This new year's eve our family tried something new. It was decided by my husband that we would all take time to pray for one another and the upcoming new year. We are a family, so we see the most of one another in our best and our worst. This means we have eyes to see the things that we most need help with. I expected this to be a short exercise but as each person took their turn to pray very personally and intimately about the other family members it ended up being almost an hour long ordeal.
This was the most beautiful thing I have seen in 2015. It was busting with love, confession, and grace. We were honest and real with our struggles and desire for more grace to change more into Christ likeness. Forgiveness was sought; humility reigned. There were things I didn't even realize others knew about themselves that were revealed. And the most beautiful thing was that we can help one another by our prayers.
"You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our
behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many." ~2 Corinthians 1:11
What if we just took the time to do this on a more regular basis? Hearts would change toward one another. God would move in bigger ways in our hearts. We would be more focused on Him. This is an activity I hope we engage in more often but instead of just focusing prayer on our family that we expand it out to praying for others. Maybe monthly a topic could be given and we would prepare our prayers around that? It is a great start in lessons on dependence on God and I am so thankful for that moving experience.
I hope this new year is a more prayerful year because prayer instills dependence and intimacy with God more naturally in our hearts which is an opportunity for more growth in grace. And I am thankful that "he gives more grace" because I am learning to splash around in it more and more.
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