Two Prayers

When I pray, "Jesus, rescue me, take me away from these troubles. Remove me from this hardship," I am limiting myself. When I pray, instead, "Jesus, equip me in this situation to be wiser, stronger, more at peace, more content, more joyful..." then I am open to sanctification, to maturing, to becoming an adult in Christ. I am putting aside the simpler, youthful things and embracing what I was made for - bearing fruit.

It's easy to pray the first prayer. It's my initial reaction. It's simple. It's simplistic. It's from my flesh. But God wants me to grow. He's teaching me. He hasn't given up on me and so He allows trials, but really they aren't trials, rather opportunities. Teaching moments. I can either resort to the immature, "Get me outta here!" or "Give me what I need to learn, survive, thrive and bring others along!"

Resorting to the first prayer leads to resentment, doubt, self-pity. "Why aren't you doing what I asked God! You're not living up to MY expectations."

Resting in the second prayer is exercise. It is hard. It stretches me. My faith (or lack of it), my confidence (In my Creator vs. in myself), takes me out of my comfort-zone. But in the end...after the trust-building and equipping...I am stronger. It's the better way. Now if only I would eat these words - they would become a part of my body and soul!