"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
I had a rather obvious realization lately that I thought I'd share with you. As you might suspect, I've been doing a lot of praying lately, related to my upcoming ministry in Germany. I'm praying for humility and energy to serve, I'm praying that God will fill me with his love for the children and staff members with whom I'll be working, and I'm praying that God will provide prayer cover and funds to get me there in August.
My prayers for provision typically sounded something like this: "Father, thank you that you have promised to provide. Please move in the hearts of your people so that they will give."
This seemed reasonable. Until God smacked me upside the head and challenged me to really think about what I was saying. Because what I was really saying was, "God, please make your people realize that I need them to give so that I can go. I know you promised to provide, but let's be real: I'm dependent on their generosity."
This is wrong. I'm not dependent on you or my church or your church to get to Germany--I am dependent only on GOD. As Psalm 121 reminded me, my help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Since he owns everything that he made, why did I think I couldn't trust him completely to provide?
This is so freeing.
My prayers for provision now are more like, "God, thank you for providing, and for giving me a chance to join you in your work. Please give me faith and patience to see how you will provide."
Am I still fundraising? Yes. Am I still asking people to give and to partner with me in my ministry? Of course. But it's not the same. Because I can mail those letters and have those conversations and leave them without feeling pressure. Because if that person wants to give, praise God! And if that person doesn't want to give, praise God! He's going to provide in other ways, and I'm so pumped to see what they are.
So thank you for your prayers, and thank you for giving.
But at the end of the day, I'm just thanking God. This whole thing is really about Him anyway.
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
I had a rather obvious realization lately that I thought I'd share with you. As you might suspect, I've been doing a lot of praying lately, related to my upcoming ministry in Germany. I'm praying for humility and energy to serve, I'm praying that God will fill me with his love for the children and staff members with whom I'll be working, and I'm praying that God will provide prayer cover and funds to get me there in August.
My prayers for provision typically sounded something like this: "Father, thank you that you have promised to provide. Please move in the hearts of your people so that they will give."
This seemed reasonable. Until God smacked me upside the head and challenged me to really think about what I was saying. Because what I was really saying was, "God, please make your people realize that I need them to give so that I can go. I know you promised to provide, but let's be real: I'm dependent on their generosity."
This is wrong. I'm not dependent on you or my church or your church to get to Germany--I am dependent only on GOD. As Psalm 121 reminded me, my help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Since he owns everything that he made, why did I think I couldn't trust him completely to provide?
This is so freeing.
My prayers for provision now are more like, "God, thank you for providing, and for giving me a chance to join you in your work. Please give me faith and patience to see how you will provide."
Am I still fundraising? Yes. Am I still asking people to give and to partner with me in my ministry? Of course. But it's not the same. Because I can mail those letters and have those conversations and leave them without feeling pressure. Because if that person wants to give, praise God! And if that person doesn't want to give, praise God! He's going to provide in other ways, and I'm so pumped to see what they are.
So thank you for your prayers, and thank you for giving.
But at the end of the day, I'm just thanking God. This whole thing is really about Him anyway.
What a great revelation! I think maybe I could do some thinking about the way I pray, too. It's so easy to depend on people and numbers...but God is IT. He's the One that does the work, and His will and timing are perfect. Man, I'm so grateful for the truth that is being spoken into my life already by my fellow TeachBeyonders! :)
ReplyDelete~ Melissa Peters