“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
Last year I spent an entire school day doing nothing except looking through old photos and videos of my kids.
I took a trip down memory lane, and I didn’t realize how much I needed this break until I felt myself relax, unwind and remember my blessings.
I was in the middle of a busy season, and as a Type A personality, relaxing when there’s a lot to do is never my first instinct.
I planned to be productive that day. I was on a mission to meet a deadline for a major project.
But as I dug through archives to find pictures for my daughter’s birthday post, I went down a rabbit hole. I got caught up in reliving all the wonderful memories of her life and her place in our family.
I got behind on work, yet instead of feeling guilty, I felt restored. I felt more equipped to get up the next morning and refocus on my deadline.
That evening, when my husband, Harry, got home, I told him how lazy I’d been and how amazing it felt to turn off my brain that day.
That’s when he shed some insight that made me feel really loved.
“I’m so glad,” he said. “This morning when you woke up, I could tell you were stressed. So, I prayed for God to give you rest today. It sounds like He did that!”
I was so touched by Harry’s prayer — and reminded of God’s creativity in responding to our requests.
While that restful day felt spontaneous to me, there was actually a bigger force at work, a God who desires healthy life rhythms for us and the people we love most.
Have you ever wondered what blessings in your life were the result of someone’s prayer for you?
Maybe it was a friend who you met at the perfect time.
A change of heart that turned your life around.
An epiphany or realization.
Strength or peace when you needed it most.
God answers prayers, but He can’t answer the prayers we don’t pray. More important than praying with eloquent words is praying with a humble heart.
Even if you stumble and fumble, God loves to hear from you. He wants you to bring it all to Him, from your fears, anger, worries and heartache, to your praise and awe for Him, to your prayers for others and yourself.
And when you feel too tired or weak to pray, you can ask the Holy Spirit to pray for you (Romans 8:26). It intercedes when you get stuck, expressing the needs of your heart.
Life is hard — and it gets harder when we forget to pray. So often, however, we seek the advice of people before trying to hear God. I’m often guilty of this myself.
I’ve also been on the other end, receiving emails from moms who seek my advice on parenting dilemmas. While I’m honored they thought of me, I can’t answer every message due to time restraints and the fact that my knowledge is limited.
Typically, I don’t know the families. I’m not privy to the whole situation and context, as I only see a small piece of the puzzle.
God, on the other hand, does see
it all. He is all-knowing and sovereign. He knows the next step we should take, and while people can offer opinions, our opinions will never match the
perfect counsel from a wise and perfect God.
Through prayer, we learn to trust Him as our first advisor. We open our hearts and wait for answers. As God speaks through quiet nudges and instincts (and sometimes clear answers), we can share that with the people we trust to gauge their opinion too.
So, if you or someone you love are juggling a lot right now, in a season of feeling overwhelmingly busy, call upon the power of prayer. Remember how you can turn someone's whole day around through a timely request to the Lord.
Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, author, speaker and blogger. Kari’s newest book, “More Than a Mom: How Prioritizing Your Wellness Helps You (and Your Family) Thrive,” is now available on Amazon, Audible and everywhere books are sold. Kari’s bestselling other books — “Love Her Well,” “Liked” and “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know” have been used widely across the country for small group studies. Join Kari on Facebook and Instagram, visit her blog at karikampakis.com, or find her on the Girl Mom Podcast.
