Do You Play It Safe?

Some prayers are scary to pray.  Yes?

Why?  Because we know they are “stretching prayers” and “move you into uncomfortable places” prayers.  I wonder if you avoid those like the plague?

I did.  For years, I wouldn’t ask God to give me more patience.  I just knew what that might look like.

• My kids would be out of control.
• My husband would lay around the house all day watching football.
• My ministry might stall.

So instead of asking for it, I skirted the issue.  There was even one time it slipped out in prayer at a moment of weakness and I actually asked God if I could take it back!  Yes, I used to be pretty cautious with my prayers.

Not anymore.

Now I boldly ask Him to use me up for His glory so at the end of my life, I limp into Heaven… ratted hair, dirty face, broken nails, and bruised knees.  I like to pray those dangerous prayers because I know Him.  I know He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me (Jer. 29:11) and so I can trust Him.

To be honest, the hardest part is just opening your lips and saying the words… “Use me.”

My prayers used to be like this:

“Um, Lord.  Ok… I will go where You want me to go.  But I don’t want to move because I like my house and am sure I could do more work for You if I got a good night sleep in my bed.  So, I’ll go… but I need to be home in time to pick up the kids and get them to their sports practices.  After that… I’m Yours.  But I am meeting friends for dinner, so I need to be free by 6:00ish… yadda, yadda, yadda.”

Get the picture?  You know you are praying a “safe prayer” if you hear a lot of “ifs and butts” in them.

If you pray this way, you’re living in numbing normality.  You’re happy to just keep things status quo.  It’s safe.

Look, Jesus didn’t come to make your life… safe.  He didn’t die on the cross so your life would be… easy.  He came so we could live life to the fullest.

Are you doing that?

I want to challenge you begin to pray bold prayers.  Stop caring so much about your needs and trust that God will work out all the details of what He is calling you to do.

Are you wondering what He wants from you?  Well… ask Him!

I can tell you this from experience, however.  God wants to take your ordinary life and make it extraordinary and so He will never ask you to do something that goes against His Word.  God wants to knock your socks off by using you to further His Kingdom.

You’ve heard it said that “There is no high like the Most High.”  It’s true.

When I was given a cancer diagnosis earlier this year, my prayer was this.  “God, Your will not mine.  Your ways not mine.  I don’t want this diagnosis, but if it must be to further Your kingdom… than I will take it!“

Miraculously, that was not a road He chose for me to walk.  Praise God…

Brothers and sisters… PRAY BOLD!  Pray dangerous!  Don’t believe the lies from Satan that say:

• your life will be miserable.
• you’ll be living in a tent in the wilderness eating bugs!
• you will have to travel the country in a camper and home school. (Lord help me!)
• you won’t have friends and your marriage will end.

Those.  Are.  Lies.

Pray this:  “Lord, I want to be available to you.  Help me trust you more.  Take my fear away and give me the ability to step up and be bold!  Show me where you want me to be and what you want me to do.  I am here and ready!  Use me, Father!”

Welcome to the team.

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