Dark Seasons Part 2

How do you feel when you approach God? Have you every thought about how you approach Him and what your attitude is like during that time? I think everyone needs to think about how they approach God in prayer because I am seeing in the Bible that our approach matters to God. Sometimes I will admit I approach God like a timid child who is begging for candy! I don't know why I get this way, but sometimes I forget how important I am to Him. I think many Christians are like this. I don't know where it started, but it permeates the Church like Small Pox.

I am seeing in the Bible that God wants me to be strong and bold. I know just saying that sounds Charismatic or Pentecostal, but its true. There is something powerful that happens when any person becomes bold in prayer and truly seeks God. My grandfather was a Pentecostal Preacher and the one thing that I learned from him about the Christian life is to learn to be bold in prayer. His boldness did not help him to gain riches in this life, but his boldness helped him to be rich in faith and to experience God in greater ways. Sometimes I would go over to his house as a young Christian to listen to his stories of prayer. These stories have been motivators for me lately and a good reminder of the power of God in the life of a diligent Christian.

Maybe you even think that being bold before God can seem a little arrogant. That is not so! Think about how you would feel as a parent if your own child came to you in a timid way for everything they wanted. You would probably think that it was very odd. Timidity can hold us back from approaching God with boldness and experiencing Him at greater and deeper levels. Psalm 86:1-2 in the NIV says "Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you." That is what boldness looks like. Those who learn to be bold will move forward with God.

One of the greatest rewards I have seen with those who have learned to be bold with God is that they truly have a peace that surpasses understanding. In the last few years of his life my grandfather had a peace like that. I believe all of us want to have a peace and contentment with God that we talk about, but do not have. It starts with prayer. It starts by making a decision that you are tired of feeling like you are in the darkness. It is taking that decision and following through with set times of prayer everyday. We are losing too much ground in our Churches, homes, families, and spiritual lives and it is time to be bold. If you remain in the darkness as a Christian it will not be because God willed it to be, it will be because you did not decide to take action.