Earlier this week I felt spiritually
and physically restless so I decided to get outside, stretch my legs and go on
a Pray-To-God-Walk. Honey and I went up a new road after crossing the river and
I immediately began to organize my prayer plans. I felt this was the best time
to pray - I was alone, and since I was so, I believed I could pray for
everything that is on my mind. So after I thought of that, I tried to put
things in order: whom shall I pray for first? There are plenty of prayers I
could pray about myself since I need help with my medical conditions, decisions
I must make when I arrive home, and spiritual growth. Plus, I could pray and
thank God for still having here, walking in the morning’s light. But as I
walked, I thought that I needed to not be self-centered and pray for others
first and then come back to myself later. So, I felt better with this decision except
I didn’t know whom to pray for first. Honey and I had gone at least fifteen
minutes and I had not even prayed once.
I told myself to begin by
praying for those I know personally and for what I know they need God to help
them with. Some need reassurance since they are asking for forgiveness. Others
are lost and need God guide to them. There are even those who need to look
behind themselves and see where they once were with God and where they are now.
I felt better until I began to think which of the people should come first and
why. Of course, that was nonsense, I thought. They all need to be prayed for.
Now, we were at least a mile from the house, climbing the hill, with the goal
to be alone and pray, yet I had only reached one part of the goal: to be alone.
To help myself, I thought,
maybe I should begin by blessing those who have helped me, and not just me, but
those who I know have helped others as well. I thought this wouldn’t take long
since it seemed easier to praise someone instead trying to pray for help for others
who are facing trying times and difficult situations. So, I quickly made a list
of those I want to pray for. But soon, like before, the list was so long I didn’t
know where to begin. So many have made it possible for me to be here today, and
those, along with an uncountable amount of others from all over the world, pray
for me everyday and for my well-being, spiritual growth, friendship, and
forgiveness.
After at least an hour, my
prayers were still inside me. I had not begun to pray for anyone in need of
God, or anyone I wanted to pray for, or even just for me. In frustration, I threw
my arms in the air, wondering what I was going to do next. What I wanted to do
is do what the Apostle Paul tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray
without ceasing…”, but I had not even started!
Finally, in desperation, I
prayed. I prayed and followed more words from Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God.” I prayed for everything I
wanted plus more and didn’t go by any lists or focus on the categories I
thought needed to be prayed for separately. I realized that I didn’t need a
plan with preconceived notions to pray to God but instead, simply pray. Every
word I used, every thought I had, He understood. That is what He wanted all
along, for me to just be with Him and for me to know He is always with me.
My Pray-To-God-Walk reminded
me of the poster, Footprints, I haven’t seen for years, the one which tells of
how Jesus was walking next to one walking on the beach, leaving his footprints.
But when the one walking learned what God silently was teaching, the footprints
disappeared. As I walked through the last river, I noticed that it were only my
feet that made a splash. Without being surprised, I knew God was with me and I
learned what He wanted me to.
