The Filter I'm Using

I took this picture at sunrise last year across my neighbor's field. As much as I love photography, that's not the kind of filter I'm talking about.

This year my word for the year is trust. Feel free to go back and read my blog about this and how I told God I didn't really like this word. Short story: He won. He's been gently teaching me more about what it really means to act like I trust Him and not just say it.

One of the things that is helping me has been adding this framework to my prayers. It's like a filter that all my thoughts can go through and get redirected. I don't know about you, but I need all the help I can get redirecting my thoughts through the day.

I start out my prayer time each morning by journaling. It usually leads me to something I need wisdom for, an anxiety that keeps cropping up, or a problem that needs a solution.

I've started using this framework to pray through these things instead of letting them shape my thoughts all day.

Here's the filter:

God I believe You and because of that I can trust You so I am going to place

all my hope in You.

This is a general framework that I fill my circumstances into. For example:

God, my daughter has just gone to college. I believe that You love her more than I do. I trust You with her life because Your plans are better than mine. I am expecting you to show up and lead her. I am going to put all my hope in You and not my ability to control any of her circumstances.

Or something like this:

God, I know you are calling me to believe that You are going to use me to reach women. I don't want to trust this to myself because I will fail. I trust You with my purpose. I am placing all my hope in You to move the doors that need moved for me to do what You have called me to do.. You are going to work things for my good. I'm watching in expectation.

Or even:

God, I don't know how to navigate this grief. I bleieve You are with me. I believe You can work this for Your glory. Help me trust You. Help me trust that You are good and help me move forward in that trust. I'm placing all my hope in You, even when it feels like I don't have any left. Thank you that our hope does not disappoint when it's in You (Romans 5:5).

I'd like you to notice that last prayer repeats the words and asks for help to believe and trust. God is always happy to help. He doesn't ask us to do anything alone. I'd also like you to notice that I strategically said "all my hope". It's both an acknowledgement and reminder that all of my hope needs to be placed in God Himself, not a change of circumstance but Him.

The more I practice writing this out in the morning, the more I have been placing it mentally over my thoughts, days, and moments. I haven't found anything it hasn't applied to.

So, I suggest that you steal it.

I challenge you to start practicing placing this filter or format...whatever you want to call it over your prayers this week. I'd love to pray for you. Just reach out and ask.

Don't wait. Pray now.