Lord, Help me remember that
when I call Your name You hear me!
My battle begins on my knees.
Focus of the Month: Growing Our Faith
What does growing our faith truly mean to us? Is it something we say, something we do, or something we hope just happens? For some of us it might mean trusting God a little more today than yesterday. For others, maybe it doesn’t even cross our minds. The challenge to be steadfast in our faith is very real and very crucial to our Christian lives.
We need to know God. We were created to crave a relationship with our one true Savior. When we deprive ourselves of time with Him we deplete our very souls of the fuel that we need to battle discouragement, to conquer heartache, to overcome exhaustion. We can be very busy people and we can busy ourselves into days, weeks and months of never truly communicating with Jesus. WAIT!! WHAT!? How can that be true…can’t it?
So, let’s grow this faith of ours on purpose. Let’s communicate with Him…But how?
The Lord tells us time and time again in Scripture by using one simple word: Pray.
Prayer is our direct line to Jesus. He meets us in the quiet places of our hearts and minds; or in the middle of our busiest of days! In places we weep or cry out to Him for help, or in places we praise Him for all He has done for us. Scripture tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” God himself lets us know exactly how to commune with him. Rejoice, Pray, Give thanks…REPEAT.
Isn’t it incredible that God loved us so much that He gave us a clear path to talk to Him? Whether we take this path or not is up to us. Have you given much thought to your personal prayer life? If not, may I challenge you to start? Being a woman who prays brings to you great blessing and great strength. It makes a difference in your family. It brings you into a closer relationship with Jesus, thus growing your faith.
Being in prayer can help you see more clearly where the enemy is at work in your life. Please make no mistake…the enemy has a strategy against you. Do you have one against him? Do you? Having a prayer strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. Prioritize prayer in your mind first, then into your schedule. Set aside time, or make time where you are.
We must come into God’s presence, face to face, with our cares, our concerns, the names of those we are praying for, the trials, the joys, — bring it all! Falling on our knees before the God who is capable of all things is never a mistake.
We find courage when we pray. We receive peace when we pray. If we put on the full armor of God as Ephesians 6 calls us to do and we don’t pray…we can’t complete the battle. We must remember that we fight our battles in prayer. We fight FROM a place of Victory not for victory.
God has provided a beautiful place for you to meet with him…won’t you come? Won’t you allow Him time to heal you, time to love you, time to provide you refuge from all this world throws at you. Come into this Holy place; the loving arms of Jesus Christ.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:15-16, Ephesians 6:10-20 1 Chronicles 16:11, Hebrews 6:19-20
