Preoccupied and Prayerless Series order #6
*See Order Index post for links to all Series content - https://www.trajectoryministries.com/post/preoccupied-and-prayerless-series
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Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me… Psalm 86:11-13
Those moments when God hands us a mirror are always humbling.
There I was, completely preoccupied once again, and it wasn't pretty.
Living in our flesh never is.
He showed me just how easy it is to become preoccupied, even with something as seemingly insignificant as a blog post. I had asked Him to give me direction, but I hadn't taken the time to stop and look to Him. I just kept going, hoping he'd throw me what I needed as I ran by.
As I wrote in the last post, I have found that if I will stop when He signals and look to Him instead of pressing forward on my own, prayerfully watching for Him to move, His direction is seldom subtle. It's often an, "Oh, I understand now," kind of moment...
It was Sunday and service had just ended. A woman I had recently met approached me and began to share how excited she was when she saw that the title for our new series was Preoccupied and Prayerless, then she continued, “but for me it's been more like paralyzed and prayerless.”
Her words immediately struck a chord and continued to resonate long after our conversation ended. There was no doubt in my mind that God wanted me to hear what she had to share. I couldn't ignore her words, because I knew there were many others who felt the same way. God had given me a new perspective — one I believe He wanted me to see before moving forward in this series.
The storms we weather in life may look different on the outside, but the feelings and emotions they leave behind are no stranger to any of us. We can be left feeling paralyzed, unsure of how to move forward. Numb. Overwhelmed. Trapped. Fearful of the unknown ahead — and there is no doubt that an unexpected storm or painful life event can be even more of a distraction than the responsibilities and things of this world that pull at us each day. Put the two together and it's easy to see why so many of us find ourselves preoccupied and prayerless.
So where do we begin in this quest to break free from living our days preoccupied and prayerless?
We turn to God's Word, because Jesus is the only One who can change our hearts - and the heart is where it all begins.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23
God knows how important our heart is. That's why He tells us to stand guard - to be vigilant. It's impossible to separate the choices we make from our heart, because everything we do starts there - everything - including becoming preoccupied and prayerless.
I recently found a verse that I love. It's so simple, yet incredibly profound... and perfect for this week!
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)
What words come to mind when you think about your life right now? Take a minute to think about this and write some of those words down.
If your life is a reflection of your heart, what do these words say about where your heart is today?
So many of us try to make changes to our life by focusing on the outward issues we struggle with, like neglecting our time in God's Word or in prayer, without ever stopping to examine our heart. It would be like a doctor treating a patient’s symptoms without ever considering the cause.
If our life is a reflection of our heart, then changing our life will require a change of heart more than a "to do" list. Thankfully, Jesus has already done what was required. He's just waiting on us to return to Him with ALL of our heart — not just the pieces we're willing to give Him at the moment.
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jeremiah 24:7
Jesus wants every broken, preoccupied, paralyzed piece of our hearts, so He can give us a heart to know Him - so we will have the heart to pray, "Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever." Psalm 86:11
We must surrender it all to Jesus. If we will return to Him with all our heart, He will give us a heart to know Him, an undivided heart — so our lives will cease to reflect the chaos and cares of this world and become a reflection of Him, unhindered.
Who do I have in heaven but you?
And I desire nothing on earth but you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart,
my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25–26
Lord, thank you for the love and grace you continually pour out over my life. I ask you to forgive me for living so many days preoccupied and prayerless. I confess that it is a reflection of where my heart has been. I surrender my whole heart to You - every broken, bruised, preoccupied and paralyzed piece of it. Please give me an undivided heart, because I want my life to be a reflection of YOU! In Jesus' name, Amen
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