Initially, Jenny did not use the rear view mirror enough when she was driving. This caused her a problem because she did not have a sound grasp of what was happening on the roadway. She decided to correct this. One day, she drove into a drop sign. She had over-corrected and was using the rear view mirror too much. She was reaching forward and reaching back, without proper balance.
Doubtless, there are times when reaching back is helpful to reaching forward. However, this can be taken to an extreme. You can become so fixated on the past, what worked then, and how good it felt that you miss the opportunities for reaching forward in the present. You have no space for them.
At the beginning of the new year, you may still be in reflection and new intentions mode. Many people still are. The year, after all, is only five days old. One of the areas people seek to improve at the beginning of each year is their prayer life. They commit to praying more. They want to do this so badly. Are you one of them?
Reaching forward for prayer
The challenges in praying more can range form a lack of focus to a lack of time. If you’re struggling in this area is it time to put more energy on reaching forward than reaching back? You see you may need to release somethings that you have reached back to bring with you into 2015. They may likely be the cause of you not praying more. Could it be an activity that you need to drop to make space for the time of prayer?
The apostle Paul understood that gain Christ trumps everything else, thus there are weights you have to drop off. He speaks to this eloquently in Philippians 3:7-11.
Of course, if Christianity is just a formality to you then it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a prayer life. If you do not desire to gain Christ and experience God more and are more focused on what you can get from God, you don’t need a prayer life. However, since you’re reading this, I take it that you do want a prayer life.
What have you reached back and brought with you that may hinder you from having a vibrant prayer life in 2015?
At SurrenderInPrayer, we’re committed to enabling you to experience God more fully through honest, surrendered, heart praying so that you live with greater clarity and peace in this world. As a result, we’re preparing to launch an offering of daily prayers and meditations that will be delivered to your inbox, if you so choose. That’s our way of helping you to stay on task so that you’re reaching forward with greater purpose to God more fully as you know Christ more and more.
Indeed, God is doing a new thing, as God always does. When your prayer life is on track, you will be able to better discern and participate in God’s new thing.
How are you reaching forward in 2015.
Experience God more fully through honest, surrendered heart praying and live with greater clarity and peace.
Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
