Praying With Your Legs

I always follow updates in Things We Forget blog. It is simple, yet true. I find it amazing since they present "things we forget" in a cute and simple way of drawings in post-its. It really catches my attention since I am sort of OC and one of my OC stuff is post-its. :) Another thing that I want from this blog are the "things we forget", because basically we already know them but we cannot see and feel the meaning because we are not yet ready to accept their true significance in our lives.

Today, I found this post which caught my attention since I could not understand its meaning:

The thing that first came to my mind was something to do with a famous Filipino proverb, "Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa." So I googled this phrase to confirm if my hunch was true. And then I saw this forum where someone was sharing and ultimately lead to the phrase "pray with your legs".

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Ladies I wanted to share this excerpt from a wonderful, godly, career coach by the name of Dan Miller. I hope it will bless you as you read it with an open mind.

"I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs." -- Frederick Douglass

Okay – I referenced this quotation last week and it continues to prompt a whole lot of questions from you, our readers. People want to know what that means, and furthermore, can I find scripture to support whatever it means.

Yes, I see far too many people who are “praying” for solutions and answers – and simply living in that prayerful mode – hands folded and eyes closed, waiting on God to supernaturally give them the specific answer that will remove their challenge. So, just how does God answer our prayers?

Imagine any of these situations with me:

• You really need a job
• You’d like a better car
• You want to make peace with your spouse
• Your lawn mower is broken
• You want to have a best-selling book
• You would like to have a college degree
• You want to be a more effective parent
• You must have $5,000 for a new air conditioning unit

I believe God is the providential supplier of everything we need. But I also believe that his delivery system requires our active participation – “praying with our legs.” If you need a job identify 30-40 target companies; contact them each three times and God will provide a job. If you want a best-selling book write something of value then be willing to persist through the rejection of 14 publishers as Max Lucado did with his first book (his books have now sold over 30 million copies.) – and watch God open doors. If you want a college degree explore six options for doing so that are possible even while you continue working. Block out 2 hours a day for focused study and see God allow that degree to be yours.

And can I find scripture to support faith and prayer that involve our legs? Oh yeah. My favorite is in Exodus 14:15. Moses is dealing with those whining, complaining children of Israel who see the Egyptians coming after them in the desert. I can just see them on their knees, praying and begging God to solve their problems. And the verse says –“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!’” (Living Bible)

God provides food for the birds – but he doesn’t just show up and throw it in their nest. Sometimes the exercise of faith we need most may be to engage our spiritual quadriceps, stretch those hamstrings and use our gluteus maximus for something other than supporting our head while we pray. 

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Yeah, God provides all of the things we need, not too much, not less, but just enough. And as I have said in my previous post : He is truly and always revealing Himself to each us, but we should first open our hearts to Him, acknowledge His pure love by accepting His gift of salvation. We do not have to earn His gift since He already has given it to us, freely, by the death of Jesus Christ. And then we can start the "real" change in our lives, by taking the "hints" God has provided for each of us, which is seeing God's hand in everything we do, trusting Him that every little, big, happy, or sad thing that is happening in our lives has always a significance. Be careful to really see if that "hint" is really God speaking to you. Sometimes, bread crumb trail is scattered  in your path, which at first, lets you think that you can go back home with the help of those crumbs. However, it can lead you to nowhere when the birds starts to eat those crumbs and you will eventually get lost.

But remember this: God always provides. Even for those who are not yet ready to accept Him. He will cast white and steady stones along your path to guide your way home to Him. All He wants is our best, starting with a true "Yes" from our hearts. And, like a blind man who has been given his sight back, we start to see things in a different perspective. This is truly and ultimately our part, "gawa", or "legs": seeing God in everything. :)