by Sean Adams
Welcome to Tax Season 2020!
There are basically 2 groups of people when it comes to filing taxes.
Group: Get It Done! and Group: Aww Man.
Which group are you in?
Group Get It Done!
These people are expecting a refund! They were not happy campers when the Feds released a notice that no refunds would be out until after February 15th and in some cases February 27th back in 2017. Group Get It Done typically files their taxes before the end of January and will even use their last check of the year to estimate their tax refund.
Group Aww Man!
These people know they have to pay the piper! They don't care when folks get refunds because they've collected all their money throughout the year and saved for the last few months of the prior year for their typical tax bill. Group Aww Man typically files their taxes right before the due date: this year Wednesday, April 15th.
This the way some of us identify with prayer. Don't pray because you only see prayer as a taxing burden, the loathsome tithe of time or a debt owed. That's the Aww Man Prayer Group. Don't be in that group. The Get It Done Prayer Group looks forward to prayer because they don't see this as giving, it’s receiving. Just like both groups have to spend time filing tax forms; both groups of prayers need to spend time in prayer. But one group is happy about it and the other not so much. One group knows their identity in Christ and practices prayer, the other not. One group believes the promise of Matthew 6:33 and the other not.
Look At Prayer Differently. Here's how, Keep to These 4 Tips:
Keep a Journal
Paul tells the Corinthians church he had prayed 3 times for God to remove his thorn. He kept track of his prayer requests and apparently knew when he had prayed too often for something and needed clarity on what exactly was the hold up with God. (2 Corinthians 12)
Be like Paul! Know about how long it takes to experience an answer from God for certain things. Keeping track will help you realize when you need to pray more in-depth about why you're not seeing an answer and keeping a prayer journal can help with that.
Keep it Organic
Prayer is a conversation. It's not an exercise of rote memorization of fancy sayings you heard some preacher say once and it just feels good to say it. Prayer should be transparent and personal, not gimmicky using plagiarized turns of phrase.
Prayer should be transparent and personal, not gimmicky uses of plagiarized turns of phrase.
Keep to the Word
What does the Bible say about what you want? Does the Bible blatantly say you can have that thing? Then pray the WORD. "God your word says I am healed by your stripes. So I receive that truth and ask that you heal me. Thank you for healing me!"
Keep the Joy!
When your prayer is answered, celebrate! Praise God and note it in your journal; this builds faith like nothing else. When it comes time to build yourself in your most holy faith you don't just remember the stories of victory in the Bible, you recall what God has done in your personal life.
Prayer is part of your Christian Identity. We talk to God and God leads, guides, protects, provides, and loves us. Do what Christians for thousands of years have done–pray with expectancy. Find out more about your Christian Identity and the benefits of being part of this highly exclusive club on Sundays at Cross Culture as we dive deep into our Identity in Christ.