Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
Joy, patience, and faithfulness - these characteristics represent the kind of person I want to be. They are a picture of wholeness that only comes from a Spirit-filled life.
So why do they so often elude me?
Lord, I too often lose hope. I too often wallow in my affliction, and I too rarely turn to You in prayer. There have been times in my life when I couldn't stop praying. My spirit was continually communing with You - even in the midst of the busiest days. Yet now, I feel like I have fallen asleep. Like the disciples on the night Jesus was arrested, I am weary. I am asleep in the garden.
Awaken my spirit, Father. Draw me close. Make me a joyful, patient, and prayerful man.