prayer

“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-20

“Our problems don’t define us; God defines us. Our problems are neither the first nor the last word of who we are; God is. As we pray, the God who is previous to who we are and what we are doing, the God who is previous to what has gone wrong in our lives will show us the fulness of the love of Christ.” Eugene Peterson, Practice Resurrection 

It should come as no surprise to anyone that knows me that I love the writings of Eugene Peterson. As I have been preparing myself for our Spirit Walk retreat, I have been writing reflectives from Ephesians. I have issues. We all do. There are things that I have faced (and sometimes continue to face) that I can feel are insurmountable.

But then I read this passage.

And I pray the following prayer:

I pray that God “may grant … power through his Spirit” to face the issues in my life (3:16).

I pray that Christ may dwell in my heart and bring the peace that passes all understanding (3:17).

I pray that I may have the power to comprehend the love of Christ in the midst of my issues. (3:18).

I pray that I may be filled with all the fullness of God as I live this Spirit-infused life (3:19).