Talk to God: Seeking God's Will Part 2

Normally I am not really one for doing series but lately it seems that I just have so much to say and I know I have to break it up or no one is ever going to read it all. I laughed a little when I thought about it because it made me feel like I should come with a packing slip Jimmy box 1 of ???. Anyway, random but just couldn't resist sharing. So like I said this is a continuation of the previous Seeking God's Will posts. If you are just now reading I suggest that you start with Seeking God's Will: Part 1.

In part one, we learned that seeking God's will is really all about seeking God. You can't find God's will for your life if you don't know God. Seeking God and hearing Him speak is not a formula. A + B doesn't equal a miraculously clear word from God--I wish it did. It would make life so much easier! However, there are some simple steps that will lead you down the right path toward finding God and His will for your life. Today we are going to talk about the first step in seeking God's will.

Step One: Talk to God
I really hope that this seems like a no brainer to you. Duh, to get to know God we should talk to Him through prayer. Prayer is basic but it is also very, very important. In fact, prayer was so important that Jesus made sure to teach His disciples how to pray. You've probably even heard that lesson--hint it's called The Lord's Prayer. You can read about it in Matthew 6:5-15 and Luke 1:1-13.

You can't expect to know God or God's plans for your lives without talking to Him. Think about your best friend. What would your relationship be like if you never talked to them and you never spent any time with them? I bet you wouldn't be very close. You might not even be friends at all. It's the same way with God. You can't be close to Him if you don't spend time with Him, and part of spending time with Him is spending time in prayer. If you need suggestions on things to talk to God about try reading 10 Simple Prayer Ideas for Teens by Rethinking Youth Ministry.

More Resources on Prayer:

I Don't Know What to Pray

"...the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:26

It's been one of those days...who am I kidding? It's been one of those months! It seems that everything I pray for is bouncing off the ceiling. When God does answer my prayers it seems like they are the ones that I never actually verbalized. That leaves me feeling more than a little confused. Now I don't know what to pray.

Thankfully, God promises that when we don't know what to pray the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Rom 8:26). This is a lot of what I have been experiencing lately. God has truly met my needs and has answered the desires of my heart that I didn't really know were there until they were answered or couldn't find a way to put them into words.

So even when my prayers seem to be bouncing off the ceiling and I don't know what to pray. I can rest in the promise that the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf and that God hears and answers those prayers. Besides, they put my true needs so much better than I ever could.

Thank you, God, for sending the Holy Spirit to live in me and to intercede on my behalf.