Fluffernutter
Well ... Ok, as I roll over and hit the snooze button, I pray.
It often starts: Oh God.... time to hit the ground running, but I don't. I pause. I listen. I speak His will into my day. These prayers speak my heart's desire before, and without, all of the crud the day brings: to know Him more, to see Him throughout my day, to be able to follow Him well. They are prayers for my day, for my heart, for my relationship with Him. Before I rise I start in His presence. How better to start the day?
I try to walk through my day listening for Him, for His soft whisper. I meditate on what He's been teaching me in the midst of my circumstances. I meditate on the passages He's brought to my attention, and oftentimes I am digesting the same passage for days.
When I lay down at night, I talk with Him about my day, the things I am grateful for, release hurt and disappointment for Him to deal with, and ask for clarity and direction. This is also when I pause to look at the wall beside my bed. It's covered in post-it's with the names of people I pray for regularly. It's not a complicated prayer. It's not long and drawn out. It's a prayer that they, too, would find Him in a more intimate way; for eyes and ears to be open to His pursuit of their heart, that relationship with Him would begin and/or grow deeper each day, and for clarity and leading in their lives.
At no time do I pray for specific things to happen. We are to align ourselves with His will, it's idolatry and witchcraft (which is simply the use of the supernatural/spiritual things to get what you want) to demand that God bend to my will or push for things that are out of His will or timing to my own. I do pray for God's will in their lives and for what I know to be consistent with scripture: healing, the revelation of truth, wisdom, and discernment in difficult circumstances. I do let him know my desires, but I also have to lay those down at the feet of Jesus trusting that God has what is best for me in mind. This is true submission.
In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us just how to pray. Don't be like the pagans who go on and on thinking that more words mean more favor. (v.5 my paraphrase). Seriously, think of the toddler that tells you the same thing over and over again. Right? You get the point from the beginning, but the rest of it is just fluff, or just straight up full on fluffernutter: intended to be sweet but not always the best choice. We are to praise Him, offer gratitude, forgiveness and grace, and know that He gives us just what we need when we need it ... because that's how Papa cares for His children. Get excited about what He is excited about.
Mostly though? I am praying in the Spirit. It's an utterance of my heart communicating in a heavenly language. In private, it's out loud. In public, it is a quiet whisper. If you are hearing it, you are simply overhearing my conversation with my heavenly Father. If you see me babble during worship, you won't be able to read my lips; you aren't meant to. Even in intercessory prayer groups, my prayers are largely in the Spirit rather than in English.
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. ~ Ephesians 6:13-18 ~
Jesus told us life wouldn't be easy. Paul, the man blinded on the road to Damascus, shows us what we need to get through it. Don't be caught with your shorts around your ankles, clothe yourself in truth. God's righteousness protects your heart. Be ready to go and share the good news about His peace. Faith is your shield, protecting you from every lie and accusation of the enemy. Salvation keeps us pursuing knowledge of His character and love for us. Our weapon of choice? His Spirit, by which the fruit we see is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We accomplish this by staying in step with Him, in sync, and letting Him lead through a continual conversation and relationship with Him.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ~ Galatians 5:25 ~
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all of the saints. ~ Ephesians 6:18 ~
This is my practice. This is how I pray without ceasing. This is how my faith, and my relationship with my heavenly Father. This is how apply the work of Christ to my struggles.
I'm often asked how I do it, how I manage to keep it all together with everything I have on my plate. This is it. This. Standing firm on His word, and being present with Him. I've had to make a priority of it, because it brings life in the loneliness, peace in the chaos, and joy in the pain. That doesn't mean that my house is perfectly clean or I am never late. It means that although I am alone in walking this road and it all falls to me to be done, I have a Comforter and a Counselor who sees and walks with me though it all.
Stirred,
Ruth
*A fluffernutter is a peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwich on white bread. A regional food to New England.