“Lord Jesus help me,” I shouted inside the pick up truck that I was driving cruising to the other side of the main highway after dropping a friend at the mall. I jolted while a car bumped on my vehicle’s rear right side. Amazing peace and love overflowed in my inner being after my pleading for help from Jesus Christ. Praise God that the driver involved and I was not hurt.
After few days, a dearest missionary friend called, “Lilian please pray for proper diagnosis and treatment for my cancer. Also, for wisdom and strength for me while I am grieving over my daughter’s passing due to cancer. I am fine, crying with mixed emotions and praising Him for healing her completely in heaven now. ”
The love and commitment of my best friend to honor God in her crumbling situations moved me.
While putting on my prayerful attitude and engaging my Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ about my accident and my fellow missionary’s battle, misunderstanding arose between friends that pressed me in between them. I entrusted my friends and their situations to the greatest Master Mender of broken souls and relationships, Jesus Christ.
The same week, two wonderful followers of Christ shared and requested my prayer support for them as they secretly battled against cancer. I was blown away with their courageousness and strong resolve to trust the Lord Jesus as their Mighty Healer and Physician as they deal with their rigorous treatments.
What in the world is going on? I went to my Lover of my soul, Shepherd and Healer of my soul, Jesus Christ, with submission and surrendered life in prayers.
On June 7, 2018 during my early morning devotion, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17 & 18). The living and powerful Word of God eased my aching heart and cloudy mind.
This is what I learned from my struggles. My joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with my circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands– be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks–often goes against my natural inclinations. When I make conscious decisions to do what God says, however, I begin to see people and perceive my circumstances in a new perspective.
I cannot spend all my time on my knees, but it is possible for me to have a prayerful attitude at all times. This attitude is built upon acknowledging my dependence on God, realizing His presence within me, and determining to obey Him. Then I found it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, short prayers. A prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer but should be an outgrowth of those times.
Paul was not teaching that I should thank God for everything that happens to me, but in everything. Evil does not come from God, so I should not thank God for it. But when evil strikes, I can still be thankful by faith in Jesus Christ for God’s presence and for the good that He will accomplish through my distress.
When I intentionally do God’s will in His way and in His timing, I find it easier to be joyful, thankful, and prayerful no matter what challenges I am facing.
Do you want to be joyful, thankful, and prayerful?
God bless you and your loved ones. Let me know how I can pray with you.
Lilian Hosfeld 