation between a husband and wife, but unusual for us because all the indecisive statements inflected with worry were coming from me…. ME … the non-worrier of the family! Yes, it’s true, I am generally a non-worrier and I can only give credit to God for wiring me in such a way. I know some who deal with the anxiety of worry almost constantly (even in my own family), but not me.
I should have been able to tell myself what I tell others, “worry and confusion are not from God, they are Satan’s favorite weapons to derail us from God’s work.”
But even without an utterance on my part, God saw my need and met my need… face time with my husband.
One of my most favorite things to do on this Earth
is hold my husband’s hand and listen to him pray over us and over our family.
It has the same emotional warmth to me as wrapping up in
one of the 100-year-old quilts hand-stitched by the arthritis crippled hands
of my great-grandmother… calming, soothing, emotional warmth.
is hold my husband’s hand and listen to him pray over us and over our family.
It has the same emotional warmth to me as wrapping up in
one of the 100-year-old quilts hand-stitched by the arthritis crippled hands
of my great-grandmother… calming, soothing, emotional warmth.
But even with face time with the hubby, holding his hand while he prayed, and a plate full of soul food for this Texas girl, the worry filled conversation which had begun hours earlier continued. I talked and I worried, and he listened and tried to offer solutions.
Finally I just sat back, took a deep breath and whispered in my heart “God, I just don’t know what to do”. That was it, no resounding monologue, no great oracle to go down in the history books of prayer, just a loose frail pitiful thought bubble exhaled from my troubled heart.
Thankfully for you and me, God hears our pleas,
even when they are just a thought bubble over a plate of BBQ.
even when they are just a thought bubble over a plate of BBQ.
This is part of the wonderfulness of having a relationship with God - the lines of communication are always open.
An on-going conversation with God is just like that on-going conversation with my husband. It may begin and end but then gets picked back up right where we left off. A relationship with God includes constant communication and constant availability for conversation.
But conversations go both ways.
I can speak and God listens, but it also involves God speaking and me listening. And so just like with my husband, a relationship with God also includes constantly listening, and being able to recognize His voice over the others.
An on-going conversation with God is just like that on-going conversation with my husband. It may begin and end but then gets picked back up right where we left off. A relationship with God includes constant communication and constant availability for conversation.
But conversations go both ways.
I can speak and God listens, but it also involves God speaking and me listening. And so just like with my husband, a relationship with God also includes constantly listening, and being able to recognize His voice over the others.
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And yes, God did indeed respond to my thought bubble, He answered my prayer and spoke to me right there in the middle of that BBQ joint! He actually responded in 3 big ways.
- He calmed my fears, the worry dissipated.
- He gave me an answer – He reminded me of an organization I began an affiliation with several months ago. They could answer my questions. I mentioned this to my hubby as we were sitting there and even stated that I would consult their webpage when I returned home, as I had not seen an email from them in a while.
- God sent the resource to me! When I returned home and opened up my laptop, there was an email waiting for me from this organization and in it I was provided with two things: an immediate resource to answer some of my questions and an invitation to a full day of learning about the steps I needed to take to achieve my goal.
WOW. But don’t count those goose-bumps yet (or as a friend says “God-bumps”).
The time stamp on that email was not from earlier in the day, it was not something I had just overlooked – I had been on the computer right up to leaving to meet the hubby for lunch. No the timestamp on that email was just an hour earlier, right in the middle of that conversation over lunch and right when that loose frail pitiful thought bubble floated away from my heart.
* God's perfect timing *
He was listening, God was listening, and He answered me, and He provided a resource to answer my questions.
Soul Friends, what an incredible gift from God we have been given in prayer!
He is God - the almighty creator of the universe and HE wants to be in constant communication with you and me!
Oh friends, don’t be intimidated by the word ‘prayer’, don’t doubt, don’t listen to the lies of Satan, YOU are so precious to God and He wants to have that personal, one-on-one relationship with YOU.
Don’t worry if you don’t know what to say, what words to use, God knows your heart He knows what you need at every moment of every day, all you have to do is start the conversation even if it's just a thought bubble “God, I don’t know what to do.” He does know and He will answer.
The time stamp on that email was not from earlier in the day, it was not something I had just overlooked – I had been on the computer right up to leaving to meet the hubby for lunch. No the timestamp on that email was just an hour earlier, right in the middle of that conversation over lunch and right when that loose frail pitiful thought bubble floated away from my heart.
* God's perfect timing *
He was listening, God was listening, and He answered me, and He provided a resource to answer my questions.
Soul Friends, what an incredible gift from God we have been given in prayer!
He is God - the almighty creator of the universe and HE wants to be in constant communication with you and me!
Oh friends, don’t be intimidated by the word ‘prayer’, don’t doubt, don’t listen to the lies of Satan, YOU are so precious to God and He wants to have that personal, one-on-one relationship with YOU.
Don’t worry if you don’t know what to say, what words to use, God knows your heart He knows what you need at every moment of every day, all you have to do is start the conversation even if it's just a thought bubble “God, I don’t know what to do.” He does know and He will answer.
Oh Lord, we thank you for this wonderful gift of prayer, of conversation with You. Lord, we are so unworthy, and yet so grateful that you see us as precious children and desire to have a relationship with each and every one of us. Create in me, Heavenly Father, the desire to meet with you, to sit at your feet and converse with you, to present to you my anxieties, worries and needs knowing that You alone can calm these fears. Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see the wonders of your hand, your mighty works, and all the blessings only You can provide. Lord, create in me a thankful heart, and the desire to return these blessings also to You, Father, in pure gratitude. May You alone receive the glory, Father, I pray that through this prayer relationship with You that my countenance be changed, that my outward appearance and presence reflect more of You Lord and less of me. In your precious sons name we ask, AMEN.
Blessings Soul Friends,
Diving Deeper
On Fear and Worry:
- “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7
- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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
- “The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He also hears their cries and saves them.” Psalm 145:18-19
- “Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:17-18
- “On the day I called, you answered me; you made me bold with strength in my soul.” Psalm 138:3
Resource
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Jana Kennedy Spicer is a born and raised Texas girl who has a heart for studying God’s Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same. She is the author of Let Your Light Shine: Being a Light in a Dark World; Praying For Revival; Inspiring Women: Who They Are and How To Be One and Gracious Words: Speaking with Kindness and Mercy; and the illustrator of the scripture based Garden of Life Coloring Book and Coloring the Scriptures.
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1 Comment
This blog post beautifully captures the essence of the intimate connection between prayer, faith, and God's timely responses. It's heartwarming to read about your experience of seeking guidance and finding solace in prayer, especially amidst moments of uncertainty and worry. Your transparency in sharing your struggles with decision-making and anxiety resonates deeply, reminding us all of our common human experience. Moreover, the way you describe the comforting presence of God, likening it to the warmth of cherished family heirlooms, is truly touching.
The story of how God answered your prayer in unexpected ways, providing clarity and reassurance through divine timing, is a powerful testament to His faithfulness. Your emphasis on the ongoing dialogue with God, characterized by both speaking and listening, is a gentle reminder of the reciprocal nature of our relationship with Him.
Your heartfelt prayer at the end reflects a sincere desire for deeper intimacy with God and gratitude for His grace and provision. It serves as a poignant conclusion, encapsulating the essence of your message and inviting readers to reflect on their own prayer life. Thank you for sharing this deeply personal and inspiring testimony of faith and reliance on God's unfailing love.