
The Day I Stopped Praying
The days were becoming increasingly harder. My situation was pushing me beyond my mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual capabilities. My flesh was growing weary and discouraged by the second.
My husband had asked me if I had talked to the Lord and prayed about what I was going through.
My response, “I stopped praying.”
As I was floundering spiritually, he was taken aback by my honest and raw response. I guess he was expecting me to show up as his warrior-wife in our circumstances, but what he got instead, was his weak wife.
He told me I needed to be tough so we could get through our situation.
I told him that wasn’t going to happen. I had been in the trenches far too long and my boot straps had been pulled up one too many times that the straps were now torn. In fact, I’m no longer going to wear boots because this warrior needs to put on a pair of slippers!
A person can only endure and persevere so much. Even soldiers come off the battlefield to get some rest and to be replenished.
I realized my perspective and my strivings in my circumstance was causing a stress fracture to my spirit. I was on thin ice and if I wasn’t careful, my heart was going to turn bitter in a matter of seconds.
I know that all trials are designed to draw us closer to the Lord not further away from Him. But my heart was starting to turn away from Him because I couldn’t fix our situation no matter how much faith, wisdom, and discernment I applied.
I look back now to what took place in my heart just a few weeks ago and I can’t help but ponder what I was missing. What was it that I was lacking when faced with a toppling wave from yet another storm that came our way?
Here are 3 things that God brought to light to my heart and mind. Perhaps they will help you too when you’re faced with another storm?
1. It’s okay to be too weak to pray.
I didn’t have the strength to pray, but God, in His infinite wisdom, knew there would be times in the lives of His children that we would need assistance.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26 (NLT)
2. Cease striving.
At some point in my storm, I just ceased striving. I stopped trying to fix, work hard, muster up enough strength to just get the job done, type of mentality. Instead, I just laid down, let go, and let God do His perfect will in my life.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. Psalm 127:2 (NLT)
3. Wait patiently.
Personally, I think waiting patiently, instead of trying to fix the problem, is one of the hardest things to do when you’re in the middle of the storm. Fear can easily consume you in the midst of waiting. Perhaps the Lord needs to wear us down sometimes so we rely more on Him?
Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Psalm 37:7 (NLT)
It is easy to lose site of what God is trying to teach us during the trials of life. Sometimes all we can see is more loss and pain, and then our emotions show up on the scene and turn what God meant for good to a self-serving perspective filled with discouragement. God is a faithful God to complete His work in us.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil. 1:6 (NLT)
Remember, we don’t do miracles, but we serve a God who does!
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Live a poured out life for Christ,
Jolene
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