Laced With Grace

Do you ever go through a time in your prayer life when you just don’t know what to say or better yet you just don’t know how to express your thoughts and feelings? I try to sit down and concentrate on what the Lord may be revealing to me and then when it is time to speak back to Him, I just go blank and sometimes even fall asleep. There are also times I don’t know what I should be saying.

It’s like being in a conversation with someone going on and on about things that are happening in your life or concerns that are gripping your every moment. You continue for about five minutes or so without taking a breath to suddenly stop and realize you are not being listened to at all or at least the person is not connecting with you. You have been totally misunderstood or they now know for sure you are a little “off”. If you just had an interpreter!

One day while sitting outside eating Popsicles, my 20-month-old shouted in a confident way, “FHIEIREIlkdirahHTEuhndkfh!” She went on and on and I thought she would never stop. There was obviously a lot she needed to get across, and I was listening, just not connecting with her at all.

I guess my three year old son could tell by the confusion on my face I was not understanding her and needed an interpreter. With his hands out to the side in his preachy way and a “duh” look on his face he explained, “Momma, she said she wanted another Popsicle and then she wanted to go swing. Actually, she wants a blue one and so do I.”

That is when it hit me like a ton of bricks. Sometimes we may not know exactly what to say to the Lord and we may be very confused in our words, but the Holy Spirit takes our true intentions and sends them up to the Father in a way that only He can understand so we can connect with Him.

I believe it is so important to praise and worship, seek forgiveness, and make our requests known to the Father in our prayers. But, it is not about how eloquent or impressive we can be! Most importantly, we need to take the time, daily, to spend with Him and He will teach us just what to say.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance to God’s will.”Romans 8:26-27

 Today I thought I would use something I wrote some time ago when my heart was overflowing with the joy of knowing how much the Father loves each of us.  I simply wanted to tell Him how much I loved Him in return, so I listed some of the reasons He is so very dear to me:

I love Him because before the foundations of the world He chose me. That just boggles my mind. He, who is so Holy, chose me – with all my failings and weaknesses.
I love Him because He first loved me. I sometimes feel so unlovely, but He loves me just the same.
I love Him because He gave what was most precious to Him so that I could spend eternity with Him. I, who have had the priceless gift of knowing Him since I was a little girl – and held the gift too lightly. I think that is the danger of being raised in a Christian home and the challenge for those of us raising children in a Christian home. It can become so familiar, we don’t realize its value until life pushes us around a little bit.
I love Him because He is so creative. His artwork and His music and His writing are just second to none!
I love Him because He loves me enough to discipline me.
I love Him because He gives my life purpose and meaning and hope.
I love Him because He has a plan for my life – a plan to prosper and not to harm me.
I love Him because He holds me with His strong right hand and has promised that nothing can ever separate me from Him.
I love Him because His word is true and life-changing. His promises never fail.
I love Him because He draws me to Himself. He bends down to hear my prayers. He is never farther away than my next breath.
I love Him for the grace He has extended to me no matter how many times I mess up in the same old way.
I love Him because He fills my heart with peace and joy.
I love Him because He cries with me and laughs with me.
I love Him because I know without a shadow of a doubt that He is trustworthy.
I love Him because for Him nothing is impossible.
I love Him because He is so wise and because I will never be able to put Him in the box of my limited understanding.
I love Him with all my heart.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:37-39 (ESV)

Have you ever felt like that you could not breathe? This morning as I was laying next to my husband, I listen to him breathe. I started praying – ‘Lord, help me to breathe again. Help me to be the one I used to be…’

Over the last several months I have been struggling. Struggling to see anything good in me. I failed in so many things as of lately that I was unable to see things in the right light. I started to feel insecure. Insecure in being a good wife, mom, friend and co-worker. I was miserable. Until this morning…

As I listen to my beloveds’ breathing, my heart started to get lighter. I needed to let go of things and let God work in me. I gave Him everything on my ‘plate’ and told Him to wipe it off. I wanted a fresh start. You see I have put myself in the situation of feeling miserable; I left God out of the equation. I wanted (once again) do things my own way. I was looking (once again) for praises of men (in my case women)…Once again I took my eyes off of the cross and gazed at things of this world…

I am thankful though that no matter what, nothing can separate me from the love of God. No matter which road I travel, He always has a way of calling me back. His love is always there to comfort me. As I got up this morning, I knew what I needed to do – let go of things that really don’t matter in His kingdom…I needed to get back to basics: God, family and friends.

My dear sisters, if there is anything that obstructs you from breathing deep, let Him clear your ‘plate’ of commitments. Let Him show you what you need to get rid off in your life. I promise you, you will breathe much easier – I know I do today…

Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank You so much for helping me breathe again. Lord, I know that there are still remnants of insecurities, but I also know that You are able and willing to help me get through this valley. Lord, I want to thank You for your never-ending love. I know that nothing can separate me from it. In the precious name of Jesus…Amen

Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend…