Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:8

My children have recently earned the privilege of staying home alone. At first, my husband and I would only take a walk around the block. Next, we felt comfortable running an errand, and now we leave them alone for a few hours at a time during the daylight hours. 

The other day after returning home from a long grocery run, I mentioned that I’d left my cell phone for them in case of emergency. Their comment back to me was surprising. “We didn’t know you left it.” While I thought I told them we would leave my phone and take my husband’s in case of emergency, it seems they missed my safety announcement. 

Everything worked out fine, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they would have done if something would have gone wrong. They had all the resources of fire, paramedics, neighbors, and parents at their fingertips but didn’t even recognize it. 

Isn’t this how we are as the children of God? We have full access to our Heavenly Father through prayer. We can call on Him at any moment and every situation, but we choose to go it alone. We breeze through our day on auto-pilot, not even acknowledging His presence and power to help. 

The next time you feel paralyzed by a work or family situation, call out to Him. If daily life seems overwhelming, keep an open line of prayer going. Even if circumstances are relatively easy, purpose to pray throughout your day. Pour out your heart to Him as you shower or commute. Recording your prayers in a journal is a great way to stay focused while you pray.

Why take the precious privilege of prayer for granted? 

Heavenly Father, please help me strengthen my prayer muscles so that I stay in communication with You all throughout the day. 

Whitney