If you struggle with a—do first, then pray—approach to life, Barb Roose has hope for you today! Elisa

Three Reminders If You Do First, Pray Later
By Barb Roose
Â
Who tends to "do first, pray later"? You're in the right place if this is you or someone you know! Whoever said, "If you want to get something done, give it to a busy woman," was a genius. Productive women like us are fixing, juggling, and organizing on three hours of sleep while wearing the celebrity eye concealer we bought on Instagram.
Â
As Jesus's followers, we also accomplish much for our churches and ministries. But, the behind-the-scenes we don't like to talk about is the guilt we feel about the hit-n-miss habits of our prayer lives. Yes, we pray. Yet, our prayer times often feel shaved away by the next thing that needs to get done.
Â
During a hectic, stressful season of life, I served on the executive and teaching teams at my church. I oversaw our discipleship staff and ministry at our four physical campuses and 10,000 weekly attendees. At home, I was parenting teens and navigating an alcohol addiction crisis with my then-spouse. I knew prayer was crucial, but the pressures of my life made me feel like everything would fall apart unless I stretched myself and squeezed every minute to hold it all together.
Â
I hated the daily pressure and the guilt of feeling like I was always disappointing God. Yet, God graciously allowed me to discover the root cause behind my hit-n-miss prayer life. I want to share that insight and three precious reminders of God's blessings when you create space to pray.
Â
During that season, I believed that if things were going to get done, I was the one to do it. After all, God gave me the skills and opportunities to operate in my ministry and parenthood assignments. But, I took God's gifts and ran full speed toward doing life my way. God wanted to guide me, but Pride told me I could manage it and not bother God. Let him step in when I couldn't handle it.
Â
So, my pride kept me from prayer. From morning until night, I ran. God allowed me to run from the shelter of his care and guidance. I was too busy to pray. Instead, I ran myself ragged. I ran into burnout. This burnout was the grace that grabbed my attention before I created more problems in my life:
Â
Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? -Romans 2:4 NLT
Â
Can you relate? Is God speaking through that verse to you? When I finally ran out of myself, I was reminded of Jesus' words:
Â
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."Â -Matthew 11:28 NLT
Â
Jesus' invitation for us to come to him isn't another to-do on our list. It's an invitation to make time for God to take care of us. What does this look like? Here are three ways God cares for you when you pray:
Â
1.     Prayer creates a sweet space to remind you that you are loved and cared for. God is a Giver. Unlike people who make demands or add pressure, God is a safe space for you. In prayer, your heartbeat slows as you remember God's faithfulness, unconditional love, grace, and goodness to you.
2.     Prayer gives you a chance to exhale and invites God to reset your priorities. Are you confused or overwhelmed? Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:33 remind us to choose God first, and his Spirit will help us sort out the urgent or important. (Many times, God has helped me see what I can cross off my to-do list. That's a blessing, too!)
3.     Prayer demonstrates your willingness to allow God to shift your mindset. If you're stressed or upset, prayer creates space for God's Spirit to minister to your mood; whether you need his peace in place of your anxiety, reminded to let go of control, or prompted to forgive, prayer leads you toward the way of Jesus.
Â
Friend, prayer is where you receive what God wants FOR you - his power, presence, and provision for your life. The more you pray, the less anxious you'll feel. The more you pray, the less susceptible you'll be to stress; the more you pray, the more you'll experience peace and joy.
 Â

Barb Roose is a speaker and author who is passionate about teaching women to live beautifully strong and courageous so that they experience God’s great adventure of faith and purpose for their lives. She’s the author of multiple books and Bible studies. Her latest Bible study is Matthew: Pray Like This, a six-week Bible study with the Inscribed Collection published by Zondervan.  She’s the proud empty-nest mom of three and whenever possible, Barb prefers to eat dessert first. Connect with her at www.barbroose.com, or on Facebook, Instagram.
コメント