You alone

I can very easily get caught up in myself. Pride is a difficult thing to shake, but once you are aware of it slowly God works through those prideful moments and uses them to bring glory to his name.
This morning I asked a my pastor, his wife, and sons (well one is his son in law, but why get specific) to pray for a friend who I know has got a lot on his mind. Work and family things are all coming to a head and without God it is too much to handle. Immediately I got responses from the four of them informing me that not only were they praying, but they were stopping everything in that moment to pray for him. In that moment I was reminded of how powerful prayer is. So often people equate it with mere thoughts (how often do we hear non-Christians say, "You're in my thoughts." as if that means something. Apart from God it really does nothing for me to know that you are thinking about the troubles I am going through). Prayer is so much more than that. Prayer is standing before God opening your heart and trusting him to move in the way that He needs to move. In that moment I felt a sudden warmth and had to fight back tears. I was so thankful to be a part of this family of believers.
At my small group tonight we were going through Philippians 3 and at the start I felt my heart harden as I listened to our group bicker before the study began. I wanted to distance myself, but I prayed for God to soften my heart and allow me to receive his word. As the study went on I found myself fascinated. I listened as so many people who rarely get to speak opened up about what they were seeing in God's word. I reflected on the changes God has made in my life through this year with them as well as the changes I see in all of our group and I realized that even my simple prayer at the beginning of the study had been answered. God has truly shaped this group into something bigger than itself.
As the study drew to a close I had the opportunity to pray for a very dear friend, but also to thank God for blessing each of us beyond our expectations. A year ago, none of us could have imagined that we would be surrounded by such an eclectic, yet wonderful group of individuals changing our worlds for the glory of our savior.

But here we are.

Father, thank you so much for these people. In you alone let us find our strength.
You alone could bring this group of people together. You alone could call our hearts to you. You alone can change them. Could shape them day by day to become more like you.To you alone be the glory for all that has been done to us, to all that is being done right now and for all that you will do in the future and to you alone do we sing praise.

Thank you Father.