Psalm 25:4 (MSG): School me in your ways

Psalm 25
A David Psalm

⁴Show me how you work, GOD;
School me in your ways.

Psalm 25 has been an amazing prayer for me to meditate on.  When I first started drafting this entry there was a lot going on.  I was struggling at work, I felt overwhelmed, and I didn't know what to do. In fact at one point I said, unconsciously, "I'm dying here."  Despite my best effort many thing went...well, wrong....against me.  Over the time, just in a few short weeks, since I started meditating on this little line it has been amazing the teachers that God has put into my life to teach me of His ways.  It amazing, once I opened myself to His teachings, to see that my life is transforming once, again.

Part of the lesson has been how God responds to our prayer.  As corny as this sounds, I think Morgan Freeman said it best in Evan Almighty:
"If someone prays for patience do you think God gives them patience?  Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient?  If someone prayed for courage does God give them courage?  Or does He give him opportunities to be courageous?"  In the same way, when we pray to be schooled and taught in His ways he give us challenging situations in which to learn from.  Whether that's a challenging co-worker, or an addiction, or a conflict with somebody we love dearly.

Let's pray.  Dear God - show us how you work.  The world, which You have laid out for us is often complicated and overwhelming.  The plan that You have for us in that world is often less clear.  So, we plead, school us in Your ways and Your plans.  Give us just a glimmer of clarity and shed some light on Your ways.  Open our hearts and our minds to those people in our lives who You call to guide us and teach us.  Especially those of us who are struggling with addiction.  Give us a sign of Your love and that you are with us.  Teach us how to overcome the evil of addiction that has too much power over our lives and thoughts.  In our battle over addiction, give us patience (to accept the things we cannot change), courage (to change the things we can) and wisdom (to know the difference).  Finally, give us opportunities that we may teach others in Your ways.  That we may be a guide in this confusing and overwhelming world that we live.  All of these things I pray in Your sons name, Jesus Christ - AMEN.

Thanks for letting me share.