Sunday Sentiments: Just Ask

 

Earlier this week, I shared about the hymn “Go Ask.” Today’s post may have a similar title, but it’s a different topic.

            I’ve been convicted lately about slacking in my prayer life, so I’ve worked to be more purposeful about it throughout the day. My days, since I work remotely, are regularly an ongoing (and sometimes audible) conversation with the Lord. I go about my responsibilities and pray as things come to mind, but I was missing key elements in prayer.

            Confession? Examining the parts of my own heart that are in need of work? Not my favorite. But I still need to spend time there. Praise? I’m really good at thanking God, but pausing for praise that is just focused on Who God is aside from all He does? I’m not always great at that either.

            And praying for people who really get on my nerves? Gulp.

            Thankfully God sends friends who remind me of things I forget/lose sight of/ignore completely.

            I emailed my friend Michele this week and told her a story about a person we’d run into whose behavior was out of line. I was frustrated, and if you knew the whole story, you’d probably agree that the whole thing was uncalled for. Michele didn’t deny that.

            But she did encourage me to pray for him. She said the power of prayer is undeniable and if I would commit to praying for him…who knows? Maybe down the road, we’ll see an entirely different person than the one we encountered this week.

            I think my reaction to that advice was a combination of conviction and ICK!!!!! She’s right. She’s absolutely right. It was okay for me to be annoyed by the situation, but my job now is to take an active role in praying forward. It’s not about praying that he’ll be put in his place for what he did, but praying over his life, even though I have no clue what’s happening in his world.

            Maybe it will change him. Maybe it will change me. Maybe it will change us both.

            But I don’t know unless I…just ask.