Beyond Contemplation

I hope by now that you're joining me in praying about everything. I'm doing much better because I have a plan. (By the way, I drank more water today, too.) When I tell you my plan, you'll probably think it's an obvious solution. You'd be right, but my brain doesn't always work like everyone else's. I'm special. :-)

My plan for praying more is *drum roll* that when I think about praying, I'm going to open my mouth and talk out my thoughts. In this way, my thoughts will be voiced as prayer. Go ahead and say "duh" if you want. I know it's not deep, but I have to do what works for me. And for me, simple is best. Prayer is not complicated. Prayer is talking to God.

A few minutes ago, I set the calendar on a different computer to remind me to pray for one minute, every hour at work. This calendar is not my main calendar, so it will be separate from my work calendar. I'll try it out tomorrow and let you know how it works.

My simple plan came as a result of prayer. I asked God how to do this. I was a "doer" of this verse:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.     James 1:5 NKJV

I lacked wisdom on how to pray more than I think about praying and how to remind myself to pray throughout my workday. God gave me practical wisdom. He did not refuse me because I should know how to do this by now. Instead, He freely gave me a solution. I believed and was confident that He would respond. James goes on to say,

⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.                James 1:6-8 NKJV

Or as my friend would jokingly translate that last verse, "a double-minded man is CRAzy!"

God gives wisdom. You see, I had knowledge. I knew that I needed to pray instead of just thinking about prayer. I had understanding. I understood that if I only heard/read the Word instead of doing it, I was deceiving myself. But I didn't have wisdom—how to do what I know and understand. Wisdom is practical application of what you know. Alas, wisdom is a whole 'nother story – possibly another scripture booklet. :-)

Suffice it to say: Thank God for Wisdom on how to do the Word.

Pray with me:

God, You are a wise God. You are a giving Father. Thank you for being who You are. Thank You for having wisdom, practical application of knowledge, available for me. Walking Your path is not complicated and You help me at every step, if I ask. And when I ask, You don't reproach, refuse, or find fault with me. Instead, You give me wisdom freely. Please grant me the desire and the wisdom to do Your Word. Grant me wisdom on how to increase my prayer life and become a more effective pray-er. I do not doubt that You will do it. I refuse to waver; I ask in faith and in the precious name of Jesus. Thank You for wisdom. Amen.