Prayer Changes Things... Sometimes!

Back in September, I wrote a blog post about how the Lord immediately answered a prayer I had prayed for my husband. In that post (which can be found here), I wrote about the power of prayer. It is very true - prayer is incredibly powerful. We are communicating to the God who can do more than we can even comprehend. So, yes, prayer is powerful and that is something we must always remember and cling to.

I'm sure you have heard the expression "prayer changes things," and while that is a popular saying - I want to share a story about how praying changed me more than the "things." My husband and I have been wrestling with an issue for a couple of months now and in the midst of my frustration I arose early and vented to the Lord about everything I was struggling with in regards to my husband and our marriage. I had prayed about these things before, but this was a sit down, journal everything out type of prayer. As the day continued, I began to notice a change in my husband and I even laughed and quietly prayed, "Wow, Lord, You are really on a roll!" I pridefully (although I didn't realize it was prideful at the time) thought He was really moving in my husband, and that's when I realized He had not changed my husband -- He had changed me! I am sure my prayers for my husband haven't hurt any, but the real change going on was inside of my own heart. The Lord whispered, "I'm changing your perspective - not the situation."

Isn't that just like God?! We go Him with our list of complaints, frustrations, and pleas and He chooses to change us rather than our circumstances! I thought my husband was changing, but as I reexamined the day: nothing was different other than my heart. I had poured out everything to the Lord and He was holding me tightly, teaching me invaluable lessons, and giving me the peace that passes all understanding. My frustrations evaporated in the midst of His love and grace.

What if, rather than calling up a friend to get "their advice" or talking to my husband about all my emotions (for the millionth time) I always went to the Lord first and journaled out every single thing? Where I spelled out, to Him alone, what exactly was bothering me and why. How different would my conversations be with my husband? My friends? How often would those issues that can keep me up at night be simply put to rest?  

The neat thing for me, was that all of that happened on Saturday, but then on Sunday my husband and I had an hour without the children and we got into a discussion about our issue (I don't have his permission yet to share it, but it isn't anything immoral or that serious between us, but rather an outside stressor. Think along the lines of: work, ministry commitments, time management issues, etc.). We weren't planning on having that conversation, but rather it just sort of came up. While I did cry (I'm in my third trimester, so that's my excuse), I didn't share with him all the things I had journaled to the Lord simply because they weren't issues for me anymore. The Lord had changed me and so we were able to have a focused discussion. If this conversation had happened before I went before the Lord with all of my emotions, I am sure I would have said things that weren't necessary and it would have been a heated discussion rather than a simple conversation. I am so thankful the Lord changed me before our little talk.

So, yes, prayer changes things... sometimes, but more often than not, prayer changes me. And for that, I am very grateful! How does your prayer life change you?