The Missing Ingredient

So, there is a story in the annals of the Barefoot Hippie Girl about the occasion I made brownies without eggs. (Which should be differentiated from the time I made brownies without sugar. Brownies and I didn’t have a good relationship for a while there.)

These brownies were a nice, rich, chocolaty brown, flat rock. After earnestly attempting to cut them into wedges, we ended up burying them in the vegetable garden. Where they probably are still in a non-deteriorated state.

I bet I could dig them up, but that might freak out the current residents. So, I will let sleeping brownies lie.

Suffice it to say, brownies are not brownies without eggs. Eggs are essential to their makeup. Essential.

A life and ministry without prayer is rather like brownies without eggs. It might look okay, but something essential is missing. It isn’t able to be used as it was intended. It is harder than it is supposed to be.

I have been seeking rest and refreshment the past month or so. God keeps weaving this theme in my heart and life. And I know where I need to go to be refreshed. I need to go to God’s Word and to God Himself. God is my source of living water. Anything else can be a broken cistern.

Prayer is the key ingredient that is often missing in my life. I have been battening down the hatches, but not calling out to God. Not the way I should.

I think it is ironic that all Christians know about the discipline of prayer. We theoretically know the power of prayer. We know we should pray.

I find that when life gets busy, prayer is the first thing to be abbreviated or to go. My goal is to pray with my kids every school morning, on our knees, before school starts. We pray for friends. We worship God. We thank God for our blessings.

But, if I have a busy day, prayer is the practice that gets skipped. “Just start your reading…”

It is struggle to pray privately also. It takes time. It takes concentration. Most of my prayer time is either while I’m exercising or with my kids. This is honesty, ladies.

Yet, what part of our lives don’t need bathed and undergirded in prayer? Child raising? Ministering to others? Writing blogs? Teaching? 

All areas of our life function more in line with how God intends when we pray about them.

So, here is what I know about prayer in my life, and in ministry.

1. Prayer is most effective when I am at the end of myself, and relying completely upon God. It is looking to God for enabling and help. When I am relying on God in prayer and not manipulating things, God has room to work. My ministry and my life become a whole lot easier.

2. Prayer unites. Some of my most memorable times of prayer are before Mr. Hippie and I embark on ministry. I always pray with Mr. Hippie before he preaches. And we pray together before we teach. I love praying with Mr. Hippie. It is a joint effort undergirding our joint effort. And, we need to pray together more often.

3. Prayer softens our hearts and makes us more in tune with God’s plan. Prayer often brings us to a point of brokenness and vulnerability before God. It removes the facades and leaves the guts.

4. Prayer breathes life and hope into discouragement. I think that is why David poured his heart out to God so often in the Psalms. He frequently begins by being discouraged and ends by praising God.

5. Prayer is powerful. Not really prayer itself. It is just getting us in touch with the All Powerful God of the Universe.

6. Prayer is a discipline. It is hard work. If it wasn’t there wouldn’t be so many admonishments in the Bible to pray.

Is prayer the missing ingredient in your life? What steps will you take to rectify that situation? When can you carve out time daily for private, couple and family prayer time?