30 Days of Prayer: Pray for Understanding (Day 2) - Be Whole, Mom
Have you ever felt a little lost in your walk with the Lord, like you weren’t really sure where you were going any longer? Or maybe you kept having these little ideas niggling at you, pinging your soul that something is missing or is not quite right? If so, this day is ALL for you!
Welcome to Day 2 of the 30 Days of Prayer series! Already this month is off to a bang for me! I had quite an incredible experience just yesterday, which I shared several times on Facebook, but in case you missed here, here’s the recap 5 minute video.
I don’t know about you, and maybe that seems like peanuts in comparison, but I believe that the Lord loves to work with us in baby steps. This little thing for Him was a HUGE thing for me, because I have felt Him leading me in the Spirit to prepare to open my mouth and speak.
It’s uncomfortable territory for me! I’m much more content to sit in the back corner and stay silent. But, nope. He wants to use me, and how can I ignore that call? And, I suspect I am not alone in this.
If there is one thing I have learned about the Lord it is that He truly wants to give us understanding in all things, but there are usually some steps along the way to gaining that understanding. The two main verses that immediately come to mind when I think about understanding are these:
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” ~ Prov. 25: 2
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.” ~ Prov. 4: 5
There are other scriptures that discuss understanding, but these two I think encompass the critical points pretty effectively.
Let’s Let God Be God
First, God does things so very differently than we do. In addition, He understands WAY better than us how He made us to work and operate best. This word – best – was laid on my heart the other day because sometimes I think we settle for what is good instead of for what is best for us. And, our Abba loves us SO much that He really wants us to experience the best life that we could enjoy, but it is not through the things that the world gives.
Our Abba wants to fill us with His joy and His presence, which is through a relationship that is cultivated and tended by regular, intentional care.
God may conceal things for a time while we are yet still too young in our walk with Him to truly handle the situation properly. I was awakened to this concept with our first child may years ago.
I remember when she was about five or six years old and she used to ask these seriously intense, deep questions. And I was really caught off guard. I mean, I had answers, but how do you explain such things to a six year old? One day my husband astounded me when he answered our little girl;
One day I will be happy to discuss these things with you, but in the meantime you just have to trust me. I am going to carry this suitcase for you a while longer until you are a bit bigger and are more capable of carrying it yourself.”
Let me tell you; she was not thrilled to be told no.
Not to mention she was also told that she was not yet “old enough” to handle it. Her little pride flesh rose right up in defense, but the answer was clear. Now that she is older she better understands the reasoning for the waiting period and is grateful for it.
I believe that often God handles things in much the same way. Sometimes we have a waiting period in the praying where we have asked for understanding about a situation, but have not yet received an answer (I experienced this waiting period in my marriage for several years). However, God knows that if He gave us the answer too early, it may be too heavy a burden for us to carry.
Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes the answer is yes. And, sometimes the answer is be patient, the time has not yet come.
It is our job to learn to trust our Good Father and stand on the Word that He is who He says He is.
We are Partners in the Search
Along with a healthy respect for who God is, we must also recognize that He invites us into the revelation process! We are not to be just passive bystanders. He wants us to have “skin in the game” and to be ready to do the things He has for us to do.
Why, though? Why would God make us actually work in order to fellowship more and more with Him?
Well, do you have kids? Remember when they were really, really little, and just starting to get the hang of some new “big kid” thing that they suddenly were able to do “all by myself”? Remember the joy and the self-accomplishment that just BEAMED out of them?
I think that it is kind of like that. God loves us so much and wants us to be filled with His incredible joy and power and love in every facet of our lives. Sometimes we need to recognize the inherent value that He has placed within us, especially in this world where the opposite is shouted from every corner of the planet.
Ask, Seek, & Keep on Knockin’
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” ~ Matt. 7: 7-8
When God partners with us in the search for Truth and dig for understanding, as we cry out to Him in prayer or pour over His Word in search for an answer, we are building up our relationship muscles with Him one little bit at a time. He WANTS us to seek Him out.
There is nothing He desires more than to be in fellowship with us!
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” ~ Ps. 145: 18
Our Abba delights in fulfilling our prayers, but we are still responsible for doing our part. This is a relationship, and just as I cannot rightfully expect that my husband will be able to read my mind and do some task for me, but rather it is my job to open my mouth and ask for his help, it is ALSO my job to talk to my Heavenly Abba and make my requests known to Him.
Though He may actually be able to “read my mind” He more so is connected to the words of my heart, and the humble heart of His children. A contrite heart pours out requests for help.
Do not be afraid to make requests of Him, especially the ones that ask “show me more of You!”
Finally, we can be sure that God will not be mocked. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His Word has stood the test of time and has repeatedly been found faithful and true, even throughout the ages.
We can be certain that His word will not contradict, which means that when we stumble into a confusing situation where it seems as though the Word is at odds with itself, THIS is a time to lean into the Father and proclaim our desire for better understanding, but also humbly recognize that we are still learning. Then we must trust Him to reveal the answer to the confusion in its proper timing.
And, He surely will. Stand firm.
While we wait for understanding, we must stand firm on the Truth that He has already revealed to us.
We must be sure to obey the Truth we have already learned.” ~ Phil. 3: 16
One little piece at a time He is growing us like little babies into mature adults (here are 7 things to always remember about how the Lord sees you). He is okay with this process, and walks with us at our proper pace, according to His design within us and the heart within us. Only HE knows when rebellion and other sinful heart attitudes are truly alive.
We, however, tend to be overly zealous to grow up (not unlike many young children) and yet don’t quite grasp the responsibility nor magnitude of the work of the mature.
Thankfully we have a God who cannot be pushed around, even though we are quite adept at rebelling and doing our own thing anything.
Understanding Brings the Renewal of the Mind
As we continue to look to and lean into Him we will inevitably begin to be change from the inside out. Our lines of thinking will be changed. The behaviors and ways that once made sense will no longer feel right at all. And, ultimately our mind will be changed a little piece at a time.
Let us praise the One who is worthy of praise and never stop seeking His face and His glory above all things.
I pray that you have the wisdom to navigate this faith walk, even if around imperfect people (though toxic people are a different story). May you lean hard into Him and never let go. Trust Him at all times, for He is a good, good Father.
In Him, shalom!
Julie
