I’m going to veer from the devotional scripture in Pauses & Preparing today. I attended a virtual conference last weekend, the IF:Gathering, one of the largest faith gatherings in the world. Great teachings from Michael Todd, Jada Edwards, Bianca Olthoff, and so many more. The theme of the weekend was Even If…
Even if this all falls apart…
Even if this doesn’t turn out like I want it to…
Even if this doesn’t look like how I thought it would look…
Even if this person is not healed…
Even if this person I love doesn’t love me back…
Even if the answer is no and I wanted a yes, or vice versa…
Even if the betrayal comes from your closest friend…
Even if the plan is ruined after months and months of planning…
Even if the year takes away more than 2020 took…
Even if, even if, even if… The end of that sentence is: God is still good.
One thing my family has always struggled with is the varied exclamations of “God is good!! Prayer works!!” when we see people get what they asked for. Yes, God is good no matter what because he is perfect and wonderful and the creator of the universe and of you and me. Yes, prayer works because… why? Why and how does prayer work? To us, stating so boldly those two things together — God is good / Prayer works — proclaims that when God’s answer is different than our requested outcome, the prayer didn’t work and maybe God isn’t good.
Prayer is for anyone with a burden on their heart, light or heavy, that they’d like some help with.
God and prayer are not vending machines. We don’t ask for what we want, put in our money (prayer/energy/hope), and then complain it doesn’t work when a “kit-kat” comes down the chute instead of the “m&ms” we “paid” (prayed) for.
Prayer is a conversation. Prayer is bringing our requests to God so that we remember that the path we walk is meant to lead us to him. Prayer is a crying out. Prayer is a jump for joy. Prayer is praise. Prayer is anguish (hello, entire book of Psalms).
Prayer doesn’t “work” the way that we think of the word “work”. Prayer is the verb. It’s a noun with itself as the working verb. You pray a prayer because your heart needs more than earth can provide at that moment. You pray a prayer because overwhelm is threatening your sanity. You pray a prayer because of your Even If. Because, friend, I promise you, Even If will be Even when at some point.
Even when things fall apart…
Even when things don’t turn out like I want it to…
Even when this doesn’t look like how I thought it would look…
Even when someone I care for is not healed…
Even when the person I love doesn’t love me back the way I understand love…
Even when the answer is no and I wanted a yes, or vice versa…
Even when the betrayal hits hard…
Even when a plan is ruined after months and months of planning…
Even when a period of time takes away more than you think is necessary…
Even if … we pray, so that Even when … our hearts are strengthened and already used to walking toward Jesus.
Does prayer work on your Even If…?
Yes.
Prayer works to open your heart.
Prayer works to give you hope.
Prayer works to lift up and revive your weary soul.
May you experience a powerful moment of prayer today, one that draws your heart’s eyes upward, one that places peace like a blanket over your worn & weary heart.
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Email me & tell me: how do you see prayer as being an important component in your life?
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P.S. I know I’ve gone far off C.S. Lewis’ Preparing for Easter. Real talk: a lot of it is either over my head or bores me. I think I’m more of a C.S. Lewis quotes only kinda girl, which is okay with me. I’m confident in the knowledge I have in other things [insert shrug and sunglasses emojis here]. I have stayed on track with Trevor Hudson’s Pauses for Lent, and I’ve really enjoyed that. I also found this daily Lent devo from Dayspring that’s already in my Amazon cart for next year (you know you do it too).
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