Prayer Changes Things, Not Me.

I am on a journey to grow my prayer life.  This week I  found new meaning in the verse that says,

'Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words'.  Romans 8:26 

I finally realized the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within me.  I also realized that sometimes I don't like what He says.  But as I develop a more constant prayer life, I am more in tune to the direction that I am being pulled.  The reason I sometimes don't like it, is because of how quickly I am corrected when I have done wrong. Like today when I became angry over the silliest thing and immediately I felt convicted.  It's been happening all this week and I am kind of getting tired of it.  No not really.  I am enjoying it because it let's me know that I am growing.  I would much rather be growing because anything that isn't growing is dead. It also helped me to realize how many times I have shrugged off the Holy Spirit.  All those times I just had to be right instead of obeying the spirit when He told me to be quiet and to love through my actions.  I may have been right but God was not glorified because I was not an example of His love.  I did not behave as though I was the recipient of His grace and mercy.  I had forgotten that I was covered by the blood.  The bottom line was that I was right and they were wrong and they needed to see my way.  This was even on topics of the Bible.  I have learned that most arguments are over religion and not what the Word says anyway. 

My biggest conviction came one day in the middle of my prayer. There I was praying when all of a sudden I was stopped.  Now we all know praying is a good thing and God loves to hear from His child.  So, what could possibly have placed  a pause in my prayer?  Well I'll tell you.  I was praying for God to change someone for my own selfish reasons.  Not only that but before my prayers I was trying to do everything in my power to change this person myself.  But on this particular day the Holy Spirit stopped me and said (just as if they He was sitting right next to me), only God has the power to change anyone and what made me the expert on how this person needed to change.  What a slap in the face!  But He was right.  How many times had I taught in Sunday School or spoke in different Women's Day programs on the power of prayer?  Many times. And today I was corrected. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit had tried to show me this before but it was before I was ready to dedicate my life to prayer and staying tuned in to God, never losing my connection.  How can I pray for someone to be more loving when I was not showing love?  How could I ask for someone to be more understanding when I was not understanding?  Instead I became angry and introverted.  How could I ask God for someone to get something that was so plain to me from His Word, when in my explanation I put that person down?  I believe this is the very reason we were told to 'love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and thy neighbor as thyself'.  The more you come to love the Lord, the more you come to realize His unconditional love for you.  The more you pray you come to know the will of God for your life.  It's about a process and the process includes your very own transformation.  You are being changed into the likeness of God.  That is what is important.  We must never lose sight of this fact.  The good thing is that even if we do, we have the Holy Spirit in us, helping us. He is your internal prayer partner, helping you to create the perfect prayer. 

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit.  Thank You because when I don't know what it is that I should pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes for me. Thank You for the gentle nudges that He gives to keep me on the right track, moving in the same direction as You so that I can fulfill the purpose You have for my life.  Thank You for the correcting I receive throughout my day when I am praying or behaving in the wrong manner.  Lord continue to change me into the person You want me to be. I will continue to give  You all the praise.  In Your Most Wonderful Name I pray Amen.