Striking Your Arrows: Part 2 (By Tim H.)

In my last post, I gave additional thought on striking our arrows as they related to Preparing with Persistence. I challenged us to evaluate our personal priorities and to restore broken relationships. This may have hit close to home and made some uncomfortable, but hopefully pushed you in your walk with Christ. In this post, we are going to look at the second grouping of arrows. We need to strike the ground with persistence, calling out to God to work in us.
 
All of us have a way of communicating with others. Some people are verbal communicators, some are non-verbal and use body language, some use pictures, some music. God wanted us to have a way to communicate with Him, and He provided “prayer”. For some, prayer may be something the pastor or group leader does before and after teaching, or it may be the quick quote said before a meal or bedtime. But for followers of Christ, prayer is a lifeline used to have intimate and often life-changing conversations with God.

The second area is Praying with Persistence. I presented three arrows in this.
  • Develop a Vibrant Prayer Life – Admittedly, this took some time for me to embrace, and I am always learning new ways to have a prayer life that is alive and vibrant. We need to remember that God wants to hear from us, and like any healthy earthly relationship, communication is key.
  • Pray in Community – For many, praying with other people can be more stressful than visiting the doctor. We need to learn that praying with other people is still about talking with God. I have found the times I have prayed with others have often been some of the most encouraging times. There is nothing like hearing a brother or sister in Christ lifting you up to God. Don’t worry how eloquent your words are or complete your sentences may be, pray from your heart!
  • Pray for Direction – We need to consistently ask for God’s direction in our lives. No matter how big or small something may be, God wants to hear about it from you. When our kids were just starting to talk, I would get home from work and they would tell me everything that happened during their day. They would tell me about the food they ate, the fun places they went, and yes, even the silly, small details. I loved hearing about these details because it gave me glimpses into their lives and what made them tick and how I could encourage them (I miss those days). God wants to guide and direct us, but we need to ask for that direction.