Faith + Forgiveness = A good prayer life

22 Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. 23 I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for — believe that you have received them, and you will have them. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing. 26 But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing. ”  Mark 11:22

Prayer Warriors,
       
Oh, how God speaks to us through his word. When I read this verse, I see my struggles in faith and forgiveness, so as I ponder on the words of Christ. I'm having to look up and say, "Speak to my heart and show me where I fall short."In this scripture He brings faith, prayer, and forgiveness together.

        
Faith, believing what I'm praying and yet at times I walk away with a doubtful heart. My prayers lately have been asking the Holy Spirit to input a faith were I'm not like the sea going back and forth. 

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5 

You see, our faith is only good in the one we put our faith in. When fear wants to take over my faith, I have to look to the truth of who He is. 

3 For Your faithful love is before my eyes,and I live by Your truth. Psalm 26:3 

When everything around me says something else, my eyes have to be fix on Him. Faith is our christian walk and we have to walk daily in it.

        
Forgiveness, why with prayer? He wants to get to the heart, He wants to dig down deep in my your soul. It's not just about coming to him about my situations but He's wanting me to examine my heart and forgiveness is a good start. 

39 may You hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,

Your dwelling place,

and uphold their cause. 

May You forgive Your people

who sinned against You.

40 Now, my God,

please let Your eyes be open

and Your ears attentive

to the prayer of this place. 2 Chronicles 6: 39-40

When I come to Him in prayer,  a cleansing needs to take place in my heart. He is ready and willing to wash my sins away, a sinless man, who knew no sin. Yet, in my mind, I will find reasons why I can't forgive my enemy or my brother or sister in Christ. It might not be something I speak out loud but deep down in my soul I feel I just don't want to forgive.

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times? ” 22“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven. Matthew 18:21-22

I need to be forgiven daily of my sins, so I need to forgive daily. God help me not to hold on to bitterness of the past, or whats going on the present or even in the future, of not wanting to forgive. Truly forgive. I don't want my prayers to be hindered. 

                                            Blessings,

                                            Christina