Back to Basics

Yesterday, Pastor Chuck gave an awesome message about prayer at Knox. He was talking about how God's heart is in tune with ours - He cares about the little things. He also talked about praying with confidence and faith that God will answer, even if He doesn't answer the way we expect Him to. It's such a simple message, one crucial to our faith, and yet it's the one I most easily forget about. I always feel like my problems are too big for God, and that my feelings are too much for Him to handle. But who I am to say that if I haven't been bringing these things to Him? Clearly, as the past has shown me, I can't do this on my own, and it's futile to even try. Yet why do I keep turning away? So yesterday before bed, I prayed. Prayed for all the things that weighed down on my heart these past couple weeks. Prayed for grad schools, for my own personal struggles, for AIV. So many things to keep track of, and yet, it's not too big for God. He desires that I share these things with Him. It's going back to the basics of my faith. It's scary to trust, but yet, if I can trust my friends, how can I not trust God?

Lord, I trust you with the small group ministry. I can worry and fret all I want, but this is Your ministry, Lord. I pray that as I continue to develop these relationships with the small group leaders and helpers, that I would continue to see You working, as I already have this past month. You are working, and it's not up to us to discount Your work based on numbers. You see the heart, oh God. Help us to see Your heart and work in these people, Lord. You don't care about external things - words and outward expressions are meaningless to You if our heart is not in it. I want to see You move mightily through the small group ministry this year. I believe that You have great things planned for AIV this year. Help us to extend grace to one another and be slow to criticize and anger, Lord, as You have shown us in Your own life. Let us to speak the truth in love and encourage rather than tear down. I want to see Your transformation in our lives.