Well, I guess that got your attention!
It's true...you won't see me there posting, commenting, liking, etc....at least for the next 40 days. I'll be using the time for prayer and "fasting" from FaceBook. To some that might sound silly. To others, they might be thinking, "Yay! Jame won't be posting anymore annoying political or religious posts!" But the truth of the matter is...I've become a bit of a FB addict. There...I've said it! It has entered too much of my thought process, especially during this passionate election season.
Here's what I will be doing:
Using the time to PRAY. That's it! Anytime I have the urge to click on that little blue "f" on my browser, I'll be "logging on" to prayer instead. I've even deleted the app from my phone. WOW!
What will I be praying for?
1) A deeper relationship with Christ. You can never go too deep, in my opinion...
2) My husband; his faith, our relationship, my willingness to be his helpmate (or lack there of sometimes..."eh-hem"...).
3) The faith of my children. They NEED me...more of me. I'm not just their mom, but also their teacher! And I'm suppose to be an example of righteousness...YIKES!
4) Our nation and this political season we are in. I'll be praying for the president (yes, I do pray for him...sometimes...and, no, I don't pray that he get struck by lightning). I'll be praying that he seeks wisdom from Christ, that he rises up to be the Christian he claims to be, that he turns back to the Bible, and that he leads his administration in doing so.
5) I'll be praying for friends and family who do not know Christ yet and do not have that personal relationship with Him that He offers to us all ("I stand at the door and knock" Revelation 3:20) I'll be praying that those friends repent, put their trust in the Lord, and turn to His Word for the truth. I'll be praying that lives be changed for the glory of God.
I'll also be praying that this election will be the start of a new revival in this wonderful country. I'll be praying that we turn BACK to God and that we concern ourselves less with offending each other and care more about offending God. I will be praying...fervently... At times, I'll be on my knees, at other times I'll be praying while doing the mundane day-to-day tasks.
So why do I feel the need to do this? Do I think my little prayers will impact the entire nation? Well, all I can say is that I am doing this for a deeper faith. I already know that the Lord's plan is in place. He appoints the leaders (good and bad). Remember when the Israelites whined about not having a king? (1 Samuel 8-9) Well, He gave them one; not a very good one, but they got what they asked for. So, I'll use this time to strengthen my trust in Him. If our country rejects God as a whole, so be it. I, personally, will keep my eyes on the Lord...not the world. His plan is good, even if I may not see it right away. Even if the election outcome isn't what I personally hoped for. He is faithful to those who trust in Him.
After the last election I was physically sick over the outcome. I was terrified that this would mean the demise of every hard working small business person, including my own husband. But you know what? It wasn't. Our business didn't shut down. We didn't lose our shirts. Our children didn't starve. We survived and the Lord provided. I feel a bit convicted now over the way I responded to that outcome. I certainly didn't portray myself as a pillar of faith.
I'm not saying that I have already accepted that this election will not turn out the way I personally want it to. I am just preparing myself for what God has planned and the promise that His plan is good no matter what. His return in imminent and I want to be ready. There will be struggle and strife, but His faithful followers will rise above it. In the end we will see Him and that's all that matters.
Why did I choose to do this for 40 days? Well, 40 is a significant number in the Bible. It's the number of days Christ fasted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2). It's the number of years the Israelites spent wandering in the desert (Exodus). I believe that will be a significant number of days for personal progress. And I do want to see progress! I also believe that the Holy Spirit has placed this on my heart. I spend too much time on that blasted FaceBook! I'm looking forward to breaking the "habit", and in the process, turning my attention to spiritual growth and a closer connection to my family. Oh...and it just happens to be 40 days until the presidential election! ;-)
You are welcome to join me! I may not be spending time on FaceBook, but I do plan to share whatever the Holy Spirit reveals to me here on this blog, and how this time of prayer is impacting my life.
No comments:
Post a Comment