Praying in the midst of a personal storm.

Good morning purposeful people

I hope that this post meets you and your family well? I hope that you’ve all had the opportunity to enjoy the longer days, YAY more sunlight 😊. Without further ado I shall jump STRAIGHT to the point 😀.

Praying when things are ok, is a completely different ball game in comparison to praying when things are NOT ok. Personally prayer for me becomes increasingly difficult when things appear to be falling apart in my life! And lately the enemy has been attacking my mind with discouraging thoughts! In my moment of despair, it dawned upon me that my experience can be used to help encourage others. Me sharing my trials can help others who’re facing the same struggle!

Some things which have helped me stay prayed up during a storm, are as follows…

1. Sing songs of praise: Sometimes we may not have many words to say during prayer, if not any at all during our moments of weakness, but when a song rises up within, it’s a way in which our spirit man can communicate with the Lord. It provides us with the opportunity to feel encouraged, and to bless God. Praise is a powerful weapon!

Joshua 6:1-5 ~ “Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

2. Pray standing up: When laying down sometimes I drift away (fall asleep), or end up feeling like I have no energy (deflated), which leads me along a slippery slope towards self-pity, and I end up complaining A LOT! But when standing I kinda get energised, my body gets a rush simply from moving around and engaging my entire body in worship. I’m not saying that standing is a must, but I’ve found that it helps me! Some people prefer to kneel down, or raise their hands when praying, and I believe that it’s important to find what works well for YOU 😊.

Daniel 6:10 ~ “But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.”

3. Share your struggles: Speak with trusted believers. Communication with others can be extremely helpful and encouraging, especially if they’re in the same boat as you. Don’t struggle alone, instead pray with and for others!

James 5:16 ~ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

4. Don’t waste your struggles: Build others up, and remember that your trial is only for a season. Your personal testimony of trusting God, and staying faithful to Him in the midst of your trial, can bless others. Document and note the progress made in your life. For example I blog my struggles, as it gives me the opportunity to study scripture, and encourage others!

5. Find a quiet place to be alone with God: Search for a place with minimal disturbances, so that you can pray freely without the worry of not being able to fully express yourself. It’ll be a chance for you to deepen your relationship with God, and you’ll also be able to pour out your heart to Him. Corporate prayer is great, but one still needs alone time with God. For example some married couples may feel comfortable with being affectionate with one another in public (holding hands), but when it comes to sexual intimacy, many would prefer a space away from the watching world, in order to get intimate without any distractions! When alone with God we have the chance to get very intimate with Him.

Mark 6:46 ~ “After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.”

Mark 1:35 ~ “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”

Matthew 6:6 ~ “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

6. Listen to sermons: Continuously strive to fill your mind with God’s word! This can help prevent you from falling into the trap of meditating upon Satan’s lies. The OnePlace app is a great place for one to gain access to a variety of Christian broadcast stations, as well as great teaching resources!

https://www.oneplace.com/mobile-app

When we don’t feel like praying, it’s a sure sign that we urgently need to start communicating with our Maker, so that we do not to give room to the devil!

[Side-note: Rememeber that encountering life storms is inevitable. But the most important thing is to have Jesus in your boat, allow Him to steer the course of your life, then you’ll have the assurance that your boat isn’t going to sink! You will not drown, therefore let peace fill your heart. Mark 4:37-39 ~ “But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm”.]

Love & blessings from

Christian Lady After God’s Own Heart