Have you ever been afraid of the dark? When I was a child, I had to have some form of nightlight in my room to penetrate the darkness. I wanted the door cracked open so I knew I could get to my parents quickly if needed. The dark veiled what I could see in the daylight, and I wanted the comfort of a soft glow to illuminate the room. The darkness cloaks the comforts of what we know. It is the unknown that we fear when we are in the dark. 

Most days I wish I were back on the edge of that canyon, breathing in the salty ocean air with the clouds swirling around us. Instead, I find myself on the brink of piles and piles of laundry, loads of dishes, and long to-do lists. This leads me to an underwhelmed soul that becomes more overwhelmed at what needs to be done rather than what God is doing all around me. It’s easy to miss God’s glory in the midst of the mundane. But the exact same God who made that canyon that I marveled at years ago is the same God who made the fibers that make up the clothing that I wash, fold, iron, hang up and wear. The same God who made the salty ocean water is the same God who made the water in my faucet that I poured into my coffee pot this morning to make a hot cup of caffeine. I believe that we are living on the fringes of His glory, if only we would look up to see Him.

There are moments in life I wish I could erase but are seared onto my memory like a tattoo. One of those moments was last fall when I walked through a season of depression and intense anxiety. A darkness descended on my soul that felt unbearable at times. It seemed impossible most days to see beyond my broken state. Leading up to this season, the pace of my life had drastically sped up. Looking from the outside in, our life seemed to be flourishing in many ways. I was traveling to speak at various women’s events, we had a rambunctious, loving toddler, and were serving in our local church. And yet, in the midst of all this, I crashed and waves of anxiety flooded into my soul, making me feel like I was drowning.

When we trade our worry for worship and begin to pray instead of fret, we can live in the peace that God is our portion and our good. Nothing apart from Him can satisfy, and by dwelling in His presence, we can let down our guard and desire to prove ourselves worthy!

I’ve often prayed, “Lord, I want to see You,” as if God were hiding Himself from me. I’ve begged, “Lord, I want to hear You,” as if He has gone silent. He reminded me this morning that He has not stopped speaking, or gone into hiding, I have gotten too busy and stopped listening and looking. God, as Creator, is reflected in His creation (Psalm 8:1-4). His thumbprint is on this world. Scripture points us to see Christ clearly all around us…

What do we do when our head knows that God is faithful but our heart feels the overwhelming fear of uncertain circumstances? How do we walk forward in obedience when we don’t hear a ‘Yes’ from God?

If prayer is such a beautiful habit, why is it so difficult to find time to pray? How do we actually pray continually? Why do we pray in the first place? We’re sharing some thoughts and encouragement on prayer as we prepare to walk through Breathe this week.

Our busyness should drive us to our knees. We can’t accomplish anything worthwhile, making wise decisions, or live with fervent passion apart from being people who pray. Prayer isn’t something to check off a list, it should be a way of life.

This post is the first of a Bible Study I will be sharing called “A God-Sized Love Story.” If you would like email updates when each post goes out to follow along, sign up to the right. I look forward to sharing my journey with you! Once upon a time… These four little words ring […]