Thunderstorms can be scary. They pop up out of nowhere! They last longer than you expect. They make things dark. They’re loud. They get our attention. They teach us important lessons.
Our sweet little “grand kitty” had probably been used to hovering somewhere against a building or under a leaky overhang during storms before she was adopted into my daughter’s family last week. But life has changed for this little girl (Socks is the official name). This week when a storm pounded around us in the afternoon, my daughter went out and snatched up Socks and put her in their dry, comfy garage where she was met with a new kitty bed, a dish of food, and all the comforts of those snobby indoor cats! Now that she’s adopted, she has a home to run back to for safety and security!
It was one of those epiphany moments. A keen understanding of an essential truth came to me while I was doing a calligraphy drawing on my pantry chalkboard. I had been heavy hearted and downcast regarding a situation and had been slugging my way through the day with it wrapped around my heart like a snake’s grasp on a bird. Then as I was writing the words,
Pray without ceasing.
the Spirit of God whispered to my heart, “Yes, Denise. You need to go pray.”
Earlier in the morning I had my quiet time with the Lord. I had read His Word and spent time in prayer, giving Him praise and also my burdens. Then this issue had cropped up and the quietness had dissipated. Filling its place was unrest and uneasiness. I felt anxious and irritable.
Up until this moment, I had stuffed that anxiety with scrolling Instagram and other futile minute-wasters. The result was only more emptiness.
Now at God’s prompting to obey this verse that I had carefully written on my board, I did just that. I went back to my quiet place – kneeling at chair in a room upstairs. I poured out my heart before God, asking for His intervention and help. I asked Him to help me appropriate the peace that is mine in Christ. Colossians 3:15 I rose from my knees with a peace that truly does pass human understanding.
How foolish it is of me not to return to that place of prayer often, if not physically, at least in my heart. It’s the only place where I’ll find rest. It certainly isn’t in found in my own thoughts or secular entertainment. It’s found in the presence of my Savior.
If your heart feels anxious, instead of stuffing it with a Netflix series, food, or social media, may I encourage you to go find a place to be alone with God and pour out your heart to Him? Why? Because He cares.
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
I Peter 5:7
He can also do something about your situation! But He is waiting for you to ask.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:7
Perhaps this blog post is your epiphany to “Go Pray!” God loves you enough to invite you to bring your burdens to Him, then to listen to you when you do.
RefreshHer 