Instead of letting the world influence your thoughts and decisions, let prayer influence your thoughts and decisions. Instead of letting the world pull you towards sin and self, let prayer propel you towards the truth and holiness.
For all my time on Instagram, I've never felt closer to God through it.
If we just turned around a couple of our scrolling minutes a day into communing with God, how much different might our days be and feel?
If we gave God access for influence over us like we give social media influence over us, what might we become?
”“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”“
Matthew 11:28-30 MSGb
Keep company with God and we learn to live freely and lightly. I want to learn to live freely and lightly. I may not be there yet, but I am certain the key is in leaning more heavily on God, and taking less pressure on myself. This doesn't mean that I do nothing, it means that the pressure dissipates when I realize that I do nothing alone. The more I practice the presence of God the more I feel it, and the more I am changed by it.
So, my challenge this week is to stop reading about prayer or meaning to take the time and simply do it. The best way I have found to stop and pray throughout the day is to set alarms on my phone. There is a good chance it will be on my person , phones usually are.
I challenge you to pick three times a day and set an alarm. Stop what you are doing for even two minutes, and tell God exactly what is on your heart.
Ask Him for wisdom, or comfort, or guidance, or even better yet, thank Him for something specific. I like to set these alarms in addition to my normal morning prayer time. I need them spaced throughout the day. The more times I contact God the better, so please don't limit yourself to three.
Remember what I said, it doesn't need to be long, it just needs to establish contact. Opening your thoughts and heart to God should be ongoing.