In UnisonSample

Jeremy

I heard a story about a girl whose family was experiencing serious difficulties. Her father prayed to God for help. She noticed a sign in her parents’ bedroom that read “Prayer changes things.” As she heard her father praying with increasing intensity, she wondered, does prayer really change things? The trouble they faced became a crisis. Her father said nothing, but the next morning, the daughter noticed the sign had been altered. It now read, “Prayer changes me.”

We often talk to our kids about how prayer isn’t just dumping everything you want on Jesus and signing out. Prayer is meant to change us. It’s meant to nourish our souls. It’s meant for us to commune with the Lord so He can leave His divine imprint on us.

There may be times when your circumstances change through prayer, but not always. When you find yourself wondering why your surroundings are the same after much prayer, ask if the Lord needs to refine your heart.

Oftentimes, there are areas of our flesh that need to be starved. This starvation of our flesh isn’t just about the death itself, but about the life that emerges after we have relinquished everything. If Jesus had never defeated death by His resurrection, we wouldn’t have the hope and power of the gospel message; He would simply have been a phenomenal man. Our lives need to reflect the resurrection power, which is essentially the crux of the gospel.

It may be hard to imagine what it looks like for our marriages to be filled with resurrected power and supernatural love found in the nature of Jesus when we have little to no love left for each other. But through prayer, God can fill our hearts—so hardened by unforgiveness or hurt—with overflowing affection and desire. He breathes healing life into us, our walls come down, and the hardness melts away, giving us the grace to walk through difficult times together. Now we see why the need of Him should be what binds and weaves us together. We walk in the supernatural abilities of Jesus.

Jesus is the king of taking your scraps—five loaves and two fish (see Matthew 14:17-20)—and doing something supernatural with whatever you bring Him. Don’t scoff at what you’re holding out to Him; just bring it all. Be amazed at His character. There is no other God like Him. He really does receive the offerings of your broken things and then turn them into something beautiful. Of course, He is worthy of more than just your brokenness, but He will never turn you away.