Prayer: A Steering Wheel or Spare Tire?

In life, it is common to talk about other people, especially when they affect us. My husband is my first port of call for any issue involving neighbors. If he is the irritant, my go-to person is my sister. However, I dislike them both at times, and I have no one to vent my sighs and sentiments to. And I realized that the real problem isn't with anyone but with myself. Then I understood why fate wasn't on my side and kept throwing curve balls at me. 

To de-stress, a normal person would go shopping, watch a movie, or eat. But, as an introvert, in the four-cornered walls of our room, my so-called comfort zone, with the doors locked, is where I spend alone time. 

"I, me, and myself" were in charge of everything. Driven by my selfish desires, I care for no one. Ako lang ng ako. Ako ang dapat mahalin, ako ang dapat unawain, ako ang dapat intindihin at asikasuhin, Ito ang gusto ko, ako ang dapat masunod. Kung di ako pagbibigyan, magagalit ako. At pag nagalit ako, dapat akong amuhin, hikayatin, suyuin. Isn't it pathetic? In reality, it's vain to always think only of oneself because no matter how well you fix one issue, another one always pops up. And as a result, life becomes exhausting and draining, as it just turns into a never-ending cycle of problem solving.

Who could keep their sanity when confronted with daily trials—things, people, and circumstances that threaten their emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being?

Answer: The person who prays constantly and sincerely is the one who keeps a clear head in the face of daily crises and struggles.

Speaking of prayer, I admit that I am not a prayerful person. Whenever I'm going through a rough patch, I don't automatically think of God. Yes, I pray, but not in the sincere, eager way that comes from my innermost core. I pray shallowly with my mouth and not with my head, heart, and spirit. Praying isn't ingrained in my being because God isn't in my system. 

Further, as a plain housewife and mother of two, I serve the needs of my family as a helper, a driver, a tutor, a cook, and a cleaner, which reduces my time to meditate. That's why praying is the last and least on my list. Whenever my concern is too much to bear and all other options have been tested and tried, that is the time I feel driven to pray. I don't pray as much, and praying seems like a burden, an obligation, instead of a longing to do it. Admittedly, prayer for me was nothing more than a spare tire.

In 2017, God made the essence of praying clear to me. I have come to see that it is fundamentally more significant than eating and drinking. Prayer is a way for us to communicate with God, who provides and sustains all of our needs to go through life. Additionally, because prayer is directed at the Supreme Being, it has power. So, let us not undervalue the power of prayer. 

Now I am learning to talk to God constantly. I make it a point to keep praying wherever I am or what I'm doing.

Amazingly, praying is liberating. Despite the beast in me, God still hears what I have to say. And I don't have to fear being criticized or rejected when I speak to God. Telling others about my worries puts me at risk of being judged or misunderstood, and it can leave me feeling agitated and nervous rather than at ease and comforted. But glory to God, who listens intently to each word we utter and undoubtedly reassures us of His presence and love and gives us peace when we pray. 

I was once invincible. When I still don't have that kind of deep personal relationship with Jesus, my prayer life is dead, and the clutch and gears of my life are within my control. I make decisions based on my prerogative. And Jesus? Well, for me, He was merely a passenger at the time, a stranger in my car called life. Yes, I may already know Him, but I am still half-hearted about handing over the keys to the steering wheel of my life to Jesus. But I recognize that He is the one I have been missing for all of my life. Jesus is the only one who can transform me and fix my character defects. And so, recently, I decided to make Him the driver who maneuvers the steering wheel of my life. I let Him take the lead and guide me.

Are your burdens too heavy to bear? Downcast? Tangled up in annoyances? A few things weren't going as planned. There is only one way to God: through Jesus Christ. When you opt to look for people's help, remember that they are also carrying their crosses, so it is best to run to God and seek His help. God has the answer to all our dilemmas. God is omniscient and sovereign, He has our best interests at heart. His plans are for our good, not for evil, to provide us with a brighter future and hope (Jer 29:11), and this will surely be fulfilled by God, for what He says, He does. Jesus promises to complete the work He began in us (Phil 1:6).

Now, it's no longer "I, Me, and Myself," but Christ's (Galatians 2:20). 
What was once a spare tire has now become the steering wheel! 
Ikaw naman, Kapatid? What do Jesus and praying mean to you? 
Is Jesus and praying your steering wheel or just a spare tire?

God be praised, from whom all wisdom comes🙏