We should be constantly praying with the knowledge that God knows our need before we ask.   ~~~   Now that it’s Spring, what do many of us find ourselves doing on a sunny afternoon? Spring cleaning! Ok, maybe I should have rephrased that and asked, ‘what SHOULD many of us be doing’? Yes, it’s time for Spring cleaning, but to be honest, if I have a free sunny afternoon, the last thing I want to do is clean. But, there IS something about coming out of winter, with all its cold and dark days, into the beauty and warmth of Spring. You do want to throw the windows open, let the fresh air in, whistle while you work and allow all the woodland creatures to come clean your home like they did for Cinderella! Oh if only that could happen. If you’re like me in this season, honestly, I’m overwhelmed. Maybe you can relate. My heart is still mourning the loss of my Dad, we’ve had many losses around us, people are hurting and life hasn’t slowed down for any of it. In fact, I think it sped up! Now hear me, I am blessed through it all. God’s grace and mercy IS new for me every morning and His goodness is all over my life, still it’s a lot at times. My heart is embracing the beauty of lament and I do find myself praising through the storms. Still, in that place, I’ve felt stuck when it comes to the things I SHOULD be doing, like Spring cleaning! With an honest heart, I wanted to share with you what God has gently led me to in this season, to take some steps forward in areas that I find it difficult to move. It’s three steps. Pray. Purge. Pursue. Write those down if you feel led to. Pray. Purge. Pursue. We can journey together. I’ll dig deeper into each one over the next 3 broadcasts. The thing is, in any season, God wants us to know Him more. He wants us to abide deeper in His presence and as we do, the light of truth shines bright on areas of our lives that may need some attention. As the spirit of God REVEALS, we then are moved to take steps of obedience as we RESPOND to His leading. Then the beautiful thing is our movement or action steps aren’t rooted in comparison, shame or defeat. Our steps are a response to an invitation to move closer to healing, closer to health, closer to God’s will for our lives and ultimately closer to who God has called us to be for such a time as this. So, if you’re ready to join me in this season to take some steps forward, whatever that looks like for you, we begin today with prayer. The first step is to pray till you pray. Make time. Get quiet. Be still. Shut out distractions and take some deep breaths. This is the most important step. If you miss this, you’re motives and movements can be way off. Don’t look to what the world or social media says you need to be doing in this season. What does God say? Psalm 46:10 says ‘be still, and know that I am God’. To hear God’s voice, we must still our own and others. This is the primary focus of the first step. Silence the noise and wait on the Lord to reveal the areas of your heart, life and home that may need attention. Your heart may need time to open. That’s ok too. Words aren’t required when we pray. The spirit intercedes for us, Romans 8:26 tells us and I’m so glad. Often I have no words and I think that’s where God wants us to begin. Just be still. Jesus invites us to come and find rest. In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus gives us His example in how to pray. I love the Lord’s prayer, but it’s the verse right before it that in this season, moves my heart. Matthew 6:7-8 ​​And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you pray till you pray. No words are required, simply a heart open to hear. And if you know me I love words, but God is gently reminding me, I don’t have to even speak. My Father knows what I need before I even ask. Pray. It’s the first step. Your Father already knows what you need, and the process of prayer and listening to His voice is what allows Him to reveal it to you. That’s the truth. God is very present and He wants you to know what steps to take in this season. Be still. Know He is good and He has a good plan for your life and He has good steps for you to take today. Take this first step with me and pray. Together we’ll discover what comes next. I’m Lori Cline.