Let’s call this “The Power of a Praying Wife” … oh yeah that’s already been done. Umm, how about “The Power of a Praying Woman Who Didn’t Want to Pray, But She Did It Anyway and It Was Awesome”. Now that is much more like it except that the editors are going to make me condense it. (Wink)
There have been moments throughout my life when I have been discontent. I say “moments” because that is just how long it takes for the enemy to whisper something in my ear that seems so true that I decide to hold onto it and make it my own. Sometimes it’s an offense towards my husband or my kids. Sometimes when I feel trapped in the middle of my circumstances the enemy suggests to me that God has forgotten me and maybe I should take matters into my own hands. It is in these moments that I choose to refute the enemy or to entertain him in the quiet world of my thoughts. But soon thoughts become attitudes.
Thanksgiving is a time when we are to reflect upon all that we have and to give thanks to God and to the ones we love for their impact in our lives. But if we have accepted the enemy’s lie as truth in our heart, then we have begun to adopt an attitude of neediness. Neediness chokes out gratitude.
How can I appreciate my husband when I am rehearsing his weaknesses? How can I praise my children when I am consumed with their childishness? And, how can I praise God when I believe that He has failed me? When I am too busy focusing on the dirt I miss the flowers. The ginormous log in my eye is blinding me from seeing the true perspective. It all comes down to one question I have to ask my heart. “Is God good or not?”
I’m hesitant to tell this story because I have an amazing husband who I am very proud of, and I don’t want to dishonor him. But I am sharing it with his permission to show how deceived we can become when we allow ourselves a moment to ponder a lie.
“He’s so selfish.” The venomous voice hissed as I picked up the dishes left next to my husband’s favorite chair. I paused to consider the dirty clothes left on the bathroom floor and added to the poisonous pot, “He just doesn’t respect me”. The words began to penetrate all that I knew to be true about my better half. My mind changed as did my attitude. I was no longer believing the best about him. Instead, I was gathering proof to solidify my case against him in the recesses of my thoughts. He was guilty until he could prove himself innocent.
In times like these, when we become consumed with ourselves as I was, prayer isn’t the first thing we want to do. My pride got in the way. My bad attitude got in the way. And lies clouded my vision to see my husband through God’s eyes. That is until I got angry. I wasn’t angry with my husband anymore. I was angry at my real enemy the devil who was threatening to steal from me. I determined that if there was something in my husband or in my marriage that needed to be changed, then whining to God or anyone else wasn’t going to change it. I put on my Holy Spirit armor and set out for battle in prayer.
Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God.”
Thanksgiving shifts our focus off of ourselves and opens our hearts to see the truth of God’s word. Once our attitude changes the Holy Spirit can show us the log in our own eye…the one that is usually causing most of our problems. I saw amazing things in my husband too … after I began to change, of course.
I saw his affections turn towards me more tenderly. I saw him grow more passionate towards God. On several occasions he stopped what he was doing to pray over me when I told him about my bad day. And that is just the beginning of how God has answered my prayers.
Luke 11:9 says, “… keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:13, “If you sinful people know how to give GOOD GIFTS to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”(emphasis mine).
I am an “everyone” and so are you. If you don’t feel like you have much to be thankful about this holiday then ask yourself, “ Am I doing more complaining than praying?” Maybe it’s time to start asking, seeking, knocking, and believing that He is good. Don’t give up and don’t give in to the lies of the “moment”. Throw out that ugly attitude that you have been wearing and slip into something more thankful. It’s your choice to experience “The Power of a Praying Woman Who Didn’t Want to Pray, But She Did It Anyway and It Was Awesome”!
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing!! I needed that today!
I think the line “neediness chokes out gratitude” will be with me for awhile.
I love and appreciate your heart for your family.
You have so much to offer, Rebecca!
I think it’s so cool you’re willing to share and be real. What you guys offer here is amazing and so needed in such a masked culture we all live in.
This was exactly what I needed to hear today. Thanks!
Sweet Rebecca,
Your beautiful smile reflects your beautiful heart!! Thanks for sharing from your heart – You are awesome!!
Love you, Tomi
As today marks my 14th wedding anniversary with my husband, this blog really hit home for me on so many levels. Thank you for your amazing heart to share and touch other peoples lives with your stories.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m so thankful for you! Thank you for your friendship. I appreciate your honesty and desire to just be real.
Rebecca,
This is so true and so timely. I love how God is so good, regardless of when and if we choose to see Him that way. Love your heart!
I personally like your blog title, even if it would take up four lines to fit it in. [hee, hee].
You know, the enemy is so good at accusations that unless our spirits are on guard 24/7, we will sometimes not feel the sting of the bow that was slung at us and let the poison on the enemy’s words soak into our souls…and that’s when thanksgiving shifts easily to complaining.
Thanks for the reminder to pray, pray, pray! And to NOT give up and don’t give in to the lies of the “moment”.
Well done, Rebecca!
Rebecca,
Beatiful!! My new life motto,”neediness chokes out gratitude.” Such great words to reflect on this Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for you and the friendship we have! Love you!
I love the line, “When I am too busy focusing on the dirt I miss the flowers.” Good stuff.
I love the way when I read this on my phone I don’t know who the author is until I am finished! Loved seeing your sweet face at the end! Great. And I agree with the line about being too busy with the dirt we miss the flowers! You hit the mark with this one. Thanks for letting us learn from you!
Rebecca,
I LOVED this post! I am going to share it on FB… I needed this wisdom, and I think it will bless many other hearts as well!
Bless you, my friend!
I am thankful for you
Rebecca, thanks for your transparency in sharing a story that I think every one of us can relate to…those times when we listen to the lies and let our thoughts go downhill. I like the end of that passage in Philippians 4 that says, whatever is true, noble, right…pure, lovely, admirable…excellent or praiseworthy,think about such things.
I am thankful for your beautiful gift of writing and your friendship! Love you. Happy Thanksgiving!
just read this, sooooooo good! And oh, how I can relate. Really encouraging to press on and press in in prayer. And encourages us to pray about everything, especially when we are hearing the enemy’s voice in our head telling us how our stinkin thinkin is validated! Instead of letting it brew we should RUN to our prayer closet! Good stuff!
Thank you for sharing your heart and being vulnerable. It spoke to me in a powerful way. When I have struggled in this area I have lost focus on the fact the enemy is attempting to rob from me and I tend to focus on my failure and than feel shame. Thank you for pointing me to the truth.
Thanks fro the refreshing afternoon jolt! Love you and have missed seeing you. Perhaps tomorrow at our local meeting spot? I’ll be the one behind the bar steaming your drink of choice!
You all are a blessing to me. Thank you for your sweet words.