In the Dailies

Some days I avoid prayer. It’s not that I don’t want to share my heart with God. It’s just that … well, if I were a superstitious person (which I would never admit to being), I would claim Murphy’s Law on prayer. It’s like a jinx. Or maybe the reverse is true: life seems easier without it simply because I have the lack of it as an excuse.

I realize this doesn’t make sense.

I’m not sure I want to try to make it make sense.

Consider this another one of those random thoughts posts where I spout a mostly illogical stream of consciousness.

Here’s the deal: on days when I forget to pray, things seem to go well. When they don’t, I simply say “Well, that’s life and I didn’t pray today, so what do I expect?” Somewhere in my mind’s gallery I dust off a cross-stitched pillow that explains it all: “Days hemmed in prayer rarely unravel.”

But prayer isn’t fairy dust. It’s not a magic combination of words that immediately makes everything better or easier. Prayer doesn’t keep my life together.

On days when I do pray, everything seems to go wrong. I feel overwhelmed. Deadlines have been missed, too many people call with demands, and the kids need more attention than ever. I cry out, “God, why is this day so hard? I prayed! I put you first, so why does this day suck so much?”

This morning Rick and I prayed. We rarely have time to pray together before he leaves for work, but this morning we did. I loved it. But then my day started just as Murphy would have predicted.

I prayed again. “God, please help me.”

I stepped back. I looked. I took one step at a time.

And everything worked out. It’s just past lunch and all the worries that clouded my morning have dissipated. They’ve all been dealt with and we’re right back on track.

What was it we prayed this morning? That we would be ever-dependent upon Him, that we would seek Him throughout our days and give Him all the glory.

Thank you, Lord, for hearing our prayers. Thank you for answering them so quickly! You are a good and merciful God. You make all things possible.