Today I have a kindred spirit sharing with y’all on the blog! Karin not only lives close by but she loves the Lord AND junkin’ makeovers!!!! You will love her wise words and these three tips to help cultivate the habit of prayer. Friends, prayer will change your walk with God more than any other thing I know. If you find your faith stagnant please take note of these attributes and add them to the mix, you will not be disappointed in the growth you see. Don’t forget to visit Karin and say hi, plus get some great DIY ideas while you are there!
3 Tips to Cultivate the Habit of Prayer
“Was everything black and white in the olden days?”
“Are my cookies done ‘loading’ yet?”
“Why is your tummy so big?”
These are just a few of the 472 questions my daughter asks me daily. With big blue eyes, she glares up at me in anxious expectation for answers.
One day as my ears were a little sore, I wondered why she asked me so many questions. Then, it occurred to me that maybe I shouldn’t complain. After all, she asks because she’s comfortable around me. She asks because she trusts me with even the silliest of questions. She asks because she knows nothing can change my deep love for her.
Even when she got too close to the ant pile or touched my hot Chi iron, she still came to me for help. Both times I had warned her emphatically but guilt never trumped her need for me. She knew that I was her source of help, comfort and an Elsa Band-Aid, even in the wake of disobedience.
We see the same kind of relationship between David and the Lord. In spite of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband, he was still called a ‘man after God’s own heart.’
What was it about David that afforded him this amazing title?
In 1 Samuel 23:2, God tells David to attack the Philistines. After telling his buddies, David becomes fearful of taking on such a formidable adversary and was honest with God about his fear. The Lord responds and reassures David that He will hand over the Philistines to David.
Sure enough, David attacked the Philistines and defeated them in battle. Through David’s relationship with God, we can learn so much about cultivating a habit of prayer:
- David Was Transparent- God already knows when we step in the ant pile. He’s fully aware if we touch the hot Chi iron. Instead of hiding behind our personal fig leaves of shame, God wants glass-like transparency because He already sees the condition of our hearts.
When we become embarrassed or ashamed, we exercise a form of pride or self-preservation because the focus is still on ourselves. Pride didn’t prevent David from going to God with his fear. When we are honest with God, we can enjoy the freedom, comfort and healing that can only come from Him.
- David Gave His Fear To God– “ In spite of his fear in facing a larger, mightier army, David handed over his doubts to God. Fear is simply unbelief left unchecked. Doubt is the root of fear but courage is found in knowing that God is Who He says He is.
“Lord I do believe but help me unbelief” (Mark 9:24) are words I pray on a regular basis. So many times, I doubt His goodness and his ability to control even the messiest of situations. The first step towards belief is sharing our doubts with Him, no matter how blatant.
3. David Walked in Faith– “ David didn’t know how God would help them overcome the Philistines, but he knew He would. In the same way, David didn’t grasp how God would deal with the problem of sin but he knew God would.
He certainly wasn’t aware that his descendant would be the Son of God and would be the eternal sacrifice for the sin of mankind. However, because of His faith in God, we have 73 psalms of David that transport us to what it’s like to believe God in every extremity of the human experience. David walked out his faith, knowing that God had his best interests at heart.
David dealt more intimately with God the Father than anyone else in the pages of Scripture, with the exception of Christ. David loved God and lived like a man loved by God.
May we, like David, believe that God is who He says He is. May we approach the throne of grace with confidence and curl up in the lap of our Father with honest questions on our lips and a deep love for Him in our hearts.
Friends…you have to stop by Karin’s blog and check it out. She is a delight and loves a good furniture flip so I know you will LOVE her! You can check out her blog here: Renovated Faith
Monday mornings are brighter because of your words. ???? Be praying about doing an opening for us at CBS this yr. Anytime I read one of your messages I think that. God uses your words to stir hearts.
Thank you Di! It’s been truly a privilege to write a guest post for Kim. I’m so fortunate for bloggers like her to look up to.
you are silly – you are so awesome!!!!
You are so sweet, I would love to do that!
Thanks for the reminder it really help me to examine myself. To God be the glory
Me too 🙂
Thank you for the beautiful reminders about David and his faith. Great start to a Monday morning ..
Karin is so wise!
You are too kind! May we all have the same child-like faith as David. I would get myself into far less trouble if I just trusted that God is who He says He is and does what He says He will do.
This spoke SO MUCH to me. My family has been in a time of HUGE transition (moving from a small town in NC that I lived for my whole life – 38 years – to College Station, TX) and I have been so filled with peace throughout the entire process. I attribute that to the Holy Spirit! I have prayed more in the last year than I ever have…spent more time in His word than in my entire life…and just talked to him through every phase. When I start to have those doubts and see anxiety in my life, I just take it to Him. It is SUCH a relief to stop and remind myself that I am a chosen child of God….He is protection and providing for me because he promised to and I have to turn back to TRUSTING that!! Praise God that I stumbled upon your blog!
Welcome to town, it’s always nice to meet a neighbor! We have a special place in our heart for NC! I couldn’t agree with you more, when we bath our time and worries in the word we are so refreshed, thank you for reminding me to stay soaked!!! SO glad you are here!