Prayer closet:

So i have this closet in my room. Size: 40"X38" inches ...in other words: approximately dinky. And i've realized that it gets progressively harder to get into this closet of mine, especially since freshman year (i would like to say it's b/c i've accumulated more clothes since then, but that's not what i was referring to). But anyways...a couple years ago, my sister (who at the time shared this closet) moved out which left a good little chunk of extra space. Super excited, i cleaned, ridded, and organized my things remaining and hollowed out a little space on the floor which became a perfect crawl hole that i turned into my "prayer closet." You see, I live in a house with 10 other people and there's really not a lot of space where there aren't people. It's hard to "get alone with the Lord" sometimes. So i decided to make the closet my hidden sanctuary. There were many late nights and early mornings that my legs fell asleep curled up with my flash light and Bible. But i loved my time in my closet and i feel like the Lord really spoke to me during these precious times in my closet. Prayer has become something that i LOVE...it is a sweet relationship with my Saviour where we get to talk heart to heart. We open up with each other - He gets to see my heart, then He gives me glimpses of His heart. Interceding on behalf of the saved and the lost and seeing God answer prayer after prayer...and that God would consider me worthy to be a part of the work that He is doing...OH IT JUST GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS!
Since that time, my closet is once again being shared by another sister and i no longer have a hollow at the bottom to crawl into, and though perhaps not at home, i have hidden prayer closets all over campus that i seek out late at night and early in the morning.

Here are a few lessons from my prayer closet:

#1. When people fail you, Jesus remains. Jesus will always be my comfort. More often than not He is the first one i run to and the first one i seek for answers. So many times in the past i've been tempted to just get alone by myself for a while or find someone to "talk out my problems" with and i forget that God is always listening and ready to comfort and gently correct towards righteousness. When i go to Him FIRST with my problems, no matter how confused or frustrated i am, i often don't need anyone else. There is something comforting about knowing that Christ is ALL that i need. He is enough.

#2. John 17 (love this prayer) - it's the prayer recorded right before Jesus is taken away to be tried and crucified.

"I have brought You (Father) glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do." John 17:4 (the whole passage is incredible)

I want to learn how to pray like Jesus...selfless and purely for the glory of God. Jesus knew what He was about to go through. He didn't look forward to it, but He submitted Himself to the will of His Father. Sometimes my prayers are so shallow. "Lord give me this, heal that, make my life easy." NO! I want to pray that God would be glorified in my life - pray for endurance to continue the work that He gave me to do - pray for boldness to be all that Christ has called me to be - pray that i would be selfless with my time and energy. I've given my life to Christ - it's His. PERIOD. What else do i have to offer? nothing.

#3. We can do nothing without Him...we can do nothing for Him but commit our lives to His calling. i must die to the flesh daily in order to take up my cross and follow Jesus. i am just a small part of the body of Christ...God is sovereign and He is working ALL OVER this world to bring people into His kingdom. i simply cannot get caught up in "my" this and "my" that when there is so much more that Christ has called me to that does not involve "me" and "I" but envolves "them" and "him" and "her" and the work which God is doing.

#4. God changes lives through prayer.