Friday, January 6, 2012

Prayer Changes Things

This week in my journal I wrote an annual prayer to the Lord for 2012. In that prayer I asked the Lord to help me with self-discipline; I want to have a core change - to have integrity throughout all areas of my life.

The same day I wrote the prayer I turned to Matthew and read about The Transfiguration. I also read the parallel passage in Luke 9 and was struck by the phrase, which doesn't appear in the other gospels, "As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered." The Holy Spirit immediately prompted me with the thought, "That's how change occurs - through time in prayer."

I know Bible reading is important, but I think prayer is a strong component of change. Am I spending significant time in prayer communing with God, asking for that core change?

Sometimes we think answers to spiritual or personal growth are illusive, when actually I think those answers are quietly spoken in times of reflection and prayer. We need to take the time to listen quietly. That takes a self-discipline in and of itself! I need to be asking the Lord day-in-and-day-out for truth to be revealed and for the power/strength to live it.

If we make prayer a priority in 2012, there's no telling what God can do!

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8 comments:

gail said...

Alone time with the Lord is so very important and seems to be one of the hardest things to achieve.

Blessings from the great atlantic northeast.

Anonymous said...

I have been blessed with prayers from all over the world for my son, and he is a happy and healthy seven year old now. I truly believe in the power of prayer for so many reasons.

Anonymous said...

Great reminder! I will definitely put it on the top of my list for this year!

Anonymous said...

This is something I've added to my daily must-dos. It's so rewarding, but so hard to make time for!

Rachel Anne said...

Thank you for the encouragement to really seek out that quiet time...and to pray for change! We all need this - I know I do!

One More Equals Four said...

Great encouragement. It amazes me how much I struggle with prayer, struggle with my wandering to a million other things instead of just being in the presence of the only One that really matters!

LydiaCate said...

Great challenge for 2012!
Prayer is so important and I am sometimes really weak in that area. The Psalms always encourage me. David shares his whole self with the Lord. God just wants us to come to him with it all.
I'm encouraged to get on my knees in 2012!Thanks!

Catalina said...

I have made it one of my goals this year to really make it a point to devote time each day to not only my Bible reading but also to spend time in prayer and to keep a journal log of my prayers and answers and also what I am learning and how I am applying it. It is one of the greatest things we can do for our own personal spiritual life.

I included you on a list on my blog so that I can see when any of the company girls update so that I can stop by and see what is going on in each of your lives and get to know each of you. I'd love it if you stopped by as well.