Prayers for Prodigals:

Prodigal Son Prayer:

Trust in Him

I was recently drawn to Proverbs 3-4. These verses contain some of the Bible’s most amazing promises. Written by King Solomon, this passage promises that if we seek after wisdom, we will have: 1) a long prosperous life, 2) success, 3) good health, and 4) peace. Several of these promises had come to pass in my life, but I was truly struggling with the last one. A recent conservation between myself and God went something like this, “Yahweh, You given you so much, a wonderful

husband, friends, a lovely place to do life. But, I am struggling to truly enjoy these gifts. How can I enjoy all You have given me, when one of my boys is homeless, and one claims not to know you??” I felt God gently answer: “If you really trust Me with this situation, you can stay in peace. In fact, if you persist in allowing worry to steal your peace…it might consume those other gifts!”

I knew I had to change, and add some habits to my life which help me fight anxiety and enjoy my life more. Here are 3 areas to consider:

1.       Find a place where you can feel God’s presence. I feel like I can hear more clearly from God early in the morning. I like to wake up early, and devote the first hour of the day to time with God. Almost no one is competing for my time at that hour, so I feel more relaxed and at peace. After I pray and read my Bible, I feel like I have been in God’s presence – and “girded” to face whatever the day may bring. 

2.       Give yourself permission to have some fun. I tend to have a sense of guilt over doing something frivolous. Somewhere in the back mind there is a voice that says, “You shouldn’t be wasting your time doing this – when there are people to serve, articles to write, bills to pay and other important tasks to be done.” Yet, I have learned that when I allow myself to just lounge in the pool, or watch a show that my husband and I both enjoy, I let my worry muscle rest! Worry not only creates frown lines on your forehead and the corners of your mouth, but it also creates a wrinkle in your neuro pathways, which makes it easier to worry more! Instead of feeling guilty for allowing yourself to have fun (even when other family members may be suffering), think of it like this: You are letting your “worry muscle” atrophy, and giving your “happy muscle” muscle a workout – which your brain needs to stay healthy. You can’t help your loved one if you make yourself sick.   

3.       Invite God in to more moments throughout the day. This one is very hard for me. When I focus on work, I tend to put on my work “hat” and can spend hours working on complex legal problems, and no time in prayer. Recently, I have made a conscious effort, using phone and calendar reminders, to get up out of my desk chair, and walk to where I can see something outside, take a deep breath, and say, “Thank you God, for this moment with You. Thank you that You are never too busy to commune with us and answer prayer. Thank you that you are protecting me and my family from the weapons trying to form right now. Amen!” This totally re-orients my mind. The more I do it, the more peaceful I feel.

Praying for Wayward Children:

This Will Pass

Imagine peace being a bit like the oxygen tank for a scuba diver. When you are intentional about seeking a peaceful mind, you are refilling your “tank” so that you can keep breathing and “swimming.”  The bible promises us that we can experience a life filled with peace – a peace that is flowing like a steady river and not dependent on our circumstances. In Matthew 8:23-27, we find that Jesus was able to sleep peacefully in the middle of a terrible storm. He modeled for us the perfect picture of a what a peace-filled life looks like. So, no matter how much your boat is getting tossed around, close your eyes and picture Jesus speaking. He is saying: “Be still. Get some rest. This will pass.”

Praying for you to have more peace today!

Lily