Staying fit in 2018: this week we’ll focus on a fit prayer life. When Jennifer and Ashley sat down to talk about this idea, it was agreed upon right away that having a healthy prayer life is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves.
Prayer Journaling
Do you have a prayer journal? Ashley uses one and finds that it helps her to stay focused on who or what she is praying for. Then, later she can look back and be reminded of God’s goodness in her life.
A Conversation with God
Sometimes journaling can be a challenge. This is where Jennifer’s approach to a fit prayer life comes into play: she strives to remain in a spirit of conversation with God. It can be simple statements, such as thanking Him for a close parking space, or deeper, more traditional prayers when we need Him. It’s all about being in constant communication with our Heavenly Father.
Being Real
Have you ever felt very alone, like no one is in your court with you? If so, listen to Jennifer’s approach at the 3:04 mark. In a moment of her pain, she took a trip down I-75 for some time with God and unloaded how she felt. She wasn’t mad at God, but instead expressed her pain to Him in a way that we can only do with our Father.
It was a moment of honesty, and Ashley concurred: relating an experience from her youth, Ashley learned that being real with God isn’t something we should feel guilty about. God wants a real relationship with us, and this teaches us more about both His character as well as ours.
David’s Authenticity
Have you ever read the Psalms and been struck at how honest they are? David expresses his emotions in a way we might feel guilty about today, but here’s the thing: God already knows how David (and, by extension, how we) felt.
Many of the Psalms are encouraging yet others are just blunt: David expresses how much he hates his circumstance. Why keep those feelings inside we we feel them? Know that we can come to God with the same kind of freedom!
A Fit Prayer Life
As with physical fitness, consistency is the key. We need to cut out the things trying to divide our attention away from our prayer time. Making prayer the first thing we do in the morning, even before we get out of bed, is a great first step.
But also, trying to emulate a fit prayer life in our families is so important. Training our children to pray is just as important as establishing our own prayer routines. Our relationship with God resembles our marriages: just as we talk to our spouse regularly, and long to hear from them, so should we desire to talk to God.
One last tip: the book of Psalms has been recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Listening to it as we go to bed each night is another way to develop a fit prayer life.
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