Midnight promptings

When we sleep, we are more relaxed and our minds release the struggles of the day. Rest is so important for our bodies and our minds and our spirits.

Sometimes, the busyness of the day has fallen away, but the mind hasn’t unwound enough before sleep. There are times when rest is interrupted by a midnight prompting.

For me, a midnight prompting is a situation I need to pray for. I may not know any specific need for this person or situation. But I know God knows what they need, so I ask God to cover their needs and be with them during this time. I might follow up with them during the week to check in on them, but I don’t always. I probably should follow up more than I do, but life gets crazy and I get distracted.

Have you ever received a “midnight prompting” to pray for someone? Did you pray? Did you follow up?

PrayerPoints ~ Tuesday, March 1st

James 3-17-18w

Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 61

“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to a rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1

There are times that life is just so hard.

Being faint of heart can be the result of many things: physical or mental illness, medical treatments, undiagnosable issues, job loss, divorce, death, or watching someone you love struggle with any of the above. And often, with the exception of prayer, we are powerless to take away the pain and the suffering. But we can pray, even when we don’t know what to say or what to ask for.

Do you know someone who is struggling with a situation? Have you prayed for them?

Sometimes it is easy for me to get caught up in the surprise and the details of a challenging circumstance that I don’t stop what I am doing and actually pray.

Lord, let that be my first response!

If you are a list maker or you keep a prayer journal, jot down the name of the person or people you want to pray for so you see it and it reminds you to pray on their behalf. I am a very visual person, so a list helps me get refocused on my priorities as I typically have a lot of distractions in my day.

And then, consider following up with a quick personal note to let them know you are praying for them. It may take a little extra effort, but a note of encouragement can be a physical reminder of your support and prayers. Notes of encouragement are also very portable and can combat that feeling of loneliness and isolation that often accompanies trials and tribulations. If you live nearby, there may be a tangible act of service you can provide. Pray about your opportunities to serve.

If you are struggling and would like me to pray for you, let me know. You can tell me a little about your situation but if you are uncomfortable doing that, you don’t need to. As I pray, I will pray for many facets of your life, even ones you don’t particularly mention.

Even if you need prayer yourself, (and, don’t we all?) consider also praying on behalf of someone else. I find that when I am in a particularly tough situation (and I feel powerless in my circumstance) if I step out of the muck and mire of my situation to care for another through prayer, God seems to lighten the intensity of my situation.

God’s blessings as you dig into His Word this week and consider praying for a struggling friend!

CrossRoads

Today’s PrayerPoint ~ CrossRoads

Every day I find myself at intersections where I am called upon to choose how I will respond to my day and to my circumstances. Are there challenges? Of course there are. But I do not want to be accused of blowing momentary troubles out of proportion by whining and complaining. Much of what I deal with is momentary. It’s just that some moments last longer than others! Every day I see heartbreaking stories of really difficult circumstances. I have lived through a few myself as I am sure you have. Life on Earth has joy and pain. Thankfully, as we trust and serve an amazing God we also have the opportunity for His perspective and His life transforming work in our every day.

We all come up against crossroads. Sometimes we travel through accident-prone crazy intersections and some of our journeys take us to easy and relaxed places but each crossroad leaves us with a choice — not necessarily in the outcome of a situation but our response to the circumstance. Unfortunate and disheartening struggles are common in this life — death, disability, abuse, job loss, unplanned pregnancies, critical illness, violence, financial crisis, family feuds, etc — and while they may shape a perspective, they do not have to define a person. It is understandable for it to take time for people to work through difficult situations ~ grief and healing are not processes to race through. God’s work in my heart is more like a crock-pot than a microwave. It takes time for me to work through things.

Here is how I would ultimately like my crossroads to define me ~ that I would be found trusting and relying on my Heavenly Father to meet my every need. That I would follow His lead, rest in His love and provision, and let Him infuse any circumstance with His forgiveness, grace, mercy, and peace.

Do you know someone at a crossroad that needs prayer? Have you considered quietly but deliberately praying for them and their decision-making during this time? Sometimes we see people at a crossroad before they realize they are there. If you have been given eyes to see that kind of situation I would encourage you to lift them up in prayer!

See you at the CrossRoad!
Liz