By Jacqui – One of God’s Intercessors
In my prayer closet you will find two of my favorite Bibles, a bookcase full of books on all aspects of prayer and several prayer journals. I’ve discovered a new depth in my relationship with God as an intercessor all within the pages of my prayer journals.
When I first began using a prayer journal, years ago, they were quite different than they are today. In the beginning they held a few thoughts and prayers, maybe a scripture or two. Today, they hold a treasure that expresses my relationship with God both in prayer and in my faith walk.
I write this today, to share quite honestly with you that in the beginning, I didn’t realize how many prayers God was truly answering. I didn’t realize for a few reasons. First, God often answers prayers in ways that I never even thought about. The Creator of the Universe is often quite creative in answering prayer! Next, in developing as an intercessor, I didn’t always stop and think about what I had actually prayed. (Sad, but true. I was learning.) Finally, I prayed so often that I forgot that I had even prayed about a certain event in someone’s life. (Don’t judge. Remember, I had to learn.)
God knows his intercessors and he directed me to prayer journals. Now, I can look back and know without a doubt that a prayer was answered! Oftentimes, when something occurs, I will suddenly think, “I know I prayed about that.” Sure enough, there it is in my prayer journal. God has given me a gift, in reminding me, of exactly what I prayed and how he, in his infinite wisdom, answered that prayer in a way that perhaps was unexpected.
Seeing the amazing answers the Lord brings and how faithful he has been over and over again have strengthened my faith. It has taught me to understand that I can pray, believing God for the answer, before it ever comes. Our prayers change when we pray believing God for the answer. Trust in the Lord is deepened because we know the answer often comes differently than we expected. Yet, God is always in the answer.
The Lord has amazed me over and over again at how he goes before me, seeing and knowing a future circumstance that I do not. His answers are so much better than my prayers. But, without my prayer journal, I might have never discovered that.
Dear friend, I urge you to go get a prayer journal today. Write some of your own prayers in it. It’s yours. It’s personal between you and God. No one else need ever read it, but you. But, when you do, prepare to be amazed at what God is about to reveal to you through your written prayers. P.S. You may still pray many prayers that are never written down. But, just a few will make all the difference.