Are You Stuck in Your Prayer Life?

{Please help me welcome Kim to the blog!}

Did you ever feel stuck in you prayer life? I did. I remember sitting in the prayer room (yea, we are the directors of a 24/7 prayer room) praying, and God asked me “when was the last time you prayed?” I was shocked!  “God I am sitting here in the prayer room praying!” Ever so gently He asked or maybe even told me “what are you praying?”  So if you can imagine me sitting there, being asked by God what I was praying, thinking well, you’re God didn’t you just hear me?

This was a defining moment in my life. It has changed me forever, and God has me in ‘The School of Prayer’ ever learning.

I began to remind God what I was praying for, that I was in the prayer room, praying for all the things I wanted, wanted Him to take care of and do, the bless this and that and them prayer, and a whole 10 minutes of my 2 hour set had passed. What are you praying? I could not shake the question and since I could not seem to answer, He asked another question. “What does my Word say?”

It was this moment that I began to cry. Not because I knew that God was right, but I didn’t or couldn’t answer. Why? My bible remained shut, but my prayer list lay open.  I lay down my list, my pen and my pride, opened my bible to Matthew (because aren’t you to start in the beginning of the New Testament?)  Anyway – I was drawn to the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord’s Prayer. So I prayed that. But still had that nagging question over me “What does my Word say”, so I kept going until I came to verse 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.

My mind began to explode with questions and thoughts. Seek first. My first prayer at any moment is to seek God first and these things are added. How easily we say “Dear God” and think that is the seeking, and then we begin to pray for the things. I hear that commercial in my head “that’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works”  How many times have we prayed and not even acknowledged God?

I am not sure how much time Candace has for me here so let me get to what I learned. Our prayer life is to seek God, His Kingdom, acknowledge His righteousness, (Our Father in Heaven, Holy be your name), then “these things” that are added, aren’t new clothes, cars or husbands. They are the things above that verse, the life of the Kingdom. He already knows what we need physically, but we are very slow to realize what we need spiritually is priority.  My job isn’t to tell God what is needed, or send him my pinterest items so he knows what to get me. My prayer life is to look like that of Jesus, who was about His Father’s business, all the time. My prayer life is to be this constant communion in thought and words to my Father. Can you imagine if with your earthly dad or mom, you only ever talked to them when you wanted new shoes?

I know, right? We think we have this right to demand things of God without even seeking God, knowing him, what is His desire? Or think of Jesus. If  he is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding, it would be wise to know what he is praying and join him. (John 17 is what he is praying)

So that day in the prayer room, God began to take me on this amazing journey of living a life that is spent in prayer. Not for things, but seeking God.

My passion is to help people learn to love and pray the Word, and begin to seek God first.  God showed me that what I read in the bible is prayer.  So I wrote a little bible reading journal to help you discover and journey like I did. Document your spiritual journey as you learn about our Father God, His Son and The Holy Spirit.

Reading the Bible is like reading a relationship in prayer with our Father. But let’s face it we all struggle to find time to read or keep up with journaling and praying. Where do we start? How do we enter into a praying life with the Word? So my resource combines study and reading of the word with personal journal reflections as prayer, using the acrostic P.R.A.Y.  It’s called One Day Legacy, because each day we are creating a legacy for ourselves and for others.

My prayer is “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…”(Colossians 3:16)

One Day Legacy can be purchased on Amazon

More Resources for Praying God’s Word

Learn more about what it means to pray God’s Word

Free monthly calendars for praying God’s Word

Kim and her husband, Brian live in Lititz, PA. Together they pastor a Micro Church Network under DOVE USA. They started City Gate Lancaster in 2007 and have expanded to other cities. Kim leads Her Legacy, a regional women’s movement that teaches and empowers women with the Word of God. Kim has led worship for over 20 years and written many worship songs. Sharing insights in spirituality with others has been her passion since a young age. Kim and Brian have two daughters and one son-in-law. Follow Kim on Facebook and follow her blog here!