It's Day 170 of The Red Shoe Project and I was found hobbling around the house early this morning, shoeless and in pain. Yesterday, while running out to the garage for something, I thought I might have stepped on something sharp. I looked and couldn't see anything, but by afternoon my foot was throbbing. I sensed there might be a little, microscopic chard of glass in my foot. When I picked at it with some tweezers, I could hear that grating sound when metal touches glass. But still, I couldn't see anything. Even with my magnifying glasses... nothing!This morning my foot was worse. I could barely walk. There was no way I was going to be able to get my foot into any type of RED footwear, never mind pull off a three mile prayer walk. Once again, I got out a needle, some tweezers, a little alcohol, and began surgery.
It's very difficult to take out something you cannot see.
Nevertheless, I prayed and asked God for help.
"Soak your foot in some hot water
and continue to soak it until all
the skin gets soft and relaxed."
I followed through on His advice.
It's a wonderful thing going to the salon for a pedicure -- sitting back in one of those great massaging chairs, enjoying the hot jacuzzi foot bath and the soothing aroma of lavender. It's not quite the same when you're at home, sitting on the edge of the bathtub, with your foot in two inches of hot water. I was uncomfortable and a bit impatient.
Sure enough though, after a time of determined soaking, my skin softened and the tiny wound opened up just enough for me to get a grip, with the tweezers, on some tiny, invisible, spec of material and pull it out. When I examined the foreign object more closely, it was, in fact, a minuscule chard of glass. Ouch!
This morning's lesson with God concluded with a parallel. God spoke very clearly to my heart and mind that this "soaking" of my foot is not all that different from "soaking" things in prayer. There are times when you're praying for yourself, or for someone else, and your not quite sure what's up, but you know something's not right. You look at the situation and your gut tells you, (or perhaps it's The Holy Spirit), that you're not seeing something.
To effectively pray, I need to
accurately identify the problem.
First, I need to ask The Holy Spirit to show me what's really going on. Secondly, if the true problem at hand doesn't surface, I need to bathe and soak the matter in prayer. Like my foot, it might not be comfortable, convenient, or quick. I need to be persistent and committed. That means I keep praying and I don't give up. God will use fervent prayer to soften the issues surrounding the true problem, and in time, the real issue at hand will be exposed.
"Confess your faults one to another,
and pray one for another, that you may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
James 5:16
Finally, as a last resort, or if The Holy Spirit urges me to go this route...
FAST and PRAY.
Jesus said to his disciples...
"This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
Mark 9:29
I realize that this scripture is in reference to casting out demons. But sometimes, the deep rooted issues our prayers are directed towards are demonically imposed.
There's a women that I've been ministering to lately. She's a Christian and yearning to go deeper with God. But things don't quite add up. She talks a good talk but every time I'm with her, I get this feeling that there's something hidden deep down below the surface. Every once in a while, I notice that a contentiousness arises in her. What's with that? Perhaps there's something spiritual going on? I don't know for sure, but time will tell. Once I know what that is, I believe that I can help her. Meanwhile, God has had me praying for weeks that the truth will surface. I believe it's only a matter of time.
For now, I'm soaking it in prayer.
Gail
