grappling with prayer

These past several weeks have been difficult for me. Not due to feeling attacked or extra stressed, but because I have been letting God lead me in ways I have never done before.
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At the same time, I have never been more aware of the areas within me which have scarred over and those which are in need of His restoration & healing. Kind of knowing a greater freedom at the same time as sensing just how much more I need Him at the same time.
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One such breakthrough & tension has been in the area of prayer.
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Being honest with Him about how I am really doing, pressing in & trusting Him with what is on my heart, claiming His promises, proclaiming Him Lord over all & listening for His voice, crying out with tears & groans to Him for freedom for myself and others – all this is prayer.

Not perfectly phrased monologues or bottled up silence.
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There are many verses about prayer in the Bible, ones where we see the value Jesus placed upon it, and others where we are reminded to pray about everything.
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My all time favorite prayer verses are:
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“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:17-18

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My part in prayer is to invite Him into whatever is going on within or around me, and then to listen for His prompting before moving forward. That’s it. God takes care of the rest! He not only listens to us as we pray, He draws near to deliver & save us. He rescues us as He sets us free.
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Prayer is the tool we are to use to access His help as we pour out our hearts (concerns, worries, needs, hopes, dreams, wounds) before Him.
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It is also the way in which we are all welcomed to come to Him.
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I have never thought of myself as an intercessor or prayer warrior until quite recently. He is increasingly stirring up the desire to pray within me, & releasing me to do so in unexpected ways.
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