Mindless or Intentional Prayer Affects Your Head and Life

Have you ever had your head hangin’ low? Perhaps you were ashamed. Or maybe your head was hangin’ because of people who were treating you badly. Our head can hang low for any number of reasons, but the psalmist David wanted us to know there’s an answer, a solution. In Psalm 3 he poured out his heart to the Lord, calling on Him. He had enemies, people who rose up against him. They scoffed at his faith. They were smug. However, David exercised his faith. Yes, exercised it. You see, we can have faith in God but not use it, not apply it to the everyday circumstances of our day. David did. He cried out to the Lord and verse four says, “with his voice.” In other words, he wasn’t thinking to himself, “God help me.” And you know, we can do that. But thinking to ourselves isn’t praying. Prayer is an intentional exercise of our faith when we direct our voice to another sphere – heaven. David’s exercise of his faith is described in Psalm 3:4.

I was crying to the Lord with my voice.

David wanted us to know. He used his voice. He was crying out which means he did more than shoot a quickie silent arrow prayer to God. This saint was serious. He was cryING to the Lord.

What did David know that led him to exercise his faith in such a serious and intentional manner? Psalm 3:3 tells us.

You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who LIFTS MY HEAD.

David knew God was the solution, the answer to his low hangin’ head. He professed and praised God before God brought the solution. That, my friend, is faith. What happened as a result?

He answered me from His holy mountain. I lay down and slept; I awoke fo the Lord sustains me.

If you are in trouble. If you are surrounded with worries. If your situation looks bleak. If you don’t have answers, what will you do? Will you do as David and exercise your faith? Will you be one whom God sees and hears because you’re calling to Him with your voice, with praise on your lips, then able to sleep because you trust the Lord with the outcome?

What happens when the Lord lifts our heads? Our eyes turn from looking down to looking up at the glorious Lord in whom we experience hope and peace. If you’re down, look up  in prayer. Call on the Lord.

We praise you, Lord, LIFTER OF OUR HEAD!

PS: The reason we cry out to the Lord is because we long for His answers. Don’t miss them because you’re running through your prayer time and day. Set aside time to look up, exercise intentional prayer, and as importantly, listen to the quiet voice of the Lord as He responds to your heart cry. Learn how in “Listen UP.” Write down the thoughts He places on your heart in Prayers of My Heart journal. It’s a beautiful thing to commune with the Lord.