Tag: prayer

Emergency Scene

prayer, Holy Spirit, conscienceMy husband and I were driving on a major highway when the traffic slowed and merged to one lane. We were expecting road work to be the cause of the delay. Soon we came upon a large sign that said: Emergency Scene Ahead, and realized that this was not the case.

Up ahead, in the median, we saw a semi with its roof crushed and windows shattered. Its trailer was being loaded onto a flat deck, while another tow truck worked on the cab. The warning signs had given us the time to slow down and move over to give emergency crews space to work.

Thinking about these warning signs, I wondered what signs I have in my life to warn me of emergency situations ahead. The biggest one is my conscience. The Holy Spirit speaks to me, warning me of things that will cause problems. When I heed these warnings, things go smoothly. It is when I ignore the warning and forge ahead that I put myself in danger.

In order to live securely I need to spend time in prayer and pay attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit. By doing this, there will be less emergency scenes in my life.

The Lord’s beloved people will live securely with him. The Lord will shelter them all day long. (Deuteronomy 33:12B) GWT

Rental Car

God,something better, plans, inspirationMy car had just been dropped off at the body shop to have hail damage repaired. As I stood in line at the car renter counter I wondered what kind of vehicle I’d be driving for the next couple of weeks.

When it was my turn, the person at the counter seemed to have difficulty locating a car for me. I could see her frustration growing. More than once she sent someone out to the lot, looking for the right car. Each time he came back shaking his head. Studying her computer monitor, she said, “Oh, I know; I’ll give you a small SUV.” After a quick inspection of the vehicle I was on my way.

Later I was thinking about this and realized that although I didn’t end up with the original vehicle the rental company planned for me, what I had was perfect. We had been contemplating trading our truck in for a small SUV and now I had the opportunity to try one out.

Not for a minute did I think this was an accident or just a happy coincidence. Instead I saw this as a small example of the way that God orchestrates things in my life. What may seem like an inconvenience or a stumbling block may actually be his way of bringing me something better than I had planned. It was also a reminder that in all things, I should come before him and seek his will for my life. Instead of getting frustrated when things don’t go the way I planned I need to stop, take a step back, and let God move.

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. You are patient, always faithful and ready to forgive. Psalm 86:15 GWT

Spanish Lessons

communicate, God, Holy SpiritMy husband and I have just started a beginner Spanish language course. The first class started out with simple phrases such as, “Good morning, how are you?” We could handle this without too much difficulty.

Next we were introduced to the way to say this in the formal manner, for someone you don’t know well, or in the familiar manner for family and friends. The words to both the question and answer change depending on your relationship to the person you’re speaking to. Things were starting to get more complicated.

The next thing to know was the masculine and feminine. I hadn’t realized before that morning was masculine while afternoon and evening were feminine! When the teacher showed us how to conjugate a verb, I started to panic, fearing that I was in over my head.

My goal is to be able to converse with the locals when we vacation in Mexico. I will persevere, but am aware that this will be no easy task.

This made me realize that I need no lessons to be able to communicate with God. The maker of the universe doesn’t require me to speak to him in the formal tense. In fact, he prefers that I be familiar with him. I don’t need to struggle with the correct words as the Bible tells me that the Holy Spirit intercedes for me when I don’t have the necessary words. He knows my heart and that is the truest language there is.

At the same time the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we don’t know how to pray for what we need. But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words. The one who searches our hearts knows what the Spirit has in mind. The Spirit intercedes for God’s people the way God wants him to. Romans 8:26-27 GWT

Navigation System

Jesus, prayer, leads, inspirationI’ve just returned from a conference in another city. This is a city I don’t normally drive in so didn’t know my way around. While there I had to find my way to three destinations, all in different parts of the city. This was accomplished with the help of a navigation system.

I had gone online and printed out directions, but since I was traveling alone it was difficult to read them while driving. The navigation system took much of the stress out of driving in an unfamiliar area. In a calm, clear voice, it would let me know when my turn was coming up and which way I would be turning. All I had to do was enter my destination into the system and it took care of the rest for me.

On my drive home I reflected on this navigation system and realized that I have a constant one in my life. Jesus not only guides me, he knows the destination before I do. My role in this is to stay tuned into him and to follow the directions he gives me. By coming to him frequently in prayer he will lead me in the best route from my life. He constantly watches over me so I know that even if I make a wrong turn, he will navigate me safely back to where I need to be.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 NLT

Weeds

attractive, distraction, prayer, JesusThree of us were walking along a pathway. One, a visitor to the area, pointed to a large white flower that resembled a lily. “That’s a pretty flower,” she said, “what is it?” The other friend, a native of the area, quickly answered, “That’s not a flower, it’s a terrible weed.” She then went on to explain that the vine producing this lovely bloom was deadly to other plants around it. As the vine grew, it wrapped itself around other vegetation nearby, eventually choking the life out of any other plants. My first friend replied, “Well, I think it’s pretty anyway.”

This conversation made me think of my life. There have been things I allowed into my life because they looked good on the surface. How could it be bad when it looked so attractive? Once allowed to take root, the blossom distracted me from the fact that it was slowly choking the good and positive things in my life. This happened so gradually that I was completely unaware. One day I realized that I was ensnared in a way I had never thought possible.

Fighting to be free was not easy, nor was it a onetime fix. Temptation is always there and is usually clothed in something attractive so I won’t recognize it. The safest thing for me to do is to pray about every situation. Jesus sees the whole picture and can guide me safely through the dangers.

Other seed fell among the thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Luke 7:7 NIV

Road Closed

Jesus, pray, direction, guidance, destinationOne of the major roads in our city was undergoing road works. This caused a portion of the road to be closed. Instead of traveling their normal routes, drivers were faced with a detour that took them through residential neighbourhoods. This caused an unwelcome delay for countless motorists.

I looked at the large flashing arrow pointing to the detour. The road beyond was torn up and there was heavy equipment working. Several ‘Road Closed’ signs had been set up. All of the warnings were there to tell me that I couldn’t take this route.

There have been times in my life when I thought I knew where I was going, only to be met by an unexpected detour. The route I intended to travel was closed to me. This led to confusion. The detour would take me through unfamiliar territory which would slow me down. Not only was this inconvenient, it was also disorienting.

The direction my life was to go had been planned. Now everything changed. My initial response was to worry. What if I got lost and couldn’t find my way? Then I learned to trust in Jesus. I soon found that His direction for my life was far better than any route I had planned. Sometimes the detour would show me new things I needed to know. Other times it would lead me in an entirely new direction. Instead of focusing on what I thought I needed, I learned to pray to Jesus for guidance. If I was on the right route, I would ask that the way be clear. I would also ask him to close the road ahead if it wasn’t where He wanted me to be going. He is the one that knows my final destination and know the best way to get me there.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Giving is Receiving

gifts, presentation, God, MentorI have heard it said that giving is receiving. This has proven itself true many times in my life.

In previous years I have given my time as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Due to changes in my life, this is no longer possible. BBBS has a vision that every young person realizes their full potential. This was something I couldn’t easily walk away from.

God showed me a way that I could still support this worthy organization. He had given me the words needed to write a book of short inspirational stories. Two of the stories were based on my mentoring experience with BBBS. While the book was in the publishing stages, I felt a strong desire to use it as a way to give back to my community. After much prayer, I approached BBBS with the idea of giving them $2 from every book I sold. They are a donor supported and volunteer driven organization so didn’t hesitate to accept my offer.

In late June, just four months after ‘Inspirations From The Everyday’ was released, I was able to present them with a cheque for over $500. The joy I received from giving this gift was incredible. I knew that this little book, privately sold, was making an impact on the lives of many who would never come in direct contact with it. I am blessed to be able to honour God by willingly sharing the gifts that he has given me.

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV

Off The Wall

by heart, prayer, GodIn many churches today the words of the songs are projected either onto a large screen or a wall, making it easy for people to follow the words and sing along.

My husband and I were attending a large gathering where we were invited to sing along with the person on stage. There was no projector for the words and we were told we’d need to sing “off the wall.” That meant that we couldn’t rely on the words on the wall. Instead we would have to go by memory which meant singing the words “by heart.”

The words “off the wall” also had a different meaning for me. When I’m not doing what others expect of me, I might be referred to as “off the wall.” On occasion, my sense of humour has also been referred to that way!

Thinking about this, I realize that my “off the wall” times have been when I haven’t relied on outside prompts. They are the times I have been my true self, and done things “by heart.”

To me, this is the best way to honour God. He wants me to depend on Him and what He has planted in my heart, and not on outside influences. This is accomplished by praying and then waiting for His leading. When I do this, I am “off the wall” in the best way possible.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Resistance

pool-photoThe regular aquasize instructor was on vacation and the one filling in introduced a few new exercises to the class. At one point she was talking about using the resistance of the water to get better results from the workout. When she said, “Resistance changes your shape,” my mind went in a completely different direction.

Over the years I have learned that when I resist things that are good for me, my shape does change. If I resist the apple and have a couple of chocolate chip cookies instead, it’s my physical shape that changes.

Overall, I believe that it’s my emotional well being that has suffered the most due to my resistance. When I refused to accept something new or different, I got ‘bent out of shape’. Certain that my way was right; I was not willing to consider other options. My stubborn attitude didn’t make me pleasant to be around. This resistance caused me to miss out on new experiences.

Looking back, I can see that my resistance has often come from a fear of the unknown. Once I learned to put my trust in Jesus, the fear and the resistance lessened. When I relaxed enough to trust him with the outcome, my life has been far more fulfilling. He has proven over and over to me that when I pray and rely on him, he can accomplish so much more than I ever could on my own. My shape has been changed, not by my resistance, but by the loving guidance of Jesus in my life.

I have commanded you, “Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 GWT

Hitting the Wall

prayer, freedom, God
image from canstockphoto.com
One morning recently, we had many more people than usual in the aqua fit class I attend. This meant that space was at a premium and care had to be taken not to bump the people around me. During one exercise, someone got too close to the edge of the pool and told me that she had just hit the wall. Saying that I’ve done that too, we changed our positions slightly so it wouldn’t happen again.

Hitting the wall has been more than a physical experience in my life. There have been times when, despite my best efforts, I can’t seem to move forward. Other times I have become tired or overwhelmed and don’t have the strength to move at all. In these circumstances I feel that I have hit the wall. Looking at the lesson learned in the pool, I wonder if my problem was that I just kept doing the same thing over and over hoping for different results. Maybe all that was needed was for me to change my position, to do something differently.

On my own I can easily reach the end of my limits. I get to the point where I can’t see any other options. Prayer and spending time with God puts things back into perspective. He enables me to see things in a new light and gives me the freedom to move forward again. When he guides me there is no wall to stand in my way.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

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