Dark Seasons Part 1

Right now as I look at the sliding glass door I see a windy and hot summer day. I like this time of year, but I prefer the colder weather. This is the time that my wife and I usually spend more time in our hometowns and more time in the yard with the neighbors. In the great land of Illinois the sun shines through most of the summer and the weather is usually very warm. Even though I love colder weather I do cherish the summer months. It is a great time to get out and do different things.

Even though the sun is shining right now I feel as though internally I am in a different season. I have sensed for some time God calling me to a deeper prayer life than I currently have. One of the links that I have on this site is for Christian Church Today which is a forum that many Preachers and Church Leaders frequent to discus the Christian life and the condition of the Church. Someone recently started a prayer thread that I had been following. Like most of the threads that have to do with prayer they never seem to get a great response or a good conversation going. As I read through this time I had a deeper conviction about prayer and faith than I have ever had before. I realized that I am not where I should be in this area. I realized that I go through ups and downs concerning my time with God. I do not feel ashamed to admit this because I am a Pastor, but I do feel ashamed because I am a child of God with a privilege that I take for granted.

So within myself I feel that I am in a dark season because I am lacking in the continuous flow of God's power in my life. Someone might say "well, that's the Christian life!" Is it? Sure, there are valleys, but I have witnessed many Christians who had a deep prayer life and seemed to conquer those valley's with a greater ease than most of us do. There is something profoundly life changing about a person who spends a good amount of time in prayer. As I read about the Spiritual Disciplines this always comes in at the top. The reason it does I believe is because many have discovered that true power for the spiritual life lies within a dedicated prayer life.

Those who choose to go down a road of connecting with God in greater ways can find themselves a little frustrated because trials and tests seem to follow us as we pursue God in greater ways. Knowing that should help us because before they come we can begin to prepare mentally and spiritually. The only other option for any of us is a Christian Life of going through the motions. I refuse to accept that! Reading through the New Testament I see a faith that was vibrant and dynamic by the Apostles and disciples alike. That is the type of relationship I want with God. That is the type of relationship that God has promised me as his child. Prayer begets a stronger faith and a stronger faith begets a greater desire to pray.

Psalm 34:8 states "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. (NIV)"

I am willing to stand on this verse all summer long. I invite all who read this blog to stand on that verse with me and to learn what a dedicated life of prayer is about and what it can produce. What have you got to lose?