Pray All The Harder

Okay, we see crisis everywhere! Everywhere! We try to go about our day fruitful and law-abiding and the end of the day brings news of more atrocities. More evil. More of the unbelievable acts of terror. The blood pressure starts to rise a bit. Anxiety starts to rise.

Then I remember. I remember Jesus. I remember the scriptures that speak to trials and tribulations in this world. When our first parents chose to disobey God they opened the door to the knowledge of good and evil. God didn’t desire this for us. It was all about choice.

Merriam-Webster defines choice as: the act of choosing; the act of picking or deciding between two or more possibilities.

There you have it.

So, now what do we do with all this evil abounding in every corner of the world? Paul has a word for us. Paul had experience with evil. His past included the chasing and destroying of Christians. That is until Jesus spoke to Him in a blinding light. He would never be the same. He is the writer of our God inspired scripture today.

Rejoice! Rejoice in and with hope. And our hope? Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God. God’s word not only tells us what He will do with evildoers but time and again throughout Biblical history He has followed through.

Patient! Ah! There is the hard part. Patience is a great virtue if you can find it. I have trouble finding it. We personally do not have the ability to stop the evil things going on. Our options? We can be in a continued state of turmoil and anxiety or we can be patient. Shall we choose patience?

My favorite part of this passage. Finally! The one thing we can do and do well! Talk to God! I like The Message version, “Pray all the harder.” Now there is something all believers can do. Just simply talk to our God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. Talk honestly. He knows our fears. He knows the words we are afraid to speak out loud. He knows the source of our frustration. He knows everything about us. We are safe with Him. He hears every sigh, He catches every tear that falls. He knows our concerns about the future of our children and grandchildren. Lest we forget…Our future is eternity with God.

So let us get to it. Praying without ceasing. Lifting our voices. Praying all the harder. Rejoicing with hope and patience in tribulation as we wait on our Father.

Scripture For Today:
Romans 12:12
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; (KJV)
Cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder (The Message)

Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! We praise Your Holy name. We desire continuing daily with hope and rejoicing no matter what we see or hear. We lift our voices to You in fervent prayer for our country and for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted worldwide. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All rights reserved.