Day 5 Step 5 Nearsightedness

Why is it that when we go through a change in paradigm or spiritual drought that we draw closer to God? Why does it take that to draw us closer to Him?  We should be close to Him always, every day.  Is it life overbearing?  Are we too busy with our lives to thank the One who gave it to us?  Now we tend to mess up this life He gave us therefore asking for His forgiveness and help when we do.  But not all of us do that.  Since becoming a believer I don't think there has been a day I don't think about Him, or thanked Him for something along my days length.  Before that time however, my world was a bit myoptic lacking imagination, foresight and intellectual insight. Basically it was nearsightedness. I still have moments where I revert back to my nearsightedness, but God always has a gentle way of bringing me back to Him.
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up when He shares about the Parable of the Persistent Widow.  He shares that there is an unjust judge who does not care for God or people.  There is a widow who persistently asks for justice in her case but the judge keeps putting her off.  Finally, He grants her justice in order to keep her from "wearing me out with her coming".  And Jesus said, "And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"  How often in our search for justice do we forget how accessible Jesus and the Holy Spirit is to us all the time?  How often do we skip the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus".  We must not remain nearsighted about our lives and forget about prayer.  That last request from God is sometimes a hard one for me.  I am suppose to give thanks in all circumstances....even in breast cancer?  Yes always.  I have to say that I honestly can give thanks.  I have already seen the doors open to healing and God's hand working so mightily all around me in every circumstance.  So why did I not see His hand working before?   Nearsightedness.  I really want to walk in this all the time and when the treatment for this is over I don't want this closeness with God to end......it doesn't have to.  It doesn't need to take a paradigm change to draw us closer to Him.  He wants to be there with us in the everyday ho hum dull drums of carpooling, laundry, grocery shopping, lawn mowing, hair cutting, dinner cooking and dish washing moments.  We have to find God in the everyday moments for that is what makes them exciting.  Let His spirit ignite the simplicity of our lives for they are complex enough without circumstances that come and go.  In 1 Timothy 2:8 "I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing."
So the adage that "Life is short, Pray hard" should not be taken lightly or nearsightedly, but reverently, and thoughtfully.  Stepping out in an ability to see outside of ourselves, outside of our little lives, outside of our circumstances brings a whole new perspective about how BIG our God is.  In one of my people proverbs "God is so faithful in our little lives through tough times; then we realize how big our lives are to God.....we are blessed."
I heard this yesterday from an online friend, Kim Avery.  "Sin, any sin, is incompatible with the holiness of God. And while we may cry inconsolably when the bright, shiny promises of prides and pleasure, security and status, and the passing praise of men are taken away, it is the path to fullness of joy."
Make prayer a priority even in the ho hums and not just in crisis mode.  You won't be disappointed.
He promises!