Last week my husband and I were having our weekly check-in. This is our time to talk about anything. Without phones, without the TV. It is just us and the occasional hot cocoa in hand. As we began to converse with one another my husband and I began to sense a bit of fear and panic rising. We are going through a big change at our local church where we serve and we want to step in this specific role with grace and wisdom. We both want to start a family soon which turns a completely new chapter within our marriage. Joshua needs direction that’ll impact his career as an electrician. I want this blog to be successful since this is what I know the Lord laid in my heart to do. There was so much said but nothing really had this big positive ending. We were kind of stuck on what we could only see right now.
We talked about our feelings of being overwhelmed with having “God” dreams and goals and feeling like the road paved before has more rocks than smooth black top making the path safe and clear. Have you ever felt this before? We aren’t discouraged just feeling the tension of the in-between place.
At one point I looked at Joshua and asked him, “Have you prayed about this?” Of course his answer was, “Yes.” But what I really meant was are you praying without ceasing like Paul advised in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17? This was not just food for thought directed towards my husband but for me also.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
It is the will of God that we never give up on prayer. Paul urged for us to never allow our current life experience to dictate whether or not we communicate to our Heavenly Father through prayer. The verse says to rejoice always!
Things not turning out like you hoped?
REJOICE
Waiting on God to move?
REJOICE
Didn’t get great news from the doctor?
REJOICE
You find yourself in the in-between place?
REJOICE
Do you know what happens when you rejoice in suffering?
You are demonstrating resilience and full dependence on GOD!
1 Peter 4:19 says,
“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator”.
In the midst of chaos COMMIT yourself to Him.
Trust the Lord that somehow, someway that suffering will end and there will be glory because of it!
"...weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
Psalm 30:5
REJOICE and PRAY
Never stop.
Prayer is the direct line that connects us to the Father. He is always available with an ear to hear what is going on with us. The moment we stop praying we cut off that line. As time goes on our ear is no longer tuned to hearing his voice. Our eyes are no longer seeing our circumstance through a spiritual lens. Do not give the enemy the satisfaction of a closed mouth in the midst of uncertainty.
Even if you recite the same prayer everyday, God would rather hear that than nothing at all.
This is my heart for this week that my husband and I won’t just pray and move on. But we will shake Heaven with our worship and our fervent prayers. Knowing that it is also the Lord’s will to PRAY and EXPECT!
Psalm 5:3 says,
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before and wait in expectation.”
Things may not pan out how we want them but you best believe that whatever the Lord decides to do, it’ll be better than what I could have done on my own strength.
REJOICE, PRAY, and WATCH!
