Icy Blast.

This past week has been quite a blast from Old Man Winter. Although I took these photos from the ice storm we had in Springfield last year, this week’s combination of freezing rain, sleet, and snow was still a major storm for us. As a matter of fact, there are currently about 1 million folks without power from Texas all the way to Kentucky and beyond. Thankfully, we got more sleet and snow than freezing rain so not as many folks are without power in our immediate area. But we remember all too clearly what powerlessness feels like.

Today’s events with weather, coupled with the economic challenges and so many folks without jobs can surely make a person feel like they are powerless in many respects. But there is one thing that no one can take away from us and that is the privilege of prayer. Prayer changes things - and it especially changes us. It helps give us peace in the midst of uncertainty and chaos - even unemployment and power outages.

The apostle Paul was a very devoted man who loved God with all his heart. He wrote a large portion of what we call the New Testament portion of the Bible. One of his letters was written to the people at Philippi. He told them in the book of Philippians 4:6-7, that we should not be anxious about anything but present our requests to God. And God in return would give us a peace that would “guard” our hearts and minds. That’s the kind of peace that even an icy blast can’t steal!

Prayer changes...

Prayer changes so many things. It is interesting that we often pray for God to change situations and help us out of hardships. I don't think this is necessarily wrong, but we probably pray for God to change something, or someone, for us far more often than we pray for God to change us! I say this because I recently found myself in a rather difficult spot. A certain series of circumstances were really weighing on my mind and I was getting angry over things that I really had no control over. I found that I had an extremely difficult time getting over my anger. You know...one of those things that hits you out of "left field" so-to-speak. I was not even expecting the situation and so I was hurt and a bit angry...o.k., a lot angry.

But the more I prayed the more the Lord began to show me that I was angry because I was not in control. I thought I knew what was best and when it did not happen that way I got upset. I supported my decision to be angry with all kinds of good Scriptures too! But the more I prayed, I knew the Lord was telling me that I needed to submit not only to Him, but to the authority that he had placed over me. As the Lord showed me that, the anger seemed to break. I knew that I could trust God to bring me through whatever might happen and He would do it better than I ever could. I suddenly remembered Philippians 2:14, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." My prayer for God to change others, had turned into an unexpected blessing for me - I was the one who needed changing...how about you?

Forgiveness.

At first I thought I needed to ask forgiveness for not writing in such a long time but I know everyone realizes how nice it is to take a break…especially over the holidays! So I’m just now getting back in the groove and had some “blogging” on my mind. But today the Lord reminded me about how all of us need forgiveness, but we also need to forgive others, as well as ourselves.

Forgiveness is so nice. When you know you have done something less than honestly, or taken something you shouldn’t, or even speak words that hurt. The thought of that action usually stays with us for quite some time - long after the actual event took place. But those thoughts can actually be a weight of bondage to us and the thought of asking forgiveness actually brings fear. What will they do, since we think “we know” what we deserve.

But what a relief when we apologize or ask forgiveness and the other person readily accepts - with no malice intended. Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” But the greatest treasure is that Jesus has called us friends, and he displayed the greatest love by laying down His life for ours and all the wrongs we could ever do. As Ephesians 1:7 shares with us, when we come asking forgiveness from God for not living the life we should, we can know that we have forgiveness through Jesus Christ. What an incredible gift from God.