An Ordinary Person Learning to Pray Extraordinarily
Originally published December 29, 2012
I've recently been feeling the urgency to pray BOLDER, BIGGER and with FEARLESSNESS. I don't consider myself a small-praying person but maybe one with creativity without daring. For visual people, it will make sense to you that I see what I want to pray and the prayer is an interpretation of what I'm seeing in my mind's eye. For those of you who function differently, I just hope my prayers bring some comfort or encouragement or whatever you may need...and they make enough sense for you to stay with me as each word is uttered. If not, I fully appreciate your patience. I know I can pray a little long as I share my movie.
The thing is, I could be more bold in my prayer life. I've see flashes of all the things that have come to fruition either through spoken prayer or what I call "heart prayer", those unceasing desires of your soul that you may not put into words but somehow are manifested from the yearnings within it. God hears those too. I remember going to a party many years ago and thinking, "I'd really like to live on a street like this." The house we live in now was found after what felt like months of grueling house hunting and I was so sick of it I was ready to settle for a house we didn't really want just to be DONE. Our realtor said, "Let me just show you one more." This last house would be the one we now call our home. The God Tap was that several months after we moved in, I realized our home was on the exact street I had desired to live all those years earlier! See what I mean? A heart prayer spoken out loud without ever having the INTENTION of it BEING prayer.
With all this history of what God has done in my life, I feel challenged to pray BIGGER. I think too often we limit our prayer life because we dismiss it as too petty, too small, not worthy of God's attention or we think it's too self-centered. If I'm perfectly honest, I know I've limited myself to small prayer because I'm scared to face God saying no to my request or denying my dreams. As I type this though, I can't recall something I wanted that He didn't provide. Truly. I wanted to become a parent, He gave us a daughter. I wanted to be an artist, He provided inspiration. I wanted an opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom, He gave me a business I could do from home. I wanted to live on a particular street, He gave me a home. We went through 8 months of unemployment and our life is more satisfying than ever. Over and over again, God has said, "I will."
With the knowledge of God's willingness and a vision for my life, how could I NOT pray with fearlessness? I want to make it clear I'm not talking about testing God or dragging Him along while I make plans. He's not a God that's about to play "genie in a bottle" for anyone. What I mean to say is, why not ask Him about your big dreams and see what happens? It's His to say no and I trust that He will keep me from things that will harm me. --- But what if He says YES? Big prayer for me is a practice in activating my faith. It is the manifestation of my BELIEF that God can do what He says He can do. I've already seen His generosity and creativity in answering so many of my prayers so why would I think it's going to change? God can do whatever He wants in our lives but I think He loves doing it in partnership with our FAITH. I believe He delights in our asking because it is the acknowledgement of our belief in His strength, His love, His faithfulness, His ability and His desire. I believe it because it's how I feel when my own child shares a desire and I'M able to say yes. With my limited resources I have to pick and choose what I can say yes to but God is WITHOUT limits.
I also think bold prayer is an acknowledgement of how far you're willing to go with God. Are you willing to be a witness to His miracles, begin a new ministry, grow His kingdom or become a leader for His people? Do you need to heal brokenness, repair a relationship or fight disease? Our job is to participate through the asking language of prayer! I never want to be a person who wonders how far I could have gone because I couldn't be bothered to find out!
I was sharing this concept the other day with a couple of close friends who have known me for several years. Their response, loosely put, was, "But that's the way you've always been. You're a person who dreams big. It's your personality." Folks, I believe praying big is for EVERYONE. Imagine what life could be if we didn't have self-imposed limitations on our dreams and allowed God to be GOD in our lives. Don't keep Him so small you're merely existing and not living into the greatness and purpose God intended for you, even before you were born! I can't think of a grander adventure than seeking our purpose and defining our passion! I want God's vision for my life, not just what my limited imagination can provide. What if God Himself puts these big prayers on our hearts to hear us say, "I will?"
The thing is, I could be more bold in my prayer life. I've see flashes of all the things that have come to fruition either through spoken prayer or what I call "heart prayer", those unceasing desires of your soul that you may not put into words but somehow are manifested from the yearnings within it. God hears those too. I remember going to a party many years ago and thinking, "I'd really like to live on a street like this." The house we live in now was found after what felt like months of grueling house hunting and I was so sick of it I was ready to settle for a house we didn't really want just to be DONE. Our realtor said, "Let me just show you one more." This last house would be the one we now call our home. The God Tap was that several months after we moved in, I realized our home was on the exact street I had desired to live all those years earlier! See what I mean? A heart prayer spoken out loud without ever having the INTENTION of it BEING prayer.
With all this history of what God has done in my life, I feel challenged to pray BIGGER. I think too often we limit our prayer life because we dismiss it as too petty, too small, not worthy of God's attention or we think it's too self-centered. If I'm perfectly honest, I know I've limited myself to small prayer because I'm scared to face God saying no to my request or denying my dreams. As I type this though, I can't recall something I wanted that He didn't provide. Truly. I wanted to become a parent, He gave us a daughter. I wanted to be an artist, He provided inspiration. I wanted an opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom, He gave me a business I could do from home. I wanted to live on a particular street, He gave me a home. We went through 8 months of unemployment and our life is more satisfying than ever. Over and over again, God has said, "I will."
With the knowledge of God's willingness and a vision for my life, how could I NOT pray with fearlessness? I want to make it clear I'm not talking about testing God or dragging Him along while I make plans. He's not a God that's about to play "genie in a bottle" for anyone. What I mean to say is, why not ask Him about your big dreams and see what happens? It's His to say no and I trust that He will keep me from things that will harm me. --- But what if He says YES? Big prayer for me is a practice in activating my faith. It is the manifestation of my BELIEF that God can do what He says He can do. I've already seen His generosity and creativity in answering so many of my prayers so why would I think it's going to change? God can do whatever He wants in our lives but I think He loves doing it in partnership with our FAITH. I believe He delights in our asking because it is the acknowledgement of our belief in His strength, His love, His faithfulness, His ability and His desire. I believe it because it's how I feel when my own child shares a desire and I'M able to say yes. With my limited resources I have to pick and choose what I can say yes to but God is WITHOUT limits.
I also think bold prayer is an acknowledgement of how far you're willing to go with God. Are you willing to be a witness to His miracles, begin a new ministry, grow His kingdom or become a leader for His people? Do you need to heal brokenness, repair a relationship or fight disease? Our job is to participate through the asking language of prayer! I never want to be a person who wonders how far I could have gone because I couldn't be bothered to find out!
I was sharing this concept the other day with a couple of close friends who have known me for several years. Their response, loosely put, was, "But that's the way you've always been. You're a person who dreams big. It's your personality." Folks, I believe praying big is for EVERYONE. Imagine what life could be if we didn't have self-imposed limitations on our dreams and allowed God to be GOD in our lives. Don't keep Him so small you're merely existing and not living into the greatness and purpose God intended for you, even before you were born! I can't think of a grander adventure than seeking our purpose and defining our passion! I want God's vision for my life, not just what my limited imagination can provide. What if God Himself puts these big prayers on our hearts to hear us say, "I will?"
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Studio 3:33 - Even Paradise Needs the Rain, August 14, 2010
I finally clicked on your link from your text. At the point of desiring to pray longer and specific prayers now. I have been afraid in the past, for not knowing what to say. Our living Father, Abba, showed me last Sunday that reading His word plus trusting equals amazing prayer. Though my trust is small like a mustard seed (keep hearing that lately), God used my prayer to Him as a stepping stone to a divine am @ church! Thank you sweet and God-Honoring friend!:)
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