Finding Strength in the Ordinary Days

Lately I've been discussing with Dan the spiritual disciplines. We're both reading "The Spiritual Discipline's" by Dallas Willard (actually he already finished, i'm still reading) and the book has been rocking our world's. It's awesome. Many discussion have been brought up regarding doing the discipines yet still feeling ordinary, or not feeling much from them. I am the first to admit my need for more discipline, I need it desperately. Dan has taken enormous steps in this and I am so proud of him for his discipline; truly leading by example. But it's those days that still feel ordinary, like God isn't "doing" much in our hearts or in our sphere, that is unsettling in our hearts. If and when we partake in the disciplines that Jesus did, do we think something magical is going to happen, like a sudden holiness? As we take our time to pray, read, be in solitude, fast, let us approach it all with a pure heart...

I re-read a great devotional from my favorite, Oswald Chambers, tonight that really hit me. It's sums up this idea quite well. Though I have not gone in to great deal on this topic, let us just soak up what Dr. Chambers had to say:

"We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing, that He is preparing and fitting us for some extraordinary thing by and bye, but as we go on in grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, in the present minute. If we have God's say-so behind us, the most amazing strength comes, and we learn to sing in the ordinary days and ways." -My Utmost For His Highest

I Need to Pray More

It's something I think we can all say, "I need to pray more often." Our Abba Father, our Redeemer, our Savior is SO eager to hear our prayers, yet we fill our thoughts and ears with talk radio, ESPN Radio, 91X, or heaven-forbid good-quality-music! :) That's pretty much sums me up, especially while driving. That's where we're alone the most, don't you think?

I was driving to our church offices last week and following behind me was a young woman driving alone, and it was obvious she had tears in her eyes. For the next two miles through stop lights and all, she kept wiping her tears, putting her hands over her eyes (while waiting at the stop lights) and obviously emotionally hurting. I'm watching this all from my rear-view mirrors of course, but I could see enough to see her pain, her wrenched heart, her emotional agony. It really hit me.

As I witnessed this girl, my spirit stirred, the Lord spoke and told me to pray. I turned off my Smashing Pumpkins song, took a deep breath and prayed. What do you pray for? What is going on that I could ask for God's grace in her life? I had no idea. But you know what, I still prayed. I knew that she need grace from the Lord, she needed a spiritual comfort that nothing could bring her except Jesus. So I asked God to simply 'touch' her. "Just touch her Lord, with your love and your grace."

That hasn't happened very often, I'll tell you that. But it was a huge realization. Paul had something going on when he said, "Pray without ceasing." I remember studying this with Dan back in college. We found that Paul's intention was to pray from the state of not ceasing. If that makes sense. It's a state of being, of being in touch or communication with our Father. Do we consider this daily? Do we ask the Lord, "Give me ability to tune my thoughts/senses/brain/attitude to You"? Being in a constant state of prayer with Jesus... that's it.

The incident in the car was a sudden thing for me. (God give me grace,) I was listening when He asked me to pray for the young woman. But the conviction crept in, telling me that is how I should be always. To be in the state of prayer, always.

Hmmm.

I need to pray more...