A Tool of Renewal

When I have a mindset or a circumstance where I need to renew my mind or set in my heart what God has to say. I find a scripture that speaks to my heart and write it as a prayer. There are many blessings that come from doing this. One is simply better retention of the scripture. There also comes a greater understanding of what  exactly is being said to the followers of Christ. Daily I do this for my children, writing out what I know God is or will be doing in their lives.  But dear to my heart ( Although not always fun) is the conviction and revelation of what Father God is saying to me.

This morning I as I was writing in my prayer journal…writing about my desire for certain changes in my life, I decided to write 1 Corinthians 13 as a prayer.

I looked at several different versions. Taking most of my rewrite from the Message Bible -this is what I wrote:

Father help me to have the Mind of Christ.

I desire to respond to others as You would. With a love that cares more for them than myself, a love that doesn’t want what others have.

Father I do not want to be the kind of person that promotes myself. That seeks people to follow me. I want my life to show you , not me. I don’t want to think of how things affect me first. 

Oh Lord I want a love with self-control. That in all situations I respond as You would.  I want to love in a way that doesn’t keep score of the sins of others nor do I want to revel when others grovel.

I want to have the kind of love that takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.

A love that protects others.

A love that trusts You every time. Always looks for the best.

A love that never looks back and keeps on going to the end.

A love like Yours Lord … A Love that will never die.

~~~~~~~~~

While I have written this scripture many times before, today as I wrote it I became aware of an area that I need change.

Hebrews 4:12 in The Message Bible puts it very simply

His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel,

cutting through everything,

whether doubt or defense,

laying us open to listen and obey.

For a moment my heart hurt. I felt exposed. But quickly following was the realization that He has known this about me for a loooong time. He doesn’t shows us our weakness to humiliate us…humble us yes… but never to humiliate us. He shows us because He loves us and wants us to walk in freedom.

I will be honest and tell you that I wasn’t miraculously delivered. But I have been strengthened and given hope. He has begun a work in me and He will complete it.

I encourage you to get out your paper and pen. Write down your prayers, use scripture. He will use it to renew you.

 

Blessings

G