Parking Spot Prayers

Sometimes we pray for a great parking spot, don't deny it :) Other days we are down on our knees with a cumbersome request. A lot of my prayer time happens during workouts. I pray for people, thank God for who He is, and then, sparingly pray a much heavier prayer. These heavy prayers go a little something like this..."Lord, use me in someone's life, I want to share your love." "Lord, I pray for truth to be revealed." "Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours." If you so dare to let those words slip out in either thought or off your lips, beware.

1. LORD, USE ME..."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." 1 Cor 13:4
You can pray this at any stage in life, even if you don't feel like you have anything to offer. A strange visual came to my mind when thinking about this prayer. Let's say you are a knife, your gift is cutting things. You can't do it on your own, there must be a hand that guides your gift in the right way. It's a joint effort and should be a humble effort. You can't just go around cutting the heck out of things. God's love isn't the type of love that flashes across a jumbotron saying "LOOK WHAT I DID!" In my experience He whispers to me and shows me who needs Him. His love is easy, quiet, gentle and selfless. The only effort is showing love without showing yourself.

2. LORD, I PRAY FOR TRUTH..."Then you will know the truth, and truth will set you free." John 8:32
This is a no fail prayer. Every time I pray this prayer He reveals the skeletons in the closet. His truth takes all of your insides and turns them out. Exposed in full color and 3-D! This is one of my favorites because the second I ask for it, I immediately regret it. "NOOOO!!" I scream in my head. I don't want to see my insides or anyone else's for that matter. *Deep breath* In through the nose, out through the mouth. Do I trust Him? Definitely! He has only ever shown me freedom in truth.

3. LORD, BREAK MY HEART..."Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." Bob Pierce
A breaking heart makes my chest get heavy and my head tip back causing my eyes to look up. It's hard to look at what's breaking your heart without looking up at Him. "Why God, Why!?!" The burden you have may be towards a minority group, the mistreatment of other humans, kids, marriages, family, friends, the poor, etc. In my case, God has mostly used me in marriages and family. I know that in asking for this broken heart, it comes with suffering. Seeing people through God's eyes can be very revealing in your own life. It's the grace He has given me through tough times that allows me to realize I must be broken down to understand His Holy love. I know every time my heart is broken that it will be rebuilt bigger and better. I know it's not just for my good that He has worked in my heart but eventually I will be asked to share it. Asking for a broken heart could send you into the orphanages of Africa or to your neighbors house after a domestic dispute. You just never know.

Praying will no doubt cause inevitable growth. It may not come in the answer you expected but it will reveal something. You just need to listen to the sweet voice. When God says go, then go. He will give you all you need to get through these answered prayers.