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Aug 05, 2024 06:00am

Let’s Talk

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There’s just something about talking it out that brings relief, peace, clarity, resolution, solutions, motivation, reconciliation, and understanding.

My husband and I spend an hour every morning drinking our coffee and talking about life. Our plans, our ideas, our dreams, our struggles, the challenges we are facing, and questions we have. Talking it out doesn’t always mean we find an answer to the problem, but we know we have someone to share the load with and fight the battle together.

The same can be said at work. When we have an issue, plan, or idea, what do we do? We call a meeting. Let’s get all of our heads together and talk this out. Many times, those other minds think differently than I do and provide a great perspective on areas I haven’t thought about. We may not always be rid of the problem or have the perfect solution, but we know we have the support of one another as we face what’s ahead.

Maybe you need someone who’s not a part of the situation or your life to listen and provide guidance. Counselors/therapists offer a much needed service for our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. Sometimes it’s just a relief knowing that someone is listening, really hearing you, and not judging you. You are able to open up and share in ways you aren’t able to with others.

Who’s that one person you text or call when something happens? You just have to share the news with them. Or you need their advice or listening ear to the problem you’re facing. You know they are always ready when you say, “let’s talk.”

Acts 4:23-31

“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

As soon as John and Peter were released by the Jewish Sanhedrin, they went to their friends, their family, their partners in service, and said, let’s talk. They shared all that had transpired, but it didn’t end there. They didn’t grab their weapons and storm the temple. They didn’t plan a protest and burn down the city. They didn’t take to the media outlets and rant about their injustice and mistreatment.

They prayed.

Why?

Because they knew the Father was listening. They knew that prayer was their communication with God and by talking it out with Him, they would find relief, peace, clarity, resolution, solutions, motivation, reconciliation, and understanding.

Notice their prayer.

– They started with praise.
– Then they shared the problem they faced.
– They didn’t ask for God to remove it or destroy the people, but they asked for boldness to proclaim the truth.
– They asked for His power to be used through them so that He might be glorified.

And the place was shaken.

This word “shaken” wasn’t metaphorical. It was literal. They felt the very presence of God with them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. And their prayer was answered. He gave them boldness to preach.

When our prayers are according to God’s will and not selfish desires, we can move mountains!

What’s your prayer life like? Have we been “shaken” lately? Or have we tried to go about it our own way? Or maybe we’ve prayed but it’s just been more about going through the motions lately.

God is waiting and He’s saying to you “let’s talk”. He’s ready to hear and ready to empower you to do His will.

It’s time to pray.

For our nation, leaders, families, education system, churches, pastors, missionaries, plans for the future, situations we are facing, the needs we have, the desires of our heart, all of it.

We need to fall on our face before God following the example of the disciples.

Starting with praise, sharing the problems we face, asking God for the power and boldness to face the problem if it’s not removed so that He might be glorified.

Do you need someone to listen? Let’s turn our hearts to the Lord today in prayer.

And let the place we are gathered be shaken!