Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Mar 2, 2007 8:10:42 GMT -5
February 3rd, 2007
If you're like me, you've asked God for many things you did not receive, or guidance you did not get. There is no prayer that goes unheard by God. Sometimes the answer is simply no, and sometimes we just don't recognize the answer because it isn't what we expect. That is another reason why we must focus on relating to God rather than praying to Him just to get our own desires. One thing many people seem to misunderstand today, which is why it is important that Bible reading is a daily part of our lives, is that God doesn't simply grant us whatever it is we ask for if we want it bad enough, or if we have been 'good'. He isn't Santa. God's will is always what is best for us. Even if that means we must go through a tragic situation in order for us to learn something, God will allow it to happen. It hurts Him, but as long as we trust Him and keep our focus on Him, it refines us to be a better person. Hearing answers to your prayers is not about whether or not you got what you wanted, but about whether or not you are in tune with God's will.
If you truly put your relationship with God at the focus of prayer, I am confident that over time you will hear your answers from God. That doesn't mean the answers will be what you hoped for, but you will hear them.
Every single time that I use to pray in confusing or struggling situations and I found no answer to my prayers, I later realized that no matter how brief or detailed my prayers were, every single one of them could be easily summed up as asking God for direction. It's important to ask God for direction of course, but sometimes we jump to conclusions. You need something to actually develop a real personal relationship with God. You need to actually drive your prayers, and show real concern and devotion toward your actual relationship with God. Your carraige isn't going anywhere if you don't have the horse to pull it. After all, what good is knowing which direction to go if you don't have the driving force to get there? You first must get close to God.
There's an advantage that shy people generally have over the rest of the world, and that is that most shy people realize that you really do not need to speak to be a communicator. Unfortunatly, society seems to think otherwise, so people usually only tune into that form of communication. But even research shows that verbal communication only makes up 20% of all communication. This is where you can have a different type of conversation than you have with any other person, and this is where you can grow closer to God than you can with anyone else.
Here is a basic technique I practice just about every time I pray. Simply just talk to God about how you are feeling at that very moment. Whatever may be on your mind, both concerning the situation you are praying about, and the actual circumstances you are in when you are praying. If you do this on a daily basis, you will be amazed at how it can transform your prayer life and your personal relationship with God.
I know it sounds normal and very simple but the key is to be honest about how you are feeling, and actually put those feelings into words in your head directed toward God. If we step back and really take a look at how much we hold back from God and others, you will be amazed to discover just how much of our lives are controled by lie, fear, and fitting in with society. I garauntee you that those who will disagree with me on that statement, happen to be the ones who are the most controlled by lie and fear, because they cannot let go of their pride and admit error. God wants to be your best friend. He already knows what's on your mind, but He wants you to admit it. Do not hold anything back. The important thing at that moment is to tell Him how you are feeling. If you feel upset and confused about something, tell Him. If you feel hopeful and optomistic, tell Him. If you feel like God isn't even there, tell Him you feel as if He isn't even there. Naturally we only say what we think we are suppose to say. Now sometimes that may be what you have to do when talking to another person to keep them from getting angry with you, but God is not another person.
God wants you to be honest with Him. If you're having a really down week, nothing seems to be going right for you, you lost your job, your friends are fighting with you, you burned dinner, your dog ruined the rug, whatever, and you just feel like God isn't even there, He doesn't want you to lie and say what you think you should say, He wants you to be honest. Now of course we should always praise God, especially in our times of trouble, but again just like asking for things, praise is but one type of prayer.
The point is growing in your relationship with God. Your relationship with the real loving God is not going to go much of anywhere if you just tell Him what you think you're suppose to tell Him. If you talk to God almost as though you were talking to an imaginary friend, except, He isn't imaginary, you really will grow much closer to Him. Take a look at yourself on the inside. Be honest with God about who you truly are. Tell God the things about yourself that you would never dare tell another person. He already knows everything anyway, but the point is He is waiting for you to realize it yourself and be honest to Him about things. God knows everything, He isn't going to strike you with a lightning bolt if you tell Him you are having doubts or having trouble forgiving someone for something they did to you. Now of course that is no excuse to get away with sin, we should fear God, but not to the point of where we feel as though we cannot be honest with Him. If you can't be honest with God, then you aren't going to hear His answers to your prayers very often, because He knows you aren't being truthful.
Sometimes you won't even realize you aren't being truthful, and that's the point in this, to step back and look at ourselves. If you do this, your focus will turn from yourself, to God. You really just have to let go of your pride. No one's hearing you but God anyway. When you do this, you'll realize just how small and helpless you are, and how powerful God is. Remember what Adam did when he disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit? He hid behind a tree because he was scared and felt too guilty to come to God in honesty. Have you ever noticed though, the next thing that happens is God asks Adam where He is. Don't you think God would know where Adam is sense He's all-knowing? Of course God knows. But the reason God asked was so that Adam would know that God is saying, "Hey, I know you are there, but until you come out and admit yourself what you have done, our relationship can't go anywhere", so God asked Adam where he was, so that he would answer.
That is what we need to do. God loves us, He doesn't hate us. He isn't going to ruin our day if we are honest about how we are feeling. What if someone wrongs you and you feel so angry toward them that you just cannot get over it? To most people you're going to put on a show and say you've forgiven them, and you may even do that in prayer. We unconsciously try to trick God into thinking we've forgiven that person, because we say so. But are those thoughts still churning in the back of your mind? Do you still secretly wish something bad would happen to that person? God doesn't want to see you cover that up like Adam did behind the tree, He wants to see you come forth about it and be honest. Of course you need to forgive that person, but covering it up doesn't fix the situation. God already knows the truth, He is waiting for you to admit it yourself.
So come to God exactly as you are. Don't try so hard to be such a great and holy person, but admit that you are not. Admit that you are far from it. It is hard to do and it isn't pretty, but it is honest and because Jesus died for us, God can forgive us for it. But until we come out from hiding, we won't hear a thing. So when you pray, try starting by just telling God exactly how you feel. If you feel great, tell Him. If you feel confused about something, tell Him. If you are having trouble forgiving someone, tell Him. If you've done something you know you shouldn't have, tell Him. If you've deceived everyone else into thinking that you didn't do something you shouldn't have, tell Him. Just tell Him everything, be completely honest, and then all you have to do is trust Him. If you are completely open about how you are feeling, you have humbled yourself before God, and He is all ears and anxious to hear you continue.
(C) Scott Morgan
source:http://www.the-daily-blessing.com
If you're like me, you've asked God for many things you did not receive, or guidance you did not get. There is no prayer that goes unheard by God. Sometimes the answer is simply no, and sometimes we just don't recognize the answer because it isn't what we expect. That is another reason why we must focus on relating to God rather than praying to Him just to get our own desires. One thing many people seem to misunderstand today, which is why it is important that Bible reading is a daily part of our lives, is that God doesn't simply grant us whatever it is we ask for if we want it bad enough, or if we have been 'good'. He isn't Santa. God's will is always what is best for us. Even if that means we must go through a tragic situation in order for us to learn something, God will allow it to happen. It hurts Him, but as long as we trust Him and keep our focus on Him, it refines us to be a better person. Hearing answers to your prayers is not about whether or not you got what you wanted, but about whether or not you are in tune with God's will.
If you truly put your relationship with God at the focus of prayer, I am confident that over time you will hear your answers from God. That doesn't mean the answers will be what you hoped for, but you will hear them.
Every single time that I use to pray in confusing or struggling situations and I found no answer to my prayers, I later realized that no matter how brief or detailed my prayers were, every single one of them could be easily summed up as asking God for direction. It's important to ask God for direction of course, but sometimes we jump to conclusions. You need something to actually develop a real personal relationship with God. You need to actually drive your prayers, and show real concern and devotion toward your actual relationship with God. Your carraige isn't going anywhere if you don't have the horse to pull it. After all, what good is knowing which direction to go if you don't have the driving force to get there? You first must get close to God.
There's an advantage that shy people generally have over the rest of the world, and that is that most shy people realize that you really do not need to speak to be a communicator. Unfortunatly, society seems to think otherwise, so people usually only tune into that form of communication. But even research shows that verbal communication only makes up 20% of all communication. This is where you can have a different type of conversation than you have with any other person, and this is where you can grow closer to God than you can with anyone else.
Here is a basic technique I practice just about every time I pray. Simply just talk to God about how you are feeling at that very moment. Whatever may be on your mind, both concerning the situation you are praying about, and the actual circumstances you are in when you are praying. If you do this on a daily basis, you will be amazed at how it can transform your prayer life and your personal relationship with God.
I know it sounds normal and very simple but the key is to be honest about how you are feeling, and actually put those feelings into words in your head directed toward God. If we step back and really take a look at how much we hold back from God and others, you will be amazed to discover just how much of our lives are controled by lie, fear, and fitting in with society. I garauntee you that those who will disagree with me on that statement, happen to be the ones who are the most controlled by lie and fear, because they cannot let go of their pride and admit error. God wants to be your best friend. He already knows what's on your mind, but He wants you to admit it. Do not hold anything back. The important thing at that moment is to tell Him how you are feeling. If you feel upset and confused about something, tell Him. If you feel hopeful and optomistic, tell Him. If you feel like God isn't even there, tell Him you feel as if He isn't even there. Naturally we only say what we think we are suppose to say. Now sometimes that may be what you have to do when talking to another person to keep them from getting angry with you, but God is not another person.
God wants you to be honest with Him. If you're having a really down week, nothing seems to be going right for you, you lost your job, your friends are fighting with you, you burned dinner, your dog ruined the rug, whatever, and you just feel like God isn't even there, He doesn't want you to lie and say what you think you should say, He wants you to be honest. Now of course we should always praise God, especially in our times of trouble, but again just like asking for things, praise is but one type of prayer.
The point is growing in your relationship with God. Your relationship with the real loving God is not going to go much of anywhere if you just tell Him what you think you're suppose to tell Him. If you talk to God almost as though you were talking to an imaginary friend, except, He isn't imaginary, you really will grow much closer to Him. Take a look at yourself on the inside. Be honest with God about who you truly are. Tell God the things about yourself that you would never dare tell another person. He already knows everything anyway, but the point is He is waiting for you to realize it yourself and be honest to Him about things. God knows everything, He isn't going to strike you with a lightning bolt if you tell Him you are having doubts or having trouble forgiving someone for something they did to you. Now of course that is no excuse to get away with sin, we should fear God, but not to the point of where we feel as though we cannot be honest with Him. If you can't be honest with God, then you aren't going to hear His answers to your prayers very often, because He knows you aren't being truthful.
Sometimes you won't even realize you aren't being truthful, and that's the point in this, to step back and look at ourselves. If you do this, your focus will turn from yourself, to God. You really just have to let go of your pride. No one's hearing you but God anyway. When you do this, you'll realize just how small and helpless you are, and how powerful God is. Remember what Adam did when he disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit? He hid behind a tree because he was scared and felt too guilty to come to God in honesty. Have you ever noticed though, the next thing that happens is God asks Adam where He is. Don't you think God would know where Adam is sense He's all-knowing? Of course God knows. But the reason God asked was so that Adam would know that God is saying, "Hey, I know you are there, but until you come out and admit yourself what you have done, our relationship can't go anywhere", so God asked Adam where he was, so that he would answer.
That is what we need to do. God loves us, He doesn't hate us. He isn't going to ruin our day if we are honest about how we are feeling. What if someone wrongs you and you feel so angry toward them that you just cannot get over it? To most people you're going to put on a show and say you've forgiven them, and you may even do that in prayer. We unconsciously try to trick God into thinking we've forgiven that person, because we say so. But are those thoughts still churning in the back of your mind? Do you still secretly wish something bad would happen to that person? God doesn't want to see you cover that up like Adam did behind the tree, He wants to see you come forth about it and be honest. Of course you need to forgive that person, but covering it up doesn't fix the situation. God already knows the truth, He is waiting for you to admit it yourself.
So come to God exactly as you are. Don't try so hard to be such a great and holy person, but admit that you are not. Admit that you are far from it. It is hard to do and it isn't pretty, but it is honest and because Jesus died for us, God can forgive us for it. But until we come out from hiding, we won't hear a thing. So when you pray, try starting by just telling God exactly how you feel. If you feel great, tell Him. If you feel confused about something, tell Him. If you are having trouble forgiving someone, tell Him. If you've done something you know you shouldn't have, tell Him. If you've deceived everyone else into thinking that you didn't do something you shouldn't have, tell Him. Just tell Him everything, be completely honest, and then all you have to do is trust Him. If you are completely open about how you are feeling, you have humbled yourself before God, and He is all ears and anxious to hear you continue.
(C) Scott Morgan
source:http://www.the-daily-blessing.com