Closer through Training

by Jason Burns

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! Experts say that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. You’re on day 21. This isn’t the finish line – it’s the start of a new season in your life – a disciplined season marked by prayer.

You’ll never get closer to God, or anyone for that matter, without intentionally. Spiritual growth does not happen by accident. There is a marked difference between trying and training.

If you were to ask me to run a marathon today, there is virtually no chance that I could complete it. It would not matter how much I wanted to, or how hard I tried, I am not in marathon runner’s shape. However, if given several months for extensive training, I am sure that I could become a distance runner.

The same is true in prayer.

I want to leave you with my personal favorite prayer. This isn’t so much a prayer as it is a way to pray. It is so simple. You can pray this many times throughout your day. It is found in 2 Corinthians 13:14:

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

You simply start by enjoying the love of God the Father. How has His love changed you? In Psalm 103:1-5, David said:

1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Our Father in heaven gives incredible benefits. They include:

• Salvation
• Healing
• Protection
• In-Filling
• Blessings
• And more!

Secondly, you reflect on the grace of the Lord Jesus. What is grace? It is God’s unmerited, unearned love. Grace is love in action.

Take a few minutes and reflect on the cross. Imagine a love so pure that one would selflessly lay their own life down to save yours. The bottom line is that Jesus forgave you.

I love the line in the famous song, Amazing Grace. “I once was lost, but now I’m found…” It fills my heart to remember that I was once far from God, but Jesus forgave me.

The final section is to thank the Holy Spirit for living in us.

1. The Holy Spirit makes us more like Jesus (Romans 8:29)

2. The Holy Spirit gives us power to witness (Acts 1:8)

3. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:33)

4. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16:8)

5. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s word to us (John 14:26)

6. The Holy Spirit brings us closer to other believers (Acts 4:32)

The prayer is so simple. You remind yourself that: God loves you. Jesus forgave you. The Holy Spirit is God in you.

I’m so proud of you. Don’t stop. Make every day another day to get closer to God in prayer! 21 days down… a lifetime to go!