“None of us will keep up a life of prayer unless we are prepared to change. We will either give it up or turn it into a little system that maintains the form of godliness but denies the power of it – which is the same thing as giving it up.” (Richard Foster, Prayer – Finding the Heart’s True Home, p 57)
How’s your life of prayer these days? Is it powerful and alive or an uneventful routine?
I think we all experience dry spells – I’m in one right now. These can be great opportunities for a deeper relationship with God or cause us to drift away.
It’s like trying to get in touch with a friend you talk to daily. If she doesn’t respond to your phone calls, do you just keep making phone calls or do you try something else? If the friendship has any depth at all, you will do whatever it takes to get in touch with her, first, out of your concern for her. Then out of your concern for the relationship.
I’m convinced God draws us into dry spells to help us keep our prayer life alive.
Are you having a dry spell in your relationship with God? What are you going to do about it? Maybe you just need to change the routine. Maybe God wants you to make some changes personally so that the relationship continues to deepen instead of growing stale.
Here’s a good evaluation tool I came up with as I did a search on “form of godliness.” Pull out your Bible or click here to read 2 Timothy 3:1-7. Slow down with each word or phrase in verses two through five. Ask God to release his power in your life over anything that distracts from your relationship with him.
Today I will assess everything I do with the question Lord, am I a lover of myself? When I respond with anger or become tense in relationship with a friend, family member or store clerk, is it because I am a lover of myself? Tomorrow I will ask, Lord, am I a lover of money? and so on with each item listed in 2 Timothy 3.
If you join me in this, you will have almost 20 days of new topics to discuss with God as you live out your daily activities. Let prayer jump start your day and impact every aspect with power rather than checking it off as part of your routine.
Jesus, you have called me friend. Let’s keep in touch throughout the day. I want your friendship to continually change me. Let my relationship with you be more than a routine. May I learn to expect your power and when I don’t experience it, to seek you out with all my heart until I find the direction you are leading.
1 comment:
Hi Lisa! I just got out of a dry spell about a month ago. My main issue was forgiving someone that hurt me many, many years ago. I didn't even realize how much it was bothering me. Once I did that, I sat up a special room just for my quiet times. I felt like doing them on the couch in the living room lacked the specialness I craved. Those two things helped me TREMENDOUSLY.
I hope you get over your dry spell soon. I know they are no fun. But, as you said, it gives us an opportunity to really work towards a deeper commitment with God.
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