P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today we will look at the less popular fruit of self-control.
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
My Father, your word speaks of your steadfast and unfailing love toward me. So, I come now to hide under the shadow of your wings and to simply enjoy that love! Let me “feast on the abundance of your house” and “drink from the river of your delights!” I know that with you is the fountain of life; fill me to overflow as I meet with you today! For, where the river flows, life abounds. (Based on Psalm 36:7-9 and Ezekiel 47:9b)
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the faithfulness of God displayed in Psalm 33:
“Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.”
Psalm 33:20-22
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.”
1 Corinthians 3:12-14
As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.”
1 Corinthians 3:12-14
There are several fruits of the Spirit, or character traits, that we are to pursue as Christians that run contrary to everything we are taught to do (or that we experience) in this world. In fact, we could probably argue that they all are! However, self-control may be the most counter-cultural. Today, it seems, the highest value is to be true to yourself, no matter what direction that may take you! Even amongst Christians, self-control can get a bad rap, as many mistakenly believe that, now that Jesus has saved us, we are “free” to do whatever we want and go wherever we want.
Yet, following Jesus has a lot to do with self-control! Indeed, it requires it! Thankfully, as Paul outlines in the passage from Philippians above (and as we have talked about every day this week) God helps us in this endeavor! He is the one who wills and works in us to His good pleasure! But he does not do that independent of our effort. As we determine to “work out” our salvation, he comes in power to help! So how do we “work out” this fruit of self-control in our lives?
Paul uses the example of an athlete to illustrate this concept to us in 1 Corinthians 9. My husband, you may know, loves football. So, I am often forced to watch shows in which athletes talk about their lives and how they prepare for the games. It is pretty intense! Everything they eat and drink, how much they sleep, the ice baths, the therapy of all sorts, what they watch and listen to, who they hang out with, how often they train, is all done with the singular goal of performing their best during the season and hopefully coming away with an earthly prize.
But we receive imperishable prizes for the way we run our race. The Bible speaks of things like: rewards in heaven (1 Cor. 3), the amazing joy we get when we have a hand in pulling people out of darkness and into the light, the privilege it is of joining Jesus in leading people into a growing relationship with him, and the experience of abundant life here on earth! Are these things among your goals in life? Are you running in such a way as to win those prizes? All of the things that are important to athletes (okay, maybe not the ice baths) are important in our race as well! What we eat and drink and how much we sleep are important, because we want our bodies to be able to function well for God’s purposes in our life. What we watch and listen to either builds us up or tears us down. Who we allow to speak into our lives, either encourages us to walk rightly or tempts us to head in a different direction. How much we train in the knowledge of the word and in times of prayer prepares us for “game time!” All these things contribute to our success or failure in our Christian lives! So, set these goals before you and trust the Spirit to help you in your weakness and you will, with certainty, win that prize!
Father God, what is my perspective on self-control? Is it a value I embrace or shun? Have I limited its value and pursuit to only certain areas of my life, leaving the rest wild? Show me now if there is any place in my life in which I am not fighting the battle of self-control! And strengthen me for that fight!
And, Lord, reveal to me my true goals in life. Have I even considered asking you to define those for me? And, Lord, bring me life! Jesus forgive me for the places where I have been the priority in my life and not you. Change my heart today, I pray.
Lord, I want all of you that there is to have! I want that personally, I want that for Rio, and I want that for the Church here in South Florida! So, give us faith for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our day! And teach us to wait on you, to listen for your voice, to pray persistently for your Empowering Presence, and then to walk in your power. Do a great work through us for the sake of your Kingdom and your glory!
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen for how the Lord is inviting me to respond to him. Where in my life do I need to yield in obedience to what he has for me?
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.”
1 Corinthians 3:12-14
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I am ashamed to admit that my levels of self-control are far lower than those of the professional athletes I see on TV. Raise up in me the passion needed to subject every area of my life to a greater level of self-control, knowing that the “race” I’m running or the “game” I’m called to is of infinitely greater value and importance. And the victory that I’m pursuing will be rewarded with an infinitely greater reward. Lord, empower me to put to death the things that are out of control in my life. God, please help me to see that, although I can not do that, the Spirit who lives within me can! Teach me how to yield all my struggles to your will! Help me believe, Lord, and forgive my unbelief!
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in 2 Timothy 4:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Closing Prayer
Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.