Popsicles
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
How very true this is sweetie.
Leigh…
I have added you to the many writers on this site that I absolutely LOVE. This message was so well done- so relevant- so applicable- and so clear.
Thank you for sharing this.
Again, how happy am I that I found this site? God is so good.
Chelle’
Simply talking to God. No magic formulas. No “how to” books needed. Simply words expressed from a heart that knows Who is listening.
peace~elaine
Sometimes, it’s not so much what we say, but that we’re trying to communicate with Him, letting Him into our hearts. If we believe that He’s in control, then we know that all we need to say really is that we hope that our will is His will.
Loved this post.
Wow Leigh! This post is awesome. I just told my sister yesterday that I didn’t even know how to pray on a certain situation any more because it seemed like my words weren’t getting through. Thank you so much for this post.
Leigh, Wow did I ever need this. Thank you.
I want a blue one too!! Love you and those precious babies.
I was amazed when i read the very first sentence. I had just finished my personal prayer time and was having trouble knowing what to say. I even expressed my need to God and asked the Spirit to intercede for me. I loved this post.
Thank you.
So true, Leigh. Sometimes all I can say “Help me Lord”…It really is not about the length of our prayers either, but what it is on our hearts – some time only “FHIEIREIlkdirahHTEuhndkfh!” comes out, but I know that the Lord knows me needs 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on our prayer life…