The key to survival is to embrace the latter as the gift from God that it is. And accept that deliverance from the former is only thru ... yup, prayer.
Think of prayer as a flower - it rises from beneath the surface of the soil, warmed by the sun, nourished by the rains, growing stronger with each passing day. It's entire environment is what gives it life - the good and the bad. Winds may batter its seemingly fragile stock yet - it survives.
Yes it's life is brief in the grand scheme of things. But that life is steady, strong, and beautiful. It blooms in glorious colors, endless varieties of petals, shapes, and sizes.
Just like our own prayers and our own lives. In the scope of God's existence we are but a mere blip, barely a blink. Yet his love for us nourishes and protects us. We are sustained thru the enormity of God's enduring presence in our lives.
And all we have to do - is pray. The simplest prayer is heard; there really is no need for flowery language, philosophical discussions, or endless talking. And while those actions feed us - the freedom to say what we need to in the way that helps us, maybe, make sense of things. In the end though - God just wants us to turn to him and say "God, thank you" or "God, please help me" or "God, I love you."
I have just survived the biggest annual week of my professional career. A two-day conference for nearly 500 people. I do all the behind-the-scenes planning and execution. It is a harrowing few months leading up to the conference, and the two days are just beyond description. In years past my "survival" was down to my own grit and drive. This year, moreso than any other, I relied on prayer (plus grit & drive) to get thru it all. And while the stress was on par with the past, my response to that stress was calm.
Because I knew that God was beside me every step of the way. This weekend I rest - and I do so with a serenity that can only come from God's love for me.
For we are never alone.
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