prayer life and there life

Not only is it totally necessary to have friends who you can pray with and have alongside you to pray for each other, but it is also very necessary to have friends who are “there” too.

Not only are we spirit beings that need this prayer connection, trust and value, but we are all humanity with hearts that need to have people in our lives too- to just ‘be there’.

I have found that as much as I love praying with people and “getting down to business”, it is also crucial for my heart to be able to connect in “there-ness”. Life is so full and busy that it becomes so much easier to not meet up with others and so when we do meet with each other, the cost that is paid (spending time, money, effort, energy, sorting the kids out etc) all goes into the investment of each other which raises the value that we have for ourselves and therefore others.

When we value each other and pay beyond the cheapness of convenience we start to appreciate more and more the value that God has for us. We feel the value that others have paid, and this can impact us in deep ways.

A lot of us wouldn’t want to put people out of their way because maybe we don’t believe we are worth the cost of what getting together is now. (The cost has gone up in more than just petrol and shops.. since 2020, the cost of being together with others costs us our comfortable locked down selves.)

When the Bible says that we shouldn’t stop meeting together I believe that this is massively important so that we are full human beings and not lacking in worth or value (which the enemy of our souls would love to fill with his lies and fake-fillers).

Let’s be high value people with a high value prayer life.

fighting to build

When we desire something- a job, a person, a situation, a revival, whatever- there is so much work that is put in to chase this vision down and secure it. But then once it is secured and the honeymoon period is over, how many of us actually continue to fight and chase this for building on, in, and with it?

It seems that we are able to do short spurts of energy investment, but what about the long haul of investment- when it is tiring, thankless, unromantic, hard work and without much reward?

Whether we are people of faith or not, the spiritual discipline is a general principle.. if we give up we won’t reap the reward in which was the reason why we first started- whether this is for a relationship, revival, working vision etc..

Talking (and writing) is easy. But what about living it? This is where the truth of our convictions will show through and if we are actually building to last or just building to flex..

you can’t medicate for growth

When we start new ventures- whether this is a new job, baby, marriage, whatever- there is going to be a period of time where we are in overdrive of stretching and being challenged and perhaps this may affect our sleep, our restfulness, our relationships, and our mental or physical health.

I will use children as an example as these are what the Bible calls blessings. Now, how many know that if this is the case, then blessings are not easy and light?! So when we get a blessing (job, or promotion or whatever) then there is a massive challenge for us to enter into- not some fluffy and light skip in the park.

This means that when we choose to walk through a very new and unknown (to us) season then it will stretch every part of our being and character and test us on all sides. And if something is impacting us, then (if we are living authentically and honestly with others) then it will also affect those close to us too.

But one thing I have realised- we cannot avoid or medicate this time of growth away. This is the cost of blessing- it is heavy (until we get used to the load- and then we get heavier weights!). But God knows our capacity in every season and is not a twisted taskmaster as some may view Him as. Just like personal trainers know that our bodies are so much more capable of working out a lot longer than we feel like we can bear, so God knows how much we can handle- which is beyond our comfort (for sure) but not beyond our capacity or ability.

There are no shortcuts to growing capacity to cope, to manage, for character, for relationships.. All of these take time for development. And in our culture of microwave, we hate this. But if we want true strength of character, family, relationships.. then I truly believe that it may be hard (to say the least) but it will have the biggest return ever of investment that we could possibly get.

Feel the pain and keep going. Cry the tears and keep showing up. God has so much more from and through these days.

keep your eyes fixed…

After last week’s post, and following my week’s transformation, I have learnt that to ‘walk on water’ takes everything I have to keep my focus on the God of impossible and not allow my senses, feelings, circumstances to speak louder than my focus on Him.

Being intentional is so not our default, but it is so necessary and will cost everything we have to discipline ourselves into living the larger life that God has for each one of us.

It will cost everything we have, but not a drop more than that, so that everyone is able to pay with their own amounts of everything. Invest it all 🙂

eternal investment

If you want to make the greatest investment, then take note of the eternal as well as this lifetime. Time spent in prayer will never be time lost or wasted.

How many of us can watch the news, TV series, netflix, whatever, with total ease for hours on end, and yet struggle to gather ourselves for time in prayer?

This last year we have been given the gift of time. How many of us have chatted on about not having time?! Well, we have it now! And how have we spent it..?! It’s interesting how we are often very good at chatting on about good intentions, but not so good at being actually honest or loyal to what we promised.. Even to God.

It is always what is least edifying that is the easiest option, and what is the most powerful option has to be fought for- in determination, intention, sacrifice..

Prayer is like this. Yet it is speaking with God- Creator of Heaven and Earth. How crazy that this incredible privilege is something that we allow the cheap distractions of life to take us away from.. And yet surely we can understand from this that there is a war for our attention. To keep us numb and ineffective, distracted into confusion about our identities as we watch and compare ourselves with culture- the culture we are called to add seasoning to and to demonstrate the Love and Truth of God. The God who created each and every person perfectly and with His designed identity for each and every one. The God who calls Himself our Father.

We are so toxified and in desperate need of coming back to the Father’s house. We have wandered off for way too long and need to come back to find ourselves in the One who is Truth. Who is our Truth. And The Truth. And to do this, we need to talk to Him. We simply need to spend time talking and listening, communicating and building with Him. This is time investment that will resound through eternity. That will be able to join with communications of others to release prayerful movements of God.

Time in prayer is never wasted. But there will always be a battle for it. The devil will never fight for anything where there is no spoils. Remember that. And push back harder.

It may not be easy, but it is simple.

long term vision costs

Recently I have watched Coach Carter for the first time, and would highly recommend it. It is an incredible reminder that not many people are willing to invest in the long term vision of people, communities or nations. Most of us want quick results and satisfaction right here and now.

When there is someone with a greater plan for the whole person, and not just one aspect of their being, it is welcomed with excitement until the invoice appears- which is wanting payment of character, disciple, sacrifice, discomfort… etc… Then we turn completely from being fans to haters. We see this in the life of Jesus- being celebrated one week and cursed the very next week.

I love that God is a good Father. He sees end from beginning. He sees our talent. But He also sees the rest of our being- our character, our deficits which need filling, our long term needs and obstacles that we will face. He wants to address each and every area of our lives- the parts we enjoy and the parts that we don’t enjoy but that are necessary. Even the parts that we enjoy He develops us further to make sure that we use every last drop that He has put within us. This can feel like we’re breaking but I believe it is actually breaking through.

As Coach Carter portrays the limits of human strength and going as far as he can go in his own strength until he is worn out by discouragement and the fight against the system, it is great to know that God never runs out of energy or has limits, but that is God Almighty with all power and authority. He will ensure that there are people who will keep us from giving up completely, and will provide a fresh wind of energy and perseverance.

If you are swimming in discouragement and starting to flail, keep going. Don’t give up. Your team of encouragement is coming. You are being cheered on by all of Heaven and it will be worth it. Your vision is bigger and stronger than your discouragement and will be worth all the sacrifice, heart break and tears shed.

Hebrews 10.35-36: So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.