Prayer.
Just say the word and I begin to yearn and squirm at the same time! As a woman after God’s own heart, I yearn to pray. My soul longs for it. My spirit craves the communion with my heavenly Father that only the act of prayer provides. My heart emotes along with the words of King David of the Old Testament, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You” (Psalm 42:1; 63:1).
And yet I also squirm at the thought of prayer. Why? Because even though I know praying to God will most definitely be rewarding and a blessing, I also know it is a serious undertaking. Approaching our thrice-holy God, while both a joy and a privilege, is an awesome and almost fearful consideration. Then there is the challenge of finding and making the time, of seeking out and arranging for solitude, and of putting forth the effort focused communion with God through prayer requires.
What a battle! I fully recognize that I need to pray. Furthermore, I want to pray. I covet the desired results and blessings reaped through prayer. And yet there is the sober recognition of the work and the discipline such communion calls for.
Do you, my friend, share these same mixed sensations? Then together let’s purpose to heed God’s call to us to be women of prayer–no matter what! As the well-known saying goes, “Every journey begins with a single step.” And that’s certainly true of a journey into prayer. So take the first step. Commit to your own journey.
Pray.