Becoming Like Jesus: PrayerSample

Power in Weakness

Sometimes, instead of being honest with God about what we need, we hold back. Why? Because we don’t think we deserve it. Which is what makes the grace of God so beautiful. Grace is the unearned favor of God. It’s the good things He gives that we can’t earn and we don’t deserve. God is gracious to the core.

What does that have to do with prayer? Until we understand the character of God, it will be really hard to honestly bring our petitions to Him. We’ll be more focused on what we’ve done wrong than on His desire to bless us.

Today, we’re going to focus on the grace of God. Because His grace is all we need.

Pray…

Our Father in heaven, your grace is all I need. I know I don’t deserve it, and yet you give it to me anyways. Help me have the courage to bring all the things I’m afraid to ask to you. Help me to know that your grace is so much bigger than my insecurities. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Read…

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

Consider…

These words come from the Apostle Paul. He is someone who understood the grace of God more fully and deeply than most people ever will. Why? Because he never allowed his weakness and struggles to hold him back. Instead, he saw those things as motivation to keep coming back to Jesus. Every time he did, he once again experienced the radical grace of God that is more than enough.

What has held you back from being totally honest with God about what you need? Are there things that you’ve thought are too small so there’s no way He would care? Things that are so big you don’t think there’s any way God would make it happen?

No matter what it is, be honest about it. Bring it to God. And remember, His grace and power works best in our weakness.

Practice…

Pray to God by asking for what you need. Don’t hold back. Be bold and be honest. God is full of grace. He wants to hear our requests and show us His love, especially when we don’t deserve it. After all, if we did deserve it, then it wouldn’t be grace.

As you do, imagine you are talking to God face-to-face. Because, at its most basic level, that’s really what prayer is: talking to God.

When you’re ready, pray to your Father using Jesus’ words, “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy… give us today the food we need…” Matthew 6:9,11 NLT

Listen…

Create space to experience God’s presence by getting quiet, getting alone, and asking Him to speak. Start by setting a timer for five minutes.

Next, ask God to speak to you.

When you get distracted, because you will get distracted, bring your focus back to God by repeating the first words of this prayer: “Our Father…”

When the timer ends, thank God for the time you got to spend with Him, then head into your day looking for opportunities to better serve Him and serve others.