Prayer is not a gift.

Oh yeah... Christians reading this are getting pissed just at the title of the post but hold your horses and let me get out what I really believe needs to be said before you judge me...

I have a few friends who believe I have magic prayers. It is their opinion my prayers are more readily answered by God, so when they have something big or person crosses their path that needs prayer, they call me. I am humbled by their belief that my prayers work better than the average person but in truth, all of our prayers work the same. One person's prayers are not more important to God than another. I always tell them that prayer is not a spiritual gift like say: prophecy, healing, interpretation or miracles. Prayer is for everyone. Chances are, if you feel like your's fall on deaf ears, it is because are doing it wrong.

1: Prayer is a conversation.

Prayer is a conversation and as you know, when held properly, conversations are a means of two way communication. I was blessed in that I had some pretty amazing people teach me to pray. My favorite word of advice was from my Uncle Derald, who taught me that if I wasn't speaking to God like He was my very best friend then I was doing it wrong. I took that information to heart and I began praying less like a formal invitation for God to do my will or solve my problems and more like a hey how was your day to day because mine sucked.

To be honest, I have maybe at times taken it a bit too far in that I have yelled and screamed and cussed. A little too informal perhaps but I have also learned to shut up both mind and mouth, Letting my prayers be an open pathway to Him being able to speak directly to me through the Holy Spirit. In those quiet spaces, I find He does in fact, talk back...and clearly BUT I have to be still and willing.

2: Answers, when disliked are ignored.

Answers, when disliked are ignored and hence the second mistake we make is refusing to hear. We keep praying over and over the same dang thing and rant about He doesn't listen or how long He is making me wait. All the while, He is looking down at us, shaking His Holy head, thinking when are they ever gonna listen. Not liking the answer is not the same thing as Him not answering. Do you know the difference? God is not in the business of doing what you want. In fact, He rarely does what I want but never have I found His answer lacking what I need. Now, He may not give me what I want or need in my time frame and I have found myself frustrated more than a time or two at His timing but the bible says in Isaiah 55:8-9:  My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do. My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth. Being as most of us have God in a box of some sort, it is hard for us to understand that we DO NOT have Him figured out. So if we won't listen, how will we know the answer?  Additionally, if we refuse the answer, how can we hold Him accountable for us not doing what we are told? Directions only work when followed.

I love the idea of adventure but sometimes the actual adventure is scarier than the idea. I am beginning to accept that living a life for God is an adventure. I admit that the more I live for Him, the less I know where I am going and the scarier the adventure becomes BUT the more assured I am that everything is going to be alright. There is a peace in the surrender that just as Philippians 4:7 states: passes all understanding. Living for God at some point if you are doing it right, becomes a total oxymoron of sorts because as the deeper you get into understanding His nature and your part in His creation, the harder everything gets and yet the more you walk by faith not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), the better you feel. The beginning of swimming in deep waters with Him is scary, at best. I am an excellent swimmer. I can keep my head above water all by myself for a very long time but sooner or later even the best swimmer gets tired. It is in that exact moment when your muscles all give out, your breathing is labored, your chest hurts, you are utterly exhausted, your mind believes you are going to die.. that moment of your greatness weakness that FINALLY you get a true, accurate glimpse of all God is...and you begin to understand that you, not Him, have made it hard because He is buoyant. HIS LOVE FLOATS!

My advice is that you learn from my experience: shut up, listen more, quit fighting Him so hard and swimming against His current. Relax into Him and let Him be your life preserver even if you are capable of winning gold at the Olympics in the 1500 meters.