Is Your Life Defined by Prayer?

August 24, 2021

grow in your prayer life

Is Your Life Defined by Prayer?

“O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!” – Psalm 84:8-9

Is your life defined by prayer? Just writing this question convicts and challenges me, so I wonder how the words impact your heart and mind today. Prayer is not just something we do before meals, in the morning as we have a quiet time with the Lord, or in church each Sunday. Instead, prayer is the invitation to an ongoing, flowing conversation with the Lord all throughout our days and all throughout our lives. To enjoy this ongoing conversation requires an awareness that the Lord is present and cares about the details of our lives, that he wants to be involved in our day-to-day challenges and opportunities, and that he can bring value, wisdom, and peace into those situations. Is this how you go about your day?

As our psalmist travelled the roads to Jerusalem, he sang (these psalms were originally written to be sung) and he prayed. Just a few verses prior to this, he acknowledged the challenges of his journey when he spoke of the Valley of Baca, and then he wrote of God’s faithfulness in those challenges. Even in the dry valleys, the Lord brought about springs. Instead of this long journey depleting our pilgrim, he declared that through the Lord’s presence and provision, he moved from strength to strength. His anticipation of worship and his ongoing dialogue with the Lord empowered the psalmist for each step of his journey.

That is God’s design for your prayer life! He invites you to this ongoing dialogue throughout your day. Do you need wisdom? Ask the Lord. Do you need patience? Ask the Lord. Do you need peace or comfort? Ask the Lord. Seek his face, his presence, his love, and his perfect knowledge of you and this world. In asking, seeking, and listening, you will be transformed. Like the psalmist, you can see the Lord’s presence and provision in your greatest challenges and trials.

The secret to this kind of life is prayer. Will you begin this divine dialogue today?

Reflection:
How might the Lord be inviting you to grow in your prayer life today? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resource:

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