Going Deeper

Over the past week or so, these verses from Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus have kept coming back to me:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

I have a pretty big imagination, and it's hard for me to fathom God being able to do not just more, but immeasurably more than anything I could dream up in this overactive mind of mine. And yet that's what His Word promises. I really think that my prayers and desires just scratch the surface of what He truly desires to do in and through me.

I want to dream great dreams, to take big risks and to let God do incredible things in my life. But most days my prayers are rather mundane, focused on just making it through the day without getting stressed out at work.

It's one thing to read that God can do immeasurably more--it's quite another to really believe it and live with that mindset. I think that, slowly but surely, I am getting from the former to the latter. I'm trying to challenge myself to go deeper in my prayers, both in praying for myself and for those God has put into my life.

For example, instead of merely praying for a change in circumstances, I've begun praying for God to change my attitude (or, if I'm praying for someone else, their attitude) toward the situation. Naturally, I want a trial to end or a troublesome situation to be resolved--but more often than not, God wants to use that particular trial to refine me and draw me closer to Him. I feel like my perspective on life and the challenges that come with it is changing. I'm not able yet to clearly see from His point of view, but the view is getting less hazy.

In what ways have you deepened your prayer life?