Unleashed: As You Go – Pray

Unleashed – As You Go – Pray

“The council members were astonished as they witnessed the bold courage of Peter and John, especially when they discovered that they were just ordinary men who had never had religious training. Then they began to understand the effect Jesus had on them simply by spending time with him.” Acts 4:13

 

We do things more often than we think simply because something is a habit — formed out of repetition, necessity or observing others. As others observe your actions, they begin to copy those actions. Often, as I worked at my desk in Johannesburg, I would put my pencil behind my ear—a habit. A missionary dad asked his son one day why he was walking around the house with a pencil behind his ear.  His response was, “That’s what Uncle Lynn does.”

A habit, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior. An acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.” Various studies come to different conclusions about how long it takes for an action to become a habit. In the 1950’s, Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s research showed that it requires “21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” Later research, from an intense study at University College London, determined “on average, it takes more than two months before a new behavior becomes automatic—66 days to be exact.”

It didn’t take long for the leaders of the church council to see the difference in Peter and John. Instead of cowering at the inquest, the council leaders were confronted by transformed men.  The council leaders realized they were different for one simple reason, they had spent time with Jesus. Jesus’ habits had become their habits. Jesus’ thoughts had become their thoughts. Jesus’ way had become their way. The years with Jesus had penetrated deep into these two disciples.

Today the world offers countless self-help books wanting to help you take an action and transform it into a habit. However, greater than the self-help books that focus on personal activities that become habits, and more important, is the inward change that comes when we spend time with Jesus.

Over the years I have found a habit that is most helpful in my spiritual life; keeping a journal. I doubt there will be many profound insights archived there, but I do hope that when my children and grandchildren someday read the pages of my journals they will know my heart. I want my journey to be one of hope, faith and prayer regardless of the circumstances. Yes, there will be entries of despair, failures and personal insights but through all the pages I want them to know that whatever the situation, God was my shelter and rock.

During these days when I may feel overwhelmed, uncertain and struggling it is important for me to capture my thoughts and prayers. Not to remember the hurt, but to know I came through it because of the time spent with Jesus. It is from these pages I can reflect on the hope, encouragement, joy and renewal to sustain me through anything.

An open heart, a quiet spirit and an open Bible allows time with Jesus that makes a difference. A lot of folks are missing out on some beautiful times. According to Life Way Research only, “A third of Americans who attend a Protestant church regularly (32%) say they read the Bible personally every day. Around a quarter (27%) say they read it a few times a week.”

This is my prayer for today:  “Lord, my desire is to know You, not what I can get from You, onlyYou. I will ask for things but let them always be with the desire to know You first and foremost. Never let ‘things’ be my prayer list but only that Your will be done. I want to be so in oneness with You that requests flow out of Your heart to my heart. I will never know the depth or the fullness of what You desire unless I am fully one with You.”

God is great,

Pastor Lynn