A Prayer In Times of Waiting

Prayer is simply talking with God, we can easily wrestle and discuss with Him our worries, struggles, etc. He loves our honest and sincere, heartfelt prayers and He cares deeply every details of our prayer specially when we ask something from Him. I am honestly been a believer for so many years but I need a little inspiration in my prayer life. At all times, I tend to repeat the same prayers over and over again, however, God is deeply reading and feels whatever our hearts has to say.
As I got up early morning from a calmly night slumber, I would always grab a devotional book to read since I could no longer clearly read my Bible because of its small font.
I just accidentally grabbed a very touching devotional book that tells everyone's prayer. It's because I am waiting a certain break which I believe would somehow molds and shape me as a person, rightly I search the index where I could easily find the specific humble supplication which I long to pray for.
Let me share a very touching prayer which everyone of us are waiting something for the Lord's approval in every petitions we ask for.

picture taken from Google.

When God Answers, "Wait"

Lord My Father,

You have promised me victory over the sin and weakness in my life, so why do I have to wait for it? Why must I still struggle after I have given my life to you? Am I not ready to handle success? Would I become too proud? Would I quickly be defeated again? Lord, please forgive my impatience. Calm my anxious thoughts. I know I can trust you as I wait, because you never waste time. Keep my heart focused on you as I wait for your perfect timing.

"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act". Psalm 37:7

Does God Answer Prayers?

Normally, we would always ask does God really answer prayers? Biblically, He does and He always comes up with so much intelligible reason to tell everyone that He answers in different ways. Human being as we are, the answers at times are so beyond comprehensible and strange.
What we needed to have is a little ingredients of faith & understanding, which it would mold us to a better person. Like I said, His answers are sometimes incomprehensible but we just have to open our senses, because the moment we see His answer it would blow us away, you'll see the wonders of His love working in different ways.

It is important to understand what kind of answers God will give.

Yes
. This is the best answer, the answer we were hoping for. It may come when we ask about important life decisions such as changing jobs or moving to a new city. It means that God approves of the path that we have chosen and will guide and support us in our endeavors.

No. God's wisdom is not our wisdom. Something that may seem like a good idea to us might not be the best for us. It's important to have faith that God loves us and will never lead us astray. When he says no, it is because he has something better in store.

I'll let you decide
. God will not make all our decisions for us. Sometimes, we are asking about two equally acceptable options. For example, you might be trying to decide which college to attend. God may guide you to one or the other, or he might simply allow you to choose which one you think would be the best fit for you.
It is also important to learn to recognize God's answers to your prayers.

Thoughts
. Sometimes, God will bring thoughts into your mind that will guide you to your answer. For example, if you are considering a new job, he might make you aware of a benefit that you hadn't previously considered. Alternatively, he might show you a negative that you had overlooked.

Feelings
. Positive feelings of peace, calm, joy and certainty are a good indicator that the answer to your prayer is “Yes.” Negative feelings like fear, confusion, frustration and uncertainty may indicate that the answer is “No.”
For example, when my husband first met me, he knew with certainty that he was going to marry me. He feels like that was an answer to prayer. Since I have been blessed in our marriage, I tend to agree with him.

Actions
. Many times God answers our prayers through the actions of others. Maybe you have been laid off and are looking for a job. Then, a friend casually mentions that he heard about a shop in town that was hiring. Perhaps you've felt lonely and needed a friend, and then someone calls you out of the blue.
A friend of mine was moving to a new home. On moving day, all the people who had offered to help were unable to make it. Although my husband was at work, he made a few phone calls and got a couple of people to pitch in at the last minute. My friend later told me that she had prayed that they would be able to find help, and she was grateful God answered her prayer through my husband.
Have you ever had a thought come to your mind that you should drop by and visit someone or give them a call? You might be that person who can answer the prayers of others.

Love notes
. I think that sometimes God sends little messages to let us know he is aware of us and that he cares. It might be a certain song that comes on the radio at a particular time, or an inspirational quote or scripture that we stumble upon just when we need it most.
I remember when I was a young mother. I had four children age 6 and younger. It seemed like there was always at least one child who was having a bad day. If my toddler was cheerful, then my baby was cranky. If my baby was calm, then my kindergartner had a rough time at school. I distinctly remember thinking, “Will my kids ever have a good day at the same time?”
It wasn't officially a prayer, but the very next day, a miracle happened. They all had a great day. My baby was calm, my toddler was cheerful, my older toddler was happy, and my kindergartner had a great day at school. From morning to night, my whole family had a very good day. It didn't happen again for years.
I felt like this was God's way of encouraging me, letting me know he knew how hard I was trying to be a good mom. I've remembered that day when I have been faced with other discouraging parenting moments.
Answers to prayers may seem like simple coincidences. But as you learn to recognize answers to your prayers, you will begin to see God's hand in your life.

Text courtesy of Shelli Proffitt Howells

Self Improvement Through the Accountability of Prayer

I would like to share something that would help our spiritual nourishment, specially in the moment when distress strikes its way. When I read this article, it moved me and realized that there's so much more to change in me.
I just simply love the author dissecting her mind bit by bit, with that I came of posting it here so that all of us would be blessed as well.

There is a great tool for self-improvement — prayer. By laying out before the Lord your plans every morning and accounting for them every evening, you are more likely to follow through.

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    There is no doubt that prayer is a powerful tool. It can also be used in self-improvement. We all have room for improvement for bad habits we want to quit or good habits we want to adopt.
    Some areas that this habit can be used for might be:
    1. Smoking cessation.
    2. Giving up drug abuse.
    3. Rocky marital relationships.
    4. Dealing with child abuse.
    5. Lying.
    6. Cheating.
    7. Stealing.
    8. Learning to love an enemy.
    9. Keeping your thoughts pure.
    10. Overcoming sexual addictions.
    11. Improving your work ethic.
    12. Overspending or debt.
    13. Shaky faith or testimony.
    14. Inability to commit.
    15. Character flaws.
    16. Desire to be kinder.
    17. Wanting to succeed or advance.
    18. Any other thing that is bothering you or that you want to become.
    The pattern is easy. Just as you would report to a parole officer, a counselor or therapist, a friend, sponsor or spouse, you would report to God.
    Here's the process:

    Prayer rock

    Get yourself a nice big rock and paint the word PRAYER on it. Now put it beside your bed in the morning so that you stub your toe on it to remind you to kneel and say your prayers every morning. Then, when you have finished, put that big old rock on your pillow to remind you to pray before you lie down at night.

    Choose one thing at a time

    Don't get overwhelmed with trying to perfect yourself overnight. Choose the one thing that bothers you most. Whatever it is that is troubling you and keeping you awake at night or causing you to not particularly like yourself.

    Lay it all out

    Confess your weakness to God. Be honest with him. Let him know how much this behavior or habit is bothering you and how much you want to quit it. Don't get caught up in self-doubt or self-hatred. Remember, you are one of God's children and he wants you to be successful in all of your righteous desires.

    Acknowledge

    Let the Lord know that you know that all things are possible through him. Let him know that you have all faith that he can help you correct your shortcomings. This is an important step in the process.

    Plead for help

    Ask the Lord to remind you when you are tempted to fall short or slip. Pray for the Holy Ghost to help you keep in mind your mission. Pray for promptings or bad feelings to come when you fall short.

    Repent

    If you do happen to slip, confess it right away. Apologize, and then let it go. Make a more concerted effort as the day progresses. Don't let a slip become a stumbling block or discourage you into quitting. Part of the repentance process is letting go once you have apologized.

    Accounting

    At the end of the day, kneel down and make a full accounting to God. Let him know what you did right and what you did wrong. Apologize and promise to do better. Then, before you lie down, take the rock off of your pillow and put it back on the floor beside your bed.

    Repeat

    This may take time, particularly if the bad habit is deeply rooted or the good habit is a little overwhelming. So work on it daily until you have overcome, then pick the next fixer-upper in line. Do this as often as necessary to become the person you want to become. The person God wants you to be.
    Remember, in God, all things are possible. There are many people who have overcome insurmountable odds and become new creatures. Look around you at changes others have made to improve themselves and know that you can do it as well. Daily petitions for help and nightly accounting for successes, no matter how small, will make you more likely to accomplish the task.
    Remember that discouragement and doubt are tools of the devil and must not be given in to. Keep your chin up and keep at it. You will succeed with God on your side.

  Disclaimer: Texts courtesy of Rebecca Rickman