Prayer and Road Hazards

Lately my prayer partner and I have been beginning our day by praying over our daily needs. I have noticed, however, that the very things for which I pray are the very things that seem attacked throughout the day. It’s almost like I have given Satan a list that reads “Here’s where you need to attack me today-be creative and sneaky so I don’t even recognize it and get me right where you know I will fall for it.”

My main concern recently has been productivity; lately I have had a more intense schedule that I haven’t quite tweaked yet. Inevitably something comes along and jackknifes my plans, throws me for a loop, or gets me off task. I need divine intervention to proceed in my day in the most productive way.

I liken my life to driving down a road where Satan is throwing things in front of my car. Some of them cause me swerve to avoid them, while others make me pull over and take a look at them for awhile. When I am not focused on the goal, looking straight down the road ahead of me, I am easily distracted from my course. Unfortunately, he knows exactly what tantalizing tidbit will throw me off course: a gorgeous day that begs me to go for a hike, a coupon that just shows up out of nowhere announcing a big sale. . .that ends today. . . Even a seemingly “good” distraction, like helping a friend in need, can throw me off if that act of service was not intended for me to do.

In the most severe instances, Satan throws things under my wheels that poke holes in my tires and leave me wasting the day on the side of the road waiting for help.

This morning I was reading 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. Verse 8-9 says “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” From this passage I see that I can expect to be hard pressed with obligations, opportunities and tempting distractions. I can expect to have to make some difficult decisions that perplex me. But in all of this, I have with me a power that will not allow me to be crushed, left in despair or be destroyed. That power comes from keeping my eyes on the prize and keeping focused on the one who has my journey to that prize mapped out.

And in all of this “. . .we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what in unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

The question I need to ask myself and God is this, “Is the profit derived from this distraction more valuable than what has been planned for me this day?” Too often the answer is, “no“. He will help you decide. . .if you remember to take the time to ask. Stick close to Him, not as one riding with blinders on, but a one open to hear His directions over those that bombard you daily to turn away from the plan He has for you.

What are your intentions?

In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without heart. John Bunyan

This quote appeared in a book I am working through Give Me 40 Days by Freeda Bowers, a forty day journal focusing on praying for others. The focus scripture for today was Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way thourgh, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man's heart. Verse 13 adds, there is nothing that can be hidden from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before his eyes. And it is to him that we must all give an account of ourselves. GNE

I think I had always studied the first part of verse 12, never giving much thought to the last sentence about judging the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Freeda Bowers writes about checking our heart to ensure we are praying out of the right motives. Her example is praying for a son who is on drugs: are you praying simply because he is an embarrassemnt to you? Another example is of a woman praying for the salvation of her mother. "Why?, Freeda asked her. "So she won't go to hell." Bowers felt prompted to tell her that "everything done in the earth is to be done solely for the purpose of bringing glory to God (1 Cor. 10:31.) That even means salvation."

It made me think about some of my prayer requests. As I'm praying for Daniel and Jason to become men of God, am I praying this to avoid the complications and my own heartache should they choose another path? When I am praying for health and healing in my relationships is it just so I can be comfortable in my life?

How are your intentions in relation to prayers?

I attended a praise, prayer and healing service tonight. The woman who prayed for me, among other things, said I had to forgive. She gave me her method of telling the offenses to God, on paper if necessary, going to the word and speaking it over the hurts and, when Satan brings it up again, telling him to get lost, "I've already given this to God."

I started to think more deeply about forgiveness. It's not just big, obvious infractions we need to forgive. We need to forgive people for acting selfishly toward us. For things that hurt us that the other person might not have even meant maliciously. We need to forgive people who just don't know any better. Instead of judging their ignorance, we need to look at ourselves as being in an excellent position to pray for them to gain wisdom, and healing for the area that is broken. We need to look at it as if we were put there by God "for such a time as this."

We so often are told to look for the good in the pain--for once we can be a part of the good to come through such prayers. In the long run, we can be on the side of our "offender" where we can meet in the name of victory through healing. I feel a little better already.