Hello,
Have you ever started a conversation and while in mid-sentence, took a pause because of a side thought, an “aha moment,” a memory, a revelation or because someone may have interrupted you?
Living in a house of talkers, that last reason happens all the time and I’m just as guilty as the rest of them.
On the first day of this month, during my morning prayer and devotions, I was stopped mid-verse as I was reading from Acts, and it was by someone I love to be interrupted by. My husband was not guilty this time; however, the Holy Spirit caused me to hesitate after highlighting four words of Acts 11:4. In this story, Peter was sharing how it happened that he had entered homes and eaten with people in Joppa who were Gentiles, (not Jews). His actions went against the laws and customs of the day, so he was being questioned. Peter replied, “…while I was praying…”
And as soon as I read those four words, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “That’s it. That’s all for now. That’s the Word!” I literally closed my Bible, wrote the message in my prayer journal and chose to abide in that Word … and pray.
So, “while I was praying,” I was reminded that over and over again we read through the Word, that while someone was praying, often we read something like: an angel visited, the chains fell off, the Holy Spirit spoke, there was a knock at the door, or as in Peter’s case, he fell into a trance and saw a vision which would lead him to understand the Good News of Jesus Christ was for all people and Jesus wanted him to share it. Aren’t you glad Peter prayed?
It’s while we are posturing our hearts to listen in prayer, that we may find ourselves hearing from God, the very answer to our prayers. While we pray, the Holy Spirit comforts, guides, teaches counsels and speaks. He reminds us of the words of Jesus and He infuses Peace into our being as we abide, pray and by faith, trust in Him. And when we don’t know WHAT to pray, the Spirit will pray on our behalf as He tells us what He hears from Jesus.
“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.” Psalm 107:6
I’ve had times in my life when I couldn’t pray for myself, but the Lord inspired someone to pray for me & then He answered the cry of my heart because of a friend.
I’ve had other times that while I was praying, the answer arrived.
And friend…I’ve had times I’ve wondered if my prayers are being heard at all. How about you?
Our world is in a time of crises as we are all aware. We don’t know sometimes how to pray and it is hard to understand what we see.
But I know this….Jesus modeled prayer, he taught prayer and it is through prayer we activate our spiritual weapons in Christ Jesus, and through prayer, we abide and experience the Shalom Peace of God! He is our peace & our rock.
When the Holy Spirit highlights a Word to me, I try to pay attention and this time I knew it was for you too. Perhaps we too will look back and share a story beginning with well, “while I was praying,”________