Hindrences

Alright, this was copied mostly from an email, then edited, and posted much later than the post time. It is funny how God puts the puzzle pieces together when I am 'writing in the Spirit'. This is the second time I've received clarity when I was writing an email to encourage another. God moves in mysterious ways and ways we know not of. He moves when we don't expect it. He's moving when we don't realize it. While we're spinning our wheels, His plan is moving right on schedule.
Anyways, here's my epiphany:

I have been reading other blogs and talking to relatives. In doing that I have had numerous prayer requests come in and the blahs of not wanting to pray or feelings like God would not even listen because of my lack of effort in my relationship with Him lately. Well after some prayer and thought about it. I realized it was an attack to stop me from praying! My job as a Christian is to encourage and pray. Praying is way harder than encouraging for me when I am less than motivated. My prayers are important and God hears them and He answers them. Lately He's answered many of them. The enemy wants that to stop so he's turned up the heat and weakened me spiritually and physically.
When our eyes are on other stuff rather than Jesus, our perspective is skewed and the devil has ground to emphasize the wrong stuff while we are 'confused' about what we perceive as the truth around us. We tend to believe the lies because they are familiar.

Rom. 12:2-3 'Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.'

We become untransformed when we get the 'don't feel like its'. I guess the answer to being blah about God is to pray. Act on the mustard seed faith you still have and trust He will respond. The other answer or additional answer is to read His word. I am amazed at what a 'David heart' does to the hand of God. It moves in your life like you know it can but still you don't expect it to. For some reason we have it ingrained in us that we are not worthy and He is hindered by our imperfection.
I was even getting life threatening requests. How can you not pray when you get a request like that? The verse that says 'your prayers will be hindered' comes to mind for why we think God won't answer us. I need to investigate this further!

Funny how when you cry out for help from God and others, He answers you and gives you peace.

James 5:16 'Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.'
I was praying because they needed prayer and this is what I do. I might not have felt like it but I did it anyways believing God heard and answered my prayers. In this action God was confirming my gift and showing me I need to pray because He will answer those prayers. When my job is to pray, God gives opportunities to pray.
I almost forgot tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer. Pray. Pray in numbers. God answers group prayers. The more crying out to Him the faster He moves.