When Life Gives You Lemons . . . Pray

One might ask, “Which is more important, breathing in or breathing out?”. Of course, they are both equally necessary for the continuation of life. In terms of our spiritual life, studying scripture may be viewed as breathing in while prayer and worship represent breathing out. Both aspects are necessary for a complete and fulfilling relationship with our God and our Savior. To abandon either leaves us weak and vulnerable. Previously, we looked at the benefits of scriptural study - our spiritual inhale. Now we turn to the examination of one aspect of our spiritual exhale.

I’ve heard it said, “When life brings you to your knees you are in the perfect position to pray.” In fact, it is our ability to kneel before God that gives us the comfort and strength we need to stand before the world in times of struggle. Right now our nation, indeed the whole world, is struggling. We must acknowledge the risks of the COVID_19 pandemic. Yet, there is also the reality that economies can't stay shut down forever. So many are finding it difficult to provide for themselves and their families. And, there are a plethora of opinions as to the right course of actions. One of the best things we can do right now is pray for our leaders, both secular and spiritual.

James tells us, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (5;16). And, Peter reminds us “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers” (I Peter 3:12). In prayer, we run to God. We seek Him out. As He tells Jeremiah, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29: 12-13). Through prayer we seek an intimate relationship with God. We acknowledge that He is our Creator; we lay our fears and worries at His feet and trust that He will guide us in all things. We know that God is on our side and that the victory is His. But, He's not interested in a one-sided relationship. Take the time to enter into that "sweet hour of prayer".

Sweet hour of prayer
Sweet hour of prayer
That calls me from a world of care
And bids me at my Father's throne
Make all my wants and wishes known
In seasons of distress and grief
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter's snare
By Thy return, sweet hour of prayer

Sweet hour of prayer
Sweet hour of prayer
The joys I feel, the bliss I share
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for Thy return
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face
And gladly take my station there
And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer

Sweet hour of prayer
Sweet hour of prayer
And wait for Thee
Sweet hour of prayer

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Alan Jackson

Sweet Hour of Prayer lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Spiritual Rehab

C.S Lewis wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."  Pain is a undeniable consequence of living in a fallen world.  Pain tells us that something is wrong - physically, emotionally, spiritually.  And, it is a stranger to none.  Still, in the words of Helen Keller, "Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."


While different types of pain require different healing approaches, one that I'm quite familiar with is physical therapy.  I've just begun a treatment regimen for some neck, shoulder and hip pain.  A couple of my joints are hypomobile.  In other words, my body has gotten "stuck".  Hey, life happens.  I find myself pushing exercise to the side, repeating poor movement patterns and compensating for old injuries.  This can be true spiritually as well.  Unfortunately, it's all too easy to become spiritually "stuck".  


1. We may find ourselves zoning out during worship, simply going through the motions.  There are times when we must grant ourselves grace.  When my children were younger, I spent a good deal of time keeping them from being disruptive.  Often, I couldn't tell you what my husband preached on that morning.  However, as they grew able to sit for longer periods, it was my responsibility to then ensure that I focused on my worship to God.  If I wish for my children to have healthy spiritual habits, I must develop and exemplify them in my life.


2. Sometimes, we might avoid developing close relationships with fellow Christians because of past hurts we've experienced.  This is understandable.  One expects to find only love and kindness among other believers.  Still, the Church is made of fallible humans.  I've been hurt; but, I've hurt others as well.  When you experience a physical injury, your body has ways of protecting itself - scar tissue, tight muscles, stiff joints.  Our hearts protect themselves as well.  Jesus, in His eternal wisdom, tells us to forgive seventy times seven knowing a bitter heart can easily turn to stone.  


3. So too, prayer and bible study easily fall to the wayside of our already overcrowded schedules.  Between my online teaching, homeschooling and house work, I know this is an area that can always be improved upon.  You see, Satan doesn't have to tempt us to live openly sinful lives.  He just has to make it hard for us to put God first.


With physical therapy, it's not enough for me to simply attend my weekly appointments.  These sessions are important for me to begin my journey of rehabilitation.  But, they're just one part of a bigger picture.  There are exercises I'm responsible for completing at home.  And, I'll need to continue exercising and correcting old movement patterns to create good habits.  This is no less true in our spiritual lives.  Faith doesn't happen by accident.  We must exercise our hearts, minds and souls through dedicated worship, prayer and bible study.  It is also important for us to develop a support system within the body of Christ.  As Paul tells us, "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it . . ."(I Corinthians 12:26).


Changing the way our bodies move and function for the better doesn't happen overnight.  It's a process of making the right choices day in and day out.  Spiritual rehab takes time and effort as well.  Moving forward, choosing Christ everyday.  Remember: You can't complain about the results you don't get from the work you won't do.