Psalm 66

I am thankful that prayer changes everything.

I fell asleep on the way home last night.  Yes, on the train.  With a random person sitting next to me.  I was exhausted.  I was stressed about our upcoming audit at work next week.  I didn't feel like praying.  I showed up at church anyway.  Every other Wed night a group meets to pray for our generation and the next generation.  Honestly, I didn't really feel like it, but I knew it's where I needed to be.

We read 2 Corinthians 1 and someone prayed for us.  We separated and I got on my knees and begged God to soften my heart.  I pleaded with Him to take a way the things in my heart that were keeping me so bitter and unhappy.

Here's the amazing thing.  He did!
He showed up.  My heart beat a little faster.  I spent some time confessing the junk in my life.  I asked God to speak to me about how He wants us to work in this generation.  I was struck at how often we are trying to fix things and people, leaving little room for God to do His work.  As I prayed, I heard Him reinforce to me that our job is to praise Him - to live fully in the joy He gives us and to show others that joy!  When we're doing this, He works through us to meet the needs of the people around us and draw them to Him.

So I praised Him, because that's all I could do.  I opened my Bible to the Psalms and came across Psalm 66.   I encourage you to read it!  For now, here are some of the verses that stuck out to me:
vs. 3-4 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! 
   So great is your power 
   that your enemies cringe before you. 
 All the earth bows down to you; 
   they sing praise to you, 
   they sing praise to your name.” 

vs. 5 Come and see what God has done, 
   how awesome his works in man’s behalf! 

vs. 10-12  For you, O God, tested us; 
   you refined us like silver. 
 You brought us into prison 
   and laid burdens on our backs. 
You let men ride over our heads; 
   we went through fire and water,    but you brought us to a place of abundance.

vs. 16-20 Come and listen, all you who fear God; 
   let me tell you what he has done for me. 
 I cried out to him with my mouth; 
   his praise was on my tongue. 
 If I had cherished sin in my heart, 
   the Lord would not have listened; 

 but God has surely listened 
   and heard my voice in prayer. 
 Praise be to God, 
   who has not rejected my prayer 
   or withheld his love from me!

And in Psalm 63:5 it says My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; 

   with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

In that moment I can honestly say I was fully satisfied with God.  In Him I have all that I need.  I pray that I can keep that attitude.  It's so tempting for me to think I won't be satisfied until this or that happens - to listen to the lie that I'm not complete unless I accomplish this, I'm not whole until I find "the one" (yeah, that's a toughie and a constant battle.)  But the truth is - I lack absolutely nothing!

I walked out of that room with a heart full of praise.  The bitterness, frustration and anxiety were gone.  Prayer changes everything and I am so glad that's the truth.