There is a direct correlation to the overall quality of our lives and our closeness to God. Everything in our lives is made better by staying in close relationship with the Lord through all seasons.  Prayer is our line of direct communication with God!

There is power in prayer, even in simple prayer! When we take even the smallest problem to Jesus in prayer, we find ourselves in constant communication with God, and this is exactly where God wants us. Developing and maintaining good habits that benefit our lives, such as a strong prayer life, leaves absolutely no room for worry.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

Life vastly improves when we are in God’s will! A lifestyle of constant prayer is what will keep us in his will. Making time every day to pray has to be top priority, over anything else. We must also entrust the problem, details and final results, to Jesus. Taking it to Jesus and then leaving it with Jesus gives us the confidence that everything will work out just fine. Three simple reminders for prayer are: state the problem simply, take it to Jesus faithfully, and trust Him humbly.

It’s also important to remember that we all need others to pray for us. Jesus is our ultimate example and He had disciples that He asked to pray with and for Him. It’s ideal to invite 2-3 close friends to be your prayer partners who are willing to connect with you around prayer. Spend time thinking of a few close friends you have. Once you have 2-3 friends in mind, follow these easy steps:

Steps to Finding Close Prayer Partners

1.Pray for each of them by name.

2. Ask God to protect them and to reveal His purpose for their lives.

3. Ask Him to open their hearts to your invitiation to being a prayer partner.

4. Confess your own need to God to have others in your life who can pray for you.

5. Ask God to help you to commit to at least 5 minutes of daily prayer time with Him.

Additional Verses to Further Study Prayer:

“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” ( Psalm 34:15-17)

“O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.” (Daniel 9:18)

“And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.” (1 John 5:14)

“Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3)

Prayer Starter:

“Father God, life with you is amazing! Help us to seek your Your will above anything else. Reveal to me which friends You would like me to have as prayer partners in this season of life. When I pray, I am confident that You hear me.” 

Wishing you all a great week!

A personal relationship with God is vital to living an abundant life! God wants to be our number one priority and He ultimately wants each of our hearts. He wants to be above anything else in our lives, such as tending to our to-do lists, meeting the needs of our family, or tending to obligations.

Living abundantly allows us to have ample amounts  good things to give and share to others. An abundant life is one that overflows with love, peace, joy, blessings.  It is not a life of discontentment, anxiety, fear, anger , frustration or any kind of lack. Often times, we take the reigns of our own lives, without making God the first priority or without even seeking His way, before our own way.

Devotion: Letting God Be God

 His way always brings contentment!  Our ways always bring the unpleasant things in life: exhaustion, worry, anxiety, fear, anger, frustration, and even lack. This is simply because we are not meant to do it on our own!

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11: 28-30 MSG)

Friends, we all NEED God! Our world needs God! Our human ability and understanding is far too limited to even comprehend God’s overall plan. Giving our hearts to him daily is sometimes hard to do, but know that much reward comes from doing so. Overthinking, overplanning, and not moving with the Spirit of God leads to things outside of God’s will for us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. ( Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

He sees all and He knows all, beginning to the end. So trusting God with the “details” and giving up control frees us! Freedom to truly live, truly love, and to truly trust is ours when we let go. All of these things deepen our faith, as well as our confidence in Him when we let go of the reigns, letting God be God in our lives.

Bible Verses To Further Study Allowing God To Be God

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

““The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”  (Psalm 27:1)

“But now, this is what the Lord says…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”  (Isaiah 43:1 ) 

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22)

Prayer Starter: 

“Lord, You are in control of my life. I step back, in order to let you be God in my life. Trying to do things on my own brings frustration, anxiety, and fear. But Your way brings contentment, joy, and abundance of all good things! I release my life into Your Sovereign hands.” 

Wishing you all a great week!