Peace and Prayer

Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

My sponsor’s translation of the above verse; “If you pray why worry, if you worry why pray?”

Many years ago, (prior to my crash, burn and resurrection) I viewed God as simply a God of convenience.  He was there only if I needed him.  Sort of like the cough and cold formula we keep in our medicine chest.  We like to keep it handy just in case we get a cold.  I believed in God but I didn’t believe in His powers.  Not because I didn’t want to believe in His powers.  I simply had no clue or understanding of what His powers could do for my life.

Back in my “pre-understanding days” I also viewed an acceptance of Jesus as my Lord as a free ticket to live forever.  My thinking…”I love life why wouldn’t I want to live forever?”   Once again my relationship with the Lord was a selfish relationship of convenience, it had nothing to do with understanding and tapping into the powers of Jesus on a 24/7 basis.

Then came my crash and burn and an uncontrollable urge to consume drugs and alcohol at the expense of my reputation as well as my relationships with others.

Then I “came to” and found the only way I could stay sober an hour at a time was to talk to a power greater than me on a continual basis.  “I can’t, God can, I think I will let Him.”  I learned this in the rooms of AA.  The battle us addicts face in the early going of sobriety is a slippery and bumpy walk where our spirit wants sobriety but our flesh (mind) wants the high.  For me this battle went on for about 3 years.  I combated this unbalanced path with a conscious contact with God.

Where many of us get this all screwed up as we think in order for God to listen to our prayers or our talks with him, we need to be perfect.  Forget that notion.  God wants us anyway he can get us and actually the more willing we are to admit we are screwed up, the better His work becomes through our lives.

So what is my point?  As my good friend Mike Bowie would state; “I’m glad you asked!”

If you are worrying today–If you are projecting outcomes to things that have not yet taken place–If you are consumed with what others are doing or aren’t doing–If you are holding onto a resentment, guilt or a pain from the past–If your expectations are not being met–If you have no serenity…my guess is you are not praying…enough.

The devil thrives in our worries, projections, resentments, guilt, pain and unmet expectations.

Take God off the shelf, put Him into your life and converse with Him all day long.  Suddenly the peace many you may have thought would only be found in heaven will come alive in your spirit and you will begin experiencing eternal peace in the here and now.

Today I have an answer to worry, guilt, shame, emotional pain, resentments, expectations et al and it is prayer.  I am much easier for God to live through when I leave the door open to Him 24/7.  I start my day with prayer and every time a screwed up notion begins stirring, I turn it over to God (prayer).

If you pray why worry, if you worry why pray?

P.S.  Unprayed upon guilt, shame, emotional pain, resentments, expectations et al, will lead us to either an unproductive  life or behaviors (like addiction) to numb the pain…can you say the devil?  Kick the devil’s a$$ with prayer! 🙂

P.E.A.C.E.

jay@eaglelaunch.com