Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear

I have not been myself in the last several weeks, constantly feeling uncreative, unfunny, and tired. I should be apologizing for this and my lack of posts, but I hate it when people do that. The truth is, God is putting me through a time in which I have no choice but to rely on Him. He is testing my faith and leading me to develop my prayer life. Often times I avoid writing about God on this website because I worry what some of you will think. Seeing that statement in black and white makes me sick. I should never filter God out of anything. Period.

It seems that everywhere I turn, someone is in turmoil. Whether it be as a result of an impending decision, an illness, financial difficulties, extreme life change, war, a natural disaster, crime, or job-related stress, everyone needs prayer. The Bible tells us to "Pray continually" (1 Th. 5:17), something I have never been able to manage. For most of my life, prayer has been something I do before I eat, before I go to bed, at Church or at Church-related activities, and before, during, and after critical Hurricanes games. The thought of praying continually, of being in constant communication with God, is foreign.

Being surrounded with this turmoil has caused me to see that God is urging me, us, everyone, to turn to Him. We cannot face life on our own. We hear all the time that we don't have to face life on our own, that through Him all things are possible. But how many of us really believe that? How can we believe that? God is so far away. We cannot see Him, and often times we cannot even feel His presence. The answer is so simple, yet so difficult. I have been listening to a lot of Jars of Clay in the past few days (I am seeing them tonight!) and in doing so, have been reminded of the simple solution -- To have faith like a child.