I spent a little time in the cave yesterday. New reason. For those of us whose who "hide" in order to cope with sadness, difficult news, challenges, disappointments, fear, relational issues, and anything else we don't want to deal with, caves are quite appealing.
The thing is, nothing ever changes while I'm hiding out in caves. Inevitably, I have to step into daylight and take some action.
Sometimes that means making changes in the way I live. Sometimes that means making phone calls, writing papers for school, asking questions, meeting people.
Sometimes, though, I hide out in caves because something is going in the life of someone I love, and I can't fix whatever that person is struggling with. That's why I hunkered down in the cave yesterday. I really don't want to deal with this.
I woke up at 1:00 this morning. I tossed and turned and prayed and thought about caves and decided to go downstairs. Sometimes watching T.V. helps me fall back asleep.
Instead of turning on the T.V. I began to pray and to think about the prophets in the Old Testament. Especially Elijah, who prompted my cave analogy.
Sometimes there's nothing we can do to change situations.
Sometimes those situations seem impossibly hopeless.
Sometimes only intervention by God will change anything.
And there's the dilemma. I guess it's always the dilemma.
I don't trust God.
I don't trust him to step in, to speak to people, to call to them, to reveal himself to them.
And so when I'm up against a wall, and when I can't do anything, I think the situation is hopeless.
The ancient prophets wept. And mourned. And turned to God.
They prayed. A lot.
They fasted.
They listened.
Because only intervention by God could change anything.
So I'm asking myself:
Do I really believe prayer makes a difference to God?
Do I really believe fasting makes a difference?
Do I really believe God will intervene?
Do I really trust God?
And finally:
Am I willing to invest in focused prayer and fasting?
I'm curious about your experiences with prayer and fasting and trusting God for the impossible.
1 comment:
Hi Erin,
Alma Patterson here,Just wanted to let you know that I've been turned on to your blog by Pastor Duane. He shared with me the family's need for prayer over the latest issue concerning Jason (no specifics)just simply a request for serious prayer. Pastor directed me to your blog in order to receive greater insight as to what you may be going through. Wish I had some profound details to relay to you on my prayer and fasting experiences but I don't. The Lord did enable me to fast on many occassions last year and in fact for several months I fasted every Monday until Tuesday. By faith, I'm convinced the Lord used my measley sacrifice to work in mine and my families life. I do recall on one occassion I was speaking to the Lord as to my concerns of whether or not I even belonged to Him anymore (my walk has morphed into something that has me baffled to say the least at times)(I've come to the conclusion that perhaps the Lord has been working to heal me from somewhat of a religious spirit)That or I'm thinking I've completely backslidden! As I posed this to the Lord while getting ready for work one day, I left my feable attempt to worship and devote myself to His Lordship and ran off to work. I was amazed to experince while checking out a member at Costco Who seemed to be of Middle Eastern descent that just prior to completing the transaction for no apparent reason the man leaned in towards me and stated, "I think, no, I know you know my Lord" Huh? I thought to myself! And heard myself say without a second thought, "well if your Lord is my Lord Jesus Christ then yes,I do know your Lord". "Yes, the man declared; I and my wife (pointing to a women standing behind him who seemed to be very quiet and docile.)are Egyptian Christians!" Standing in awe of not only God's amazing grace to reach these wonderful Egyptian believers I was flooded with a sense of God's precious love and affirmamtion that even though I might not know where I am in Him, He knows exactly where He has me. This experience I believe was made possible because Christ enables us to fast and pray. We serve the God of all hope and regardless of the situation, truely His grace is sufficient. Oh what a Savior! Please know that I've continued to lift Jason and you and your family to the Lord for His help and healing. Thanks for being there!
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