It started with a toilet. (Are you still reading?) That’s rarely a good place to start, but having a toilet is something to be thankful for. On this particular morning, the toilet had issues. As I considered the situation, I said, “God, more than seven years ago, I took You as my Husband when my other one checked out to be with You. Toilets should be Husband jobs and I sure don’t know what to do. Fix it.”
I had a thought to Google. Within 5 minutes the issue was fixed. The night before I was cleaning around the base and had unknowingly hit against the water pressure valve and it was now mostly turned off. One turn and problem solved.
The point was, though, that I didn’t have time to go to the prayer room, make all my confessions, make sure I supplicated, interceded, got in agreement and was operating in special faith. I needed help right then with a non working toilet first thing in the morning.
When there are toddlers to be fed, bathed, chased…the thought of “I need to pray more” can become a guilt trap the enemy likes to set in front of moms. When you’re home schooling, car pooling, meal making, it seems an impossible thing, “Go pray”.
When you’re at work all day, family things in the evening, laundry, bath and bed, the stillness that eventually comes often brings sleep, not supplication. More guilt.
Stop. That.
God is not intimidated by crying children, car sounds, laundry baskets, water running, or any other distractions you can think of. (Remember Jesus teaching for three days in the outdoors? You think there were no children playing, no “I have to go NOW” twisting young ones, no one getting up to go find a tree?)
God can hear you praising Him with the car radio. God can hear you folding towels and asking Him for wisdom as You do. God listens when the shower is running, or the toilet is flushing. (Seriously, praise God for flushing toilets.) God just wants to hear and answer you. Whether it’s two minutes as you’re putting on clean drawers, or 7 minutes in a food drive-up, God just wants to be with you and see you looking toward Him. Because He knows you love Him. He wants you to know how much He loves and accepts you at this crazy, “I never saw that coming” moment.
He was there when your children were born. He doesn’t want you to leave them unsupervised while you “go” pray. Pray where you stand. He’s your best friend. Your life, whatever season you’re in, is God understood. He’s aware, and He’s there. If I were brilliant, I would create an app that is just for texts between you and God. A communication tool to help us chat with the One that loves us most, when we have 14 seconds that no one is talking to us.
Are there times you need to set aside to pray? Sure. If you were planning a quiet time to have major discussions with your husband, you’d call it a date. It’s the same principle. God will call you to those times, usually after everything else has calmed down.
And because you have spent time together during your day, even if it was a sheet changing, diaper changing, nose wiping session of time talking with Him as you go to the next “thing”, if you go on that late date and fall asleep, rest well knowing God is still there. And you’re still His.
For His Glory 