Brief Prayers...Quick Answers

Sometimes I wonder if God honors the brief moments of time that I try to steal away and be with Him.  While I can certainly stand to be more disciplined in taking time for God, it's not always easy to find/make the time.  Today confirmed that God is readily available to answer me even in the briefest of moments (as in less than 2 1/2 minutes).

I was crying out for peace and asking God to hear my prayer.  I was in my closet.  Yes, I've watched War Room.  Yes, I know the main character has a prayer closet.  No, I don't really have a prayer closet.  It's just the place that I was able to hide from the kids because I didn't feel like hiding in the bathroom this time.  The baby was safely napping in his crib and the older two were busy "doing teamwork" (aka: my daughter telling my son what to do and him following all of her commands).

So, there I sat crying.  I know I've been doing a lot of that these days and, believe it or not, life is actually really good.  I have a reason for my crying spells that one day I may share...or maybe not.  I probably will because it seems God is taking me through things just so that I can have something to blog about.  (Ha...I kid...kind-of)  Just to satisfy the curious, I am NOT pregnant.

As I cried out for God to help, my eyes were drawn to a devotional book that I've had for several months and have never really opened.  I looked at today's devotions and was floored.  God did it again.  Took my moment of weakness, my cries for His help and answered.  The short devotional ended with this...

"Be still in My Presence, inviting Me to control your thoughts.  Let My Light soak into your mind and heart until you are aglow with My very Being.  This is the most effective way to receive My Peace."  - Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

My interpretation:

"Be still (calm down, sit down, and stop freaking out) in My Presence (God's presence...not Facebook, Messenger or phone), invite Me to control (take charge of) your thoughts (so that His thoughts can become my thoughts).  Let My Light (all the ways that He is so good) soak into your mind and heart (saturate; fill every crevice of my brain and heart) until you are aglow (shining) with My very Being (His likeness).  This is the most effective way to receive My Peace."

So, I was still.  Until I heard arguing because there had been a breakdown with the kids' "teamwork."  (Little brother dared to tell big sister that he didn't like her suggestion).  And, though my time of prayer was brief, I was able to walk out with a little more joy and a lot more peace.

Romans 12:12  - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.