The Benefit of Prayer Pauses

My life has gotten increasingly busy lately. I’ve taken on some projects that are all coming to a head at the same time. Had a hard time falling asleep last night, thinking about all that needs to / should be done. And I woke up this morning with the same thoughts. Sooo anxious about all that needs to be accomplished and what is most important (and it seemed like a dozen things needed to be done first!). But after just a few minutes in prayer, I somehow felt so confident that God would lead me. A peace kinda washed over me. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t looking for it, exactly. I was just sitting there telling God how I didn’t want to be anxious and overwhelmed, and the next minute, I was “talking” about His character: good, loving, reliable, faithful, powerful, able, wise, all-knowing, detail-oriented. He knows me, He loves me, hears me, equips me… and when I paused my thoughts after all of that, I realized I was calmer than when I first started praying.

“Lord God, help me to remember Your amazing, loving presence and that nothing is going to happen that You didn’t already see coming and that, like my sins – that You dealt with long ago on the cross, before they even came to pass; the events of the day ahead have already passed through Your hands. It is safe to move forward because You are already there. I will not get overwhelmed. I will not shut down before I even begin because You, great God, are always with me. I look to You for guidance. I look forward to Your guidance in this day. I surrender control, that Your power might be the power really getting things done. May that whole idea fill my head. Anxiety comes from me thinking, envisioning, my feeble abilities trying to accomplish what You’ve called me to do. Lord, into Your hands… I trust You to order my steps in thought, word, and deed.”

 

Pause and let some of that sink in...

 

·        Take it to the Lord in prayer

·        Remember Who God is and what He’s done – God never changes

·        The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving towards all He has made.