Last month, we focused on praying more. We did this, not only as a team but also as individuals. One of my favorite things we saw in Africa is the power and reliance of prayer. I have the desire to grow deeper in my prayer life. Life is better when you are in constant contact with God throughout day.
We had a discussion on why we say “Amen” at the end of a prayer. I had never thought about it before, so I decided to look up the definition. The definition of amen means “so be it.” It sounds so causal because what I bring to God’s attention is a big deal, so saying “so be it” didn’t sit right with me. We always put a lot of pressure on God. I want my prayer request to be answered within a time frame. Maybe it didn’t sit right with me because it questions how much I trust God. How you trust people on Earth is a reflection of how well you trust God. When we do that, we are putting God in a box.
When we give our prayer request or burdens to God that is where it should stay. “So be it” is saying- I trust God enough to be the almighty God he is and handle it. No matter what the outcome is I will choose to trust that He always has the best plan for me.
God never asked us to fix our problems or to fix others. I didn’t notice how much I try to do that. I tend to pray about it and then take matters into my own hands to get the outcome that I want. Doing that makes it seem as if I know better than God does. He wants us to depend on Him. He wants us to trust and know that He has the best possible plan for us. He is always present, always watching and taking action when we need it most. Even when we don’t see it.
So, this month I have been giving things to God and fully surrendering them. As human beings we still have to break the habits that we created. I find myself occasionally doing things out of a habit and not out of logic or emotion. I have to keep choosing His understanding again and again. Once I lay down my understanding, I got to see God work in so many ways. I encourage everyone to give God that chance because He will never let you down. From this point moving forward I give my family, friends, and my future to God. Whatever the future holds “so be it.”
