Oh Lord,
Just knowing that You are near satisfies my soul. There is nothing I can compare You to - my deepest aching longing, the cry for perfect all-knowing-yet-all-accepting love, the joy of unexpected kindness, a warm embrace, sudden sunshine on my face - all is a pale shadow, a dim fuzzy image of You.
You are the reason I live, the reason I get up each morning and breath and work and love and learn. You are the reason for me to reach out in love and brokenness to other hurting people - regardless of if they look like they have it all together or if they push me away and hurt me. Regardless of how I'm feeling or how my pride says to stop wasting my efforts on them or if they have begun to fade from my life. You have given me a call to love, and so love I must.
Come fill my mind and my heart with the overwhelmingly joyful fact that You love me always. You loved me first. And when this truly sinks in - how can I help but respond in overflowing praise and adoration?
Oh Lord, help me to love today, in ways that are not just sweet or thoughtful but ways that show You.
In my Savior Jesus' name I pray,
Amen
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
5.24.2010
Just a note to say
I will be taking a break from blogging until this weekend.
I'm preparing to take a CLEP test this Thursday, so I've decided to limit my time on the computer (and on blogger) until then. I do have a post scheduled for my photography blog, and I will be publishing your comments, so I won't totally be gone. I just really want to focus my time on studying (and also practicing for my piano recital that's coming up this Saturday).
This test is for the Spanish language, and it's one of the most intense and challenging ones I've taken yet. Spanish is a difficult subject for me, and I'm having a hard time finding confidence that I can pass it. So I would very much appreciate your prayers!
Hasta luego, mi amigos!
I'm preparing to take a CLEP test this Thursday, so I've decided to limit my time on the computer (and on blogger) until then. I do have a post scheduled for my photography blog, and I will be publishing your comments, so I won't totally be gone. I just really want to focus my time on studying (and also practicing for my piano recital that's coming up this Saturday).
This test is for the Spanish language, and it's one of the most intense and challenging ones I've taken yet. Spanish is a difficult subject for me, and I'm having a hard time finding confidence that I can pass it. So I would very much appreciate your prayers!
Hasta luego, mi amigos!
5.19.2010
No More Boxes
May is one of the busiest months for me out of the year. Everything seems to come to a head - recitals (I'm currently preparing for three: accompanying a violin recital, my teacher's piano recital, and my piano recital for my students), end of the year activities, get-togethers with friends, graduation open houses, preparing for college... it's all coming on top of me. And my tendency when things get overwhelming like this is to start putting things in boxes. That way, it all still seems orderly and structured, and I feel like I can still manage. But I've come to realize that that isn't the way I should run my life.
When I put my life in boxes, I don't just put the activities and people I'm interacting with into boxes - I put the Lord into one as well. I realize that I've been stuffing His word into a box, trying to follow through with what He's called me to do but not actually taking His truth into my heart. I just put it in a box and promise myself that I'll come back to it sometime and actually think about how it can apply to my life later. On the outside I say I want to do God's will, but in reality, I'm just trying to fit Him into mine.
This is not the way I want to live! I want His truth and will to penetrate every area of my life, not be segregated into something I only think about at a certain time. I want to live my life under His will.
I came to understand that this putting my life into boxes - it's really a way for me to have control of my life. I figure I have to do something to cope, so I figure out a way that I can take care of it. See all of the "I"s in that last sentence? I was forgetting that I can't do it on my own strength. I have to let Him take control.
Are there things in your life that you are putting into boxes - i.e. trying to control by yourself instead of surrendering to the Lord? Think and pray about this, and see if God brings things to your mind. Then I would encourage you to pray a prayer similar to mine:
My prayer is that God: "Refine me, so I may be a better piece of clay to be molded into Your likeness. My life is not my own - and that includes my control of it. From now on, Lord, I want my life to be under Your control. Give me discernment and clarity of mind to see what Your will is. Help me to take Your words to heart.
I want to follow You, Lord - please take the reigns. I have been trying to put You in the backseat for far too long. From now on, You're the pilot. I'm just following orders.
No more boxes."
When I put my life in boxes, I don't just put the activities and people I'm interacting with into boxes - I put the Lord into one as well. I realize that I've been stuffing His word into a box, trying to follow through with what He's called me to do but not actually taking His truth into my heart. I just put it in a box and promise myself that I'll come back to it sometime and actually think about how it can apply to my life later. On the outside I say I want to do God's will, but in reality, I'm just trying to fit Him into mine.
This is not the way I want to live! I want His truth and will to penetrate every area of my life, not be segregated into something I only think about at a certain time. I want to live my life under His will.
I came to understand that this putting my life into boxes - it's really a way for me to have control of my life. I figure I have to do something to cope, so I figure out a way that I can take care of it. See all of the "I"s in that last sentence? I was forgetting that I can't do it on my own strength. I have to let Him take control.
Are there things in your life that you are putting into boxes - i.e. trying to control by yourself instead of surrendering to the Lord? Think and pray about this, and see if God brings things to your mind. Then I would encourage you to pray a prayer similar to mine:
My prayer is that God: "Refine me, so I may be a better piece of clay to be molded into Your likeness. My life is not my own - and that includes my control of it. From now on, Lord, I want my life to be under Your control. Give me discernment and clarity of mind to see what Your will is. Help me to take Your words to heart.
I want to follow You, Lord - please take the reigns. I have been trying to put You in the backseat for far too long. From now on, You're the pilot. I'm just following orders.
No more boxes."
3.18.2010
Procrastinating
Don't you hate it when you procrastinate? It seems so easy - just forget about this thing, push that thing aside until tomorrow, telling yourself you can always start fresh in the morning - yet it starts you on a steep spiral downhill. Before you know it, you're floundering around at the bottom, with all the things you put off and brushed aside falling down around your ears. And you wonder how you can ever get out again.
That's the way I've felt the past couple of weeks. I easily fall into the temptation of procrastinating, especially when there's not a lot of scheduled things in my life. I put things I like to do first, such as going on the computer, blogging, facebook, etc. All the things I don't enjoy so much or things that are actual work get put off until later... which usually means they don't happen. I've wanted to stop it, of course, but I've always procrastinated with that too!
Today I was praying about this, and I realized that the reason it's so easy to fall into this and so hard to get out is because I don't have my priorities straight. I always put myself first; in front of God, others, and what I ought to do. I'm being selfish with my time!
Here is part of the prayer I prayed this morning (I usually write down my prayers): "Dear God, You see the thoughts and intentions of my heart. Please forgive me for procrastinating, and being selfish with my time, thoughts, and actions. I want You to be on the throne of my heart, not myself. Please help me to overcome this, so I can live as a child of light, not stumbling around in the darkness. I invite you back onto the throne of my heart to rule this kingdom that is so wayward and unruly. Throw out all the sinful, selfish desires I've furnished my heart with, and refurbish it with a longing for Your glory. Kindle the lamps of love and commitment and diligence for your name. Make this heart a kingdom for Your glory! Amen."
After I prayed that prayer, I felt a sense of determination and boldness that I had not felt before. I was ready to conquer - with God on the throne, directing my thoughts, actions, and heart. I knew that He would help me get rid of this procrastination, little by little. After all, how can I procrastinate when the Almighty God is the one directing my steps?
That's the way I've felt the past couple of weeks. I easily fall into the temptation of procrastinating, especially when there's not a lot of scheduled things in my life. I put things I like to do first, such as going on the computer, blogging, facebook, etc. All the things I don't enjoy so much or things that are actual work get put off until later... which usually means they don't happen. I've wanted to stop it, of course, but I've always procrastinated with that too!
Today I was praying about this, and I realized that the reason it's so easy to fall into this and so hard to get out is because I don't have my priorities straight. I always put myself first; in front of God, others, and what I ought to do. I'm being selfish with my time!
Here is part of the prayer I prayed this morning (I usually write down my prayers): "Dear God, You see the thoughts and intentions of my heart. Please forgive me for procrastinating, and being selfish with my time, thoughts, and actions. I want You to be on the throne of my heart, not myself. Please help me to overcome this, so I can live as a child of light, not stumbling around in the darkness. I invite you back onto the throne of my heart to rule this kingdom that is so wayward and unruly. Throw out all the sinful, selfish desires I've furnished my heart with, and refurbish it with a longing for Your glory. Kindle the lamps of love and commitment and diligence for your name. Make this heart a kingdom for Your glory! Amen."
After I prayed that prayer, I felt a sense of determination and boldness that I had not felt before. I was ready to conquer - with God on the throne, directing my thoughts, actions, and heart. I knew that He would help me get rid of this procrastination, little by little. After all, how can I procrastinate when the Almighty God is the one directing my steps?
