By Kirby Power
I Came to college with a fire in my heart for Jesus. But it started to fade, and I didn’t know how to sustain it. I began meeting with a FOCUS Missionary, McKenna, and learned a lot from her. Most importantly, I learned the importance of daily prayer. I didn’t realize that the fire would only be sustained by adding more fuel to the flames. That fuel is daily prayer. Praying Holy Hours every day intimidated me a lot, as it should have since I had not prayed much at all before.
In the second semester of my freshman year, I started praying for just 20 minutes a day. The next day I did 21 and then the next 22, and 40 days later I was at 60 minutes. Now, two years later, Holy Hours DON’T intimidate me at all. I learned how to pray with scripture and find the Gospel within it. I realized that I was made for a relationship with God. The only way to have a relationship with anyone is to talk to them and spend time with them. I started talking to God about my day and finding how Gospel stories applied to my life. I cannot go a day without prayer now.
It is when I realize that I need God that I can go to him and be vulnerable enough to let him into the parts of my heart that are most broken. It is when I see myself as the woman at the well, the prodigal son, the elder son, and the hemorrhaging women that he can enter in and resurrect me. Jesus wants to encounter us every day and prayer is the way to do that. When you pray, imagine you are right there with Jesus. Let him come to you wherever you are.
Don’t work for Him or His love. He wants to and will meet you where you’re at. If you get distracted, bring yourself back to his presence. Ask Jesus what he is trying to in your life. Where is he drawing you closer to his heart? How are your sufferings and trials revealing more of his heart to you? It is in our suffering where we can make the most room for Jesus. He is the only one who will truly fulfill the longing in our hearts, and he was made to fill it. But unless we respond to him and his calling, we cannot be fulfilled.
Prayer is the response we are looking for. He is waiting for you to know this and come to understand it. A relationship with him is enough for your human heart, no matter how damaged, broken, or wounded.