Habits

There are a lot of things about myself that I would like to change. Things that range from how I interact with people to very personal things such as where my thoughts are directed and how intent my prayers are. To try to change all of these (many) things at once would only result in failure. I'll take it one at a time. Prayer is first.

I feel like I am in a spiritual slump as of late. For some, they wouldn't know what I mean b/c they have never had a spiritual high. Well, let me honestly tell you, when I am in tuned with what my Heavenly Father wants for me and can feel his love, and am living like I should, doing all that I have been asked to do, I am happy. Nothing made on this earth by man can bring this happiness. It is when I concentrate on the spiritual that I feel good, motivated, happy, healthy, focused.

Why is it so hard to change? We are creatures of habit. Unfortunately, this means that when we develop bad habits they stick, just like the good ones.

So here goes my Better Prayer Campaign. I need to put forth more effort into my prayers. This is more important than I realize, I think. All that I have, all that brings me joy in my life, has been given to me by God. Why don't I sincerely thank Him more? Why, at the end of the night, can I not remember all the things that I was blessed with that day?

Some of my favorite words on the subject of prayer are written in the Bible Dictionary, at the back of the Bible published by my church. It reads:

"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

I forget this relationship. God is our father. He wants me to be happy, just as I want my own children to be happy. He would do anything for me, he has done so much for me already. He knows me so well, but do I know Him? This paragraph reminds me of some fundamental things that I am failing to remember. It was a good reminder for me today.