Originally published Friday, 09 February 2018.
Have you ever felt that your life mirrored the spin cycle of a washing machine? Everything has been thrown in and now it's all spinning at the same time? It seems out of control, this spinning, but it's not because the spinning is for a purpose and the spinning ends; but you often don't know when your spin cycle will end. So many things can be part of your spin cycle: Weddings, Graduations, Funerals, Surgeries, Jobs, Difficult Bosses, Family Relationships, Marriages, Travel, Moving, are just a few examples. Your spin cycle may look entirely different than mine.
The best thing to combat the Spin Cycle is to be prayed for and to pray. One of the first instances in the Bible of actual interceding for someone on their behalf, where the word pray is actually used happens in the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 7:5 where Samuel prays for the Israelites. The Israelites recognized that they were in their own spin cycle - they thought the Lord had abandoned them, which is quite literally how we feel when it seems like everything is thrown at us and we're out of control. Samuel gave them some instructions: "get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines." During the spin cycles of life, we become distracted and our focus shifts from the One who matters. So the Israelites did so and worshipped only the Lord. Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”
The Israelites recognized their need, they changed their ways and Samuel prayed. Once Samuel prayed, the Israelites went on to victory. Prior to Samuel praying they had misplaced confidence but after he prayed, though uncertain, their faith was strengthened and they had success.
Pray is magical, mysterious and miraculous; it is healing, encouraging and an act of love to hear someone petition God on your behalf. It will remove anxiety; it will remind you to be still and propel you to pray. To intercede in prayer means to go before God on another’s behalf.
Lamentations 2:19 encourages us to, "Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children."
Sometimes it does not matter what you say - just the very fact that you are praying makes all the difference in the world. You experience a selfless love when you pray. Praying demonstrates a relationship - definitely between you and God, and also between you and the person you are praying for. Praying demonstrates hope and faith. Praying says I know Someone who can help. Praying provides wisdom, guidance, and peace.
Prayer is as vital as breathing; I encourage you to do it. Pray from the heart when you're happy or sad; mad or glad. Don't worry what others think, it's your heart and it matters to God. There is absolutely nothing that you cannot bring in prayer to God. Just Pray.
Spin cycles come to an end and usually after all of that turbulence your clothes are clean. In the same vein, I know that your current spin cycle will come to an end, with God's covering propelling you on to victory.
For we are not presenting our petitions before You based on our righteous acts, but based on Your abundant compassion. Daniel 9:18,19
We don’t know what to do, so we’re looking to you. 2 Chronicles 20:12
Men ought always to pray and not to faint. Luke 18:1
If you can center yourself, be still, pray and be prayed for, you'll be able to go through your spin cycle and come out renewed. Simply pray.
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