You know the saying, "prayer changes everything"? I disagree.
Gasp! Ruffle some feathers?
Hear me out a hot minute.
Yes, prayer changes people, illness, situations, hearts. But prayer doesn't change God, nor does it change His will. See where I'm going with this?
When we pray, our prayers do not shape or mold God to our circumstances. Instead, as we pray consistently, open and raw prayers, God begins to shape and mold us through our circumstances. We pray to God because we need Him, not the other way around.
I believe that God views prayer as a crucial part of His will. That through our prayers, it pleases God, He answers them in His timing according to His will, to further His kingdom for eternity. It all comes full circle.
Consider The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, NIV):
“This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
In this passage, Jesus is teaching on how to pray to God. I don't think that we should recite this blindly, letting these words mindlessly leave our minds and lips without considering the order presented here. God first, acknowledging His kingdom and His will being completed (despite anything else that happens on this earth between now and then). Followed by asking for and acknowledging our needs, forgiveness, and helping us to guard against evil.
I truly believe that if our prayers are similar to the above in some capacity, as it has been commanded by Jesus, God will hear us. He hears us anyways, but I believe that praying the scripture, His Word gives us a direct line to God's ear.
This week's yoga journal prompt:
Consider The Lord's Prayer this week. Take some time dissecting and writing a similar prayer as it relates to your personal walk and life. Journal about praying to God in this way.
After you do the above, spend some time journaling a second prompt:
How my prayer life has changed me.
Let's get you moving:
Spend some time sitting in stillness. Maybe you consciously recite The Lord's Prayer or the prayer you wrote out for your journal entry. Pray, and then be still listening for God's voice. Then head over to the Facebook Group to share your experience and to move through this week's yoga snack video.
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