Even though I might not get a shower as often as I would like, each time I step into that steaming water my bathroom is transformed into a think tank. I do a great deal of thinking and praying in the shower. There have been tears shed, ideas born, and praise offered under the soothing spray.
Since I started this blogging career, most of my conversations have been about the vision I have for sharing my life with others, how to find advertisers to help pay the bills, what resources my readers need, and making sure that is in-step with God’s plans.
Each chat begins something like, “Father, how is my business doing? What can I do today to encourage my readers? How can I bring you glory through my business?” He gives me ideas and I make a to-do list of items to tackle. I truly want each step, each post, and each review to be a blessing to you and to bring honor to Him.
One morning, I stepped into the steam and as the water coursed over my head, I asked the Lord, “Father, what can I do with my business today that will bring glory to you?”
Through the rhythmic hissing of the shower, I felt the Lord press me as if He had said, “That’s not the right question.”
I struggled with my thoughts for a moment as He whispered to my spirit, “Ask a different question.”
In just a moment, the confusion was replaced with conviction as the realization hit. I spend more time asking God about myself, my business, and how I can succeed than I do asking Him about my family and how to make them successful.
How to pray your priorities
If I say that my family is more important to me than my business and yet I spend less time talking to God about them than the work of my hands, my lips are just serving the public while my heart is far from where it should be focused. I understand that my business benefits my family, and my work is a necessity if we want to have food on the table each day. However, if I spend every opportunity in my “think tank” obsessing over the finite details of my career, I am missing the opportunity to gain God’s direction over our homeschool, financial decisions, the bond between my children, the purity of my husband’s eyes, and much more.
So, one of my goals for this year is to begin my prayers with “Lord, how is my family doing? What can I do today to encourage them towards you more? How can I bring you glory through my family?”
As you stop to pray in your think tank – where ever it may be – remember to pray your priorities in the correct order. Align your heart to God’s and talk to Him about the people you love before you bring a list of what you think has the most significance. It is easy to get caught up in problems or issues and miss the truly important things.
Remember to pray for your family today.
Here I thought I was the only one who talked to God while getting clean! Just about every time I’m in the bath, I talk to Him. This is a great reminder to take the focus off of us and hear what He has to say about … well … everything, the people whose care is our charge.
I love this title and can relate to it because I find many times I have conversations with the Lord in the shower too. Crazy huh? I love knowing that He speaks to us in times when we are willing to listen and most vulnerable. Praying for our family is important and lately He has been asking me to do this too. Thank you for your post. I enjoyed getting it in my inbox this morning, it made me smile!
What a great reminder. Thanks Tabitha!