In this season, one of the things I’ve become more aware of is expectations – of myself, of others, of life. And how those expectations often stem from a false sense of control, as I seek to fulfill the genuine longings of my heart – for security, for peace, for recognition, for approval, for significance, for a sense of worth and so on…
In his autobiographical work, Augustine of Hippo tells the honest story of the restless searching of his heart for fulfillment in various ways over a long period, which many have identified with their own search for happiness.
Through experiencing my wife’s love when I fail /least deserve it, has made me more grateful for our relationship, because it has taken away the fear of being punished /rejected for my failures. I also feel closer to her as a result. And it has helped me to become more merciful myself.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t just have to be about romantic love. It can be so much more!
The word “righteous” has acquired some uncomfortable baggage in our times. It tends to be associated with self-righteousness, with an egotistical belief that one is better than those around them. But in the Bible, righteousness is deeply connected with love and mercy, together with moral uprightness. Today, as we approach Christmas, I reflect on Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, who beautifully demonstrates this quality of righteousness.
Very often when we talk of prayer, we think of polite conversation with God – saying the right words, the right formulas, in a certain tone of voice and so on. But prayer in the Bible is anything, but that. Just read the Book of Psalms for example, which is full of raw emotion expressed to God as prayer. This is because an important aspect of engaging with God from the heart in prayer, is learning to be honest with what’s coming up in our hearts. In today’s Bible reading, we find another example of honesty in prayer and hear how it’s also the place where we can find intimacy with God.
We’re all aware from time to time, of the deep longings of our heart – for love, significance, recognition, a sense of worth, belonging, freedom and so on. But what many of us are not aware of, are the ways in which the Bible speaks about this area. And how it’s such a crucial area of our hearts to which we need to pay attention, if we want to develop an intimate relationship with God.
Create Real Transformation.
Get started in the exciting world of coaching with this polished and professional course on the coaching fundamentals. It’s a great set of communication and leadership skills for leaders, pastors, counsellors – anyone who wants to go beyond giving trite advice and learn to help others really change.
In this session, you will learn about using Desire Prayers to facilitate change in real situations, for yourself and others.
In this session, you will learn the principles behind forming ‘Desire Prayers’ and how to create your own. This will help you know how to bring your own desires to Jesus and encounter Him filling them; as well as begin to help others do the same.
© 2022 All rights reserved
Made with ❤ by Amir
