Hello everyone,
Today I chose one of the pages from my Faith journal to share with you with an encouraging message I have learnt a few years ago.
One of my favourite Bible stories is that of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-18. This woman had been wronged and she wanted justice so she went to the only person who she knew could grant her justice- the judge of that town. The Bible describes the judge as a man who neither feared God nor man and he did not care about what people thought. Despite the judge coming across as not a very approachable person, this widow kept going to him with the same plea over and over again. At first, he just ignored her but this did not make her give up. She kept going to him until he finally gave in and granted her wish just because of her persistence.
A dictionary definition of the word "persist" is "to continue in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition."
This same word comes up again in Romans 12:12 in one of Paul's letters and it urges us to rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction and to also be persistent in prayer.
As children of God, prayer is a very important part of our spiritual lives not just because we get to pour out our hearts to God and ask Him for all the things we want or think we need, but it is also an opportunity to listen to what God has to say to us.
We can never be able to communicate like this with our heavenly Father if we do not make praying a habit. Unlike the judge from Jesus' parable, our heavenly Father is a good Father, very approachable, loving, merciful and He knows what we want even before we say a word. So why hesitate to talk to Him?
This was a parable Jesus told his disciples to illustrate to them about their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.
We all have burdens and we all go through trials and temptations. It is all part of the Christian journey. Jesus never said it was going to be easy but that it was all going to be worth it.
So in times of happiness and joy, pray.
In times of sorrow and pain, pray.
When you feel like God is silent, pray.
When you feel exhausted, anxious, depressed or tired, pray about it.
Let us be encouraged today that we serve a prayer-answering God who cares about us and He cares about our needs so keep praying even in the days of adversity because He is for us and He will surely answer us according to His riches in glory.
"Pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."
Ephesians 6:18
Thank you for reading
I hope you have a wonderful day
God bless you
Joan ❤️
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