Hey, glad you’re here! As we wrap up the first of our two weeks studying “send me,” I want to do something a little different. I hope you’ll join me.
We started this week’s reading learning that to pray for God to do something for us (though good and needed) isn’t enough. Our goal is to add “Christ-centered” prayers that ask God what we can do for Him. Let’s take a quick assessment of our prayers and motivations!
Prayer Assessment:
On an index card, piece of paper or in your journal …
- List what you’ve prayed for this week.
- Consider and label each as either “self-centered”
OR “Christ-centered/God-glorifying.”
- Which do your prayers most fall under?
As you evaluate, please know the purpose is NOT to cause shame or guilt. Rather, this is simply to open our eyes to where we’re at and where God may be calling us to grow. We all have room for growth, myself included!
Motivations Assessment:
On the first day of study, Kendra asked which dangerous prayer you’re most excited to learn to pray and why. Here are the top five reasons given for “send me”:
- To be used by God as a blessing to others.
- To break your fears of the unknown and of “man.”
- To step out of your comfort zone.
- To know where/what God wants you to go/do.
- To hear God.
What motivates you to pray “send me”? Write it out. Hang onto your "why." Use it to fuel your prayers, but also beware! Our excitement is not everlasting like our God. Excitement only takes us so far. Thankfully, Craig gave us three additional “fuels” to focus on!
Three “Fuels” for Our “Send Me” Prayers:
- Growing Our Trust in God - Time spent getting to know God (like we did in this week’s BSC studying His attributes) fills our trust tanks. Having full trust in God fuels our prayers and propels us forward on the path(s) He calls us to.
- Embracing God’s Holiness/Recognizing Our Sinfulness - Like Craig Groeschel writes in Dangerous Prayers, “We will see our sinfulness in full only when we embrace God’s holiness” (p.128). Accepting and holding onto how good God is, and how good we’re not, fuels our willingness to follow His plan over ours.
- Grasping God’s Grace - Our awareness of our sinfulness leads us to a fuller understanding of the grace God extends through forgiveness. As Craig points out, “There is nothing better to fuel your prayer life than a deep appreciation for God’s grace” (p.130).
Friend, these are faith-filled fuels that last! Motivators we need because God’s work in our lives was never meant to stop at forgiveness. Like Craig reminds us:
“The same God who has forgiven you has also called you and chosen you.” (p.131)
Will you tap into these fuels to answer God’s call?
I’m in it with you!
Kat
Let’s Reflect!
What did you discover through the prayer assessment above? What fuels you to pray “send me”?