contentment

How to Cultivate a Prayer Life in a Busy World

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

I used to have a peculiar belief about prayer. I thought that every prayer had to begin with, “Dear God/Lord,” and end in “In Jesus’s name…Amen.”

To me, it just wasn’t a prayer if it didn’t contain these necessary components.

It was as if the prayer was null and void without them—it wasn’t a real prayer with an opening, middle, and closing.

This belief has lasted well into my adult years. Even though in recent years I have come to realize that a prayer can be as simple as, “Help me Lord!”, there is still part of me that wants to hang on to that type of structured prayer.

I mention this to say that prayer doesn’t have to be a rigid practice that we can only do on in private.

Of course, there is a time and place for those prayers. Matthew 6:6 tells us:

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

We should all make time to be still before God, speaking to Him and listening quietly for His response.

But during the day, when we’re at work, school, or taking care of other responsibilities, we don’t always have access to a private place where we can fall on our knees before God.

In these instances, it’s perfectly fine to pray right where you are in the midst of your day. That may be while driving down the road, sitting in a meeting, or preparing dinner for your family.

God is a big God, with a big, loving heart. And He understands our needs as well as our limitations. 

If all we can do is utter a few words to God asking for help and thanking Him for His answer, I believe He’s OK with that.

I’m sure that back in biblical times, many prayers were uttered during the workday while trying to wrangle a team of oxen in the field.

I bet even Jesus prayed to His father while crafting furniture in His workshop.

The point is that God wants us to have a relationship with Him.  We are encouraged to:

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

James 4:8a

There are two fantastic ways to draw closer to God. One is by reading the Word every day. The other is by talking to Him on a regular basis.

Even though we live a much faster, busier, and more hectic life than our ancestors did, we can still make time to commune with God.

We just have to be intentional about it. Make it a priority to talk to God during your day. 

When you get a break at work, thank Him for the sunshine (or the rain, if you like rainy days). 

Thank Him for the job that He has provided you with to pay your bills. Ask him for inspiration and guidance to get you through the rest of your day.

Say a quick prayer for your family, friends, or coworkers. Ask God to bless them and show them His love. 

Soon, you’ll find yourself interacting more and more with God throughout each day. You’ll feel closer to Him and more in tune with His leading in your life.

Plus, you’re likely to experience more of His peace and contentment, and we could all use more of that.

Just Say No to Perfection

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

I recently heard Stephen Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church, say something to the effect of, “It’s impossible to experience peace if you’re expecting perfection.”

I believe there is a ton of truth in that statement. Too many times I have fallen into that trap, thinking that once something specific happens, I’ll finally be happy.

Once I make $_____ a year, I’ll have arrived and I can feel like I’ve accomplished something.

Or, once I’m able to buy such and such a car, then I’ll feel good about myself.

The truth is, perfection is a rare bird. If you or I live our lives waiting for it, we’ll spend our whole lives “on hold.” 

We’ll never feel quite right inside—not until we get that one thing we’ve been waiting for. That job, that house, that car, even that spouse.

We’re told in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

We’re not designed to live life thinking, “If only….” Today is all we have. We’re not even guaranteed that we’ll wake up in the morning and have another day on this earth.

We’ll never achieve perfection in these human bodies we inhabit. The world is a broken place, and we must accept that if we’re ever going to experience contentment and peace. 

Embrace your flaws and realize that they’re what make you who you are. 

And while you’re at it, embrace the flaws of others as well. The rest of the people on this planet are in the same situation—they’re not perfect either. Don’t hold them to a higher standard than you hold yourself.

Certainly, we should try our best. But we must realize that our best will not lead us to perfection. 

It’s not the way the world works. Since the moment that the first man and woman took bites from the forbidden fruit, we’ve been unable to attain perfection. 

Take satisfaction with what you have, where you are, and who you are. 

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to improve ourselves. The minute you stop making forward progress you begin to slip backward.

You’re always moving in one of two directions—progressing toward a better you, or regressing toward a lesser you.

But realize that life is about the journey, not the outcome. Take joy in the steps you make each day toward making your life—and the lives of those you touch—better. 

Be glad that you have the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Just remember that it’s not about perfection, but rather about the process.

The Path to Real Joy

/ Clay D. / 1 Comment

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:10-11

Simply put, if you’re not obeying God, it’s going to be very hard for you to be joyful in life. The above verse speaks volumes about the relationship between obedience and our quality of life. 

If we’re going through life following our own agenda and paying no attention to God, sooner or later we’ll come to a point where life feels pointless and maybe even hopeless.

I have fallen into this trap myself. Far too often during my adult life, I’ve selfishly pursued my own desires and passions. 

Then one day I’ll wake up and realize that I’ve been traveling the wrong road. The truth will hit me like a brick that I should have stayed close to God and His desires for my life instead of doing whatever I wanted to do.

For a while, I’ll renew my spiritual life—praying more, reading the Bible more, trying to discern God’s will in every area of my life. 

The problem has always been that I don’t keep doing those things. Eventually, something happens (or a series of somethings) and I fall away from God. I pick up my old path of selfish living again.

And the result is that I miss out on a full and joyful life…the life that God intends for each of us to live.

It would be a mistake to take one verse and try to make it THE key to a fulfilling life, but I think that this particular verse does contain a lot of truth that those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety should take to heart.

In the end, obedience to God is really the only way to experience true joy in this life. We’ll still have struggles and challenges to overcome, but our lives will have that little something extra that only those who trust in God have.

It’s joy…peace…fulfillment…contentment. All the above and then some. God wants us to be joyful, and the only way to do that is by listening for His voice and obeying it.