Weapon Against Anxiety #4: Praying Together
Family Devotion:
There are many mysteries in our Christian life, and prayer is one of them. I think the real mystery
of prayer is that God invites us to pray and even says that our prayers are powerful and effective. One thing about prayer that doesn’t have to be a mystery is how to do it. In fact, if you know how to talk to a family member or friend, you already know how to pray. The mechanical side of prayer
is just a simple, two way conversation.
When you have a conversation with another person, you usually tell them something or ask a question and then wait for their response. This is exactly how we can practice listening to God. Tell Him something or ask Him a question that’s important to you. Today it might be, “God, what do you want us to learn from this time of global pandemic?" Now, wait quietly for an answer. Most of us won’t hear a voice, but we may experience a feeling of peace or joy, a thought that our minds didn’t generate, a verse or song, or we might receive a mental image. The more we practice listening to God’s voice, the clearer it will become.
Family Activity:
Choose a family member to lead you in prayer.
Share with God how you’re feeling and ask your questions.
Wait quietly for a few minutes and each write down what you feel God is telling you. Share this with each other.
Does what each person is hearing line up with God’s Word?
What does God want you to do with the information He’s given you?
A couple of important notes:
Always test what you think God is telling you against Scripture. If it goes against Scripture it isn’t from God.
Listening to God is like listening to a physical human being in many ways. But because God is who He is, we should always be aware of the incredible gift of being in God’s presence. We only have access to God because Jesus died and rose again.
Finally, several verses in the Bible remind us to thank God for his answers, so let’s not forget that part!
Want to go deeper?
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