My word of the year for 2018 was prayer. I really could not have anticipated how much closer to God it brought me. I also felt that it increased my faith. By God’s grace I now see prayer in a completely different light than I did the previous year.
Here are the two takeaways I have for the year:
1.) Prayer is not for God, it is for us.
Throughout 2018 I started to realize how big of a lifeline prayer is. I have come to the understanding that God is infinitely holy and powerful and I can’t do anything without His help. I also saw that God gives us the strength we need when we step out in faith and are being obedient to Him. When I pray before doing things, God shows up in my life in a more real way than He ever has before. Suddenly my life is God’s and I want to pray everyday and make the day His and not mine!
Valerie Woerner, the creator of my prayer journal, said something that has resonated with me. I don’t have a direct quote because it was on Instastories, but she talked about how God is not waiting for us to pray to Him and help Him. He gives us prayer for us. He is giving us direct access to Him! Wow! When I step back and think about the power that I have access to it amazes me. The God that created everything on earth and has the power to make anything he wants happen has allowed me to talk directly to Him. That is amazing! If He has given me this amazing gift, I had better be using it!
Here are some quotes that helped solidify this idea in my mind:
“To not pray is to silently declare that you have more power over your situation than Jesus does.” -Jared Lopes from the Dad Tired Podcast
“Prayerlessness is pride.” -David Platt
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
2.) The more I pray, the more I want to pray
This year it seemed that after I understood that God gives me access to himself when I pray, I have prayed more than I ever have before. When I see that God shows up in my life and gives me grace upon grace upon grace, it makes me want to pray all the more! I am so thankful that we have a Savior who cares about us and offers us access to himself.
Don’t get me wrong, there is still the temptation to sleep in and not pray in the mornings and there is the temptation to try to fix things in my own strength. I still give in to those temptations plenty, but I am more likely to turn to God in prayer and understand how powerless I am. This makes me turn to God more than I ever have before.
It has been a good year. I feel closer to God than I ever have before. I am looking forward to 2019 and our new word of the year. I know we will still be turning to God in prayer throughout the new year.