More and Lessfeatured

Sometimes I have trouble keeping my focus on God during my quiet time. My restless mind likes to wander all over the place. To combat this problem, I often repeat the phrase, “more of you and less of me” as I try to pray and listen to what God wants me to hear.  While that phrase is a wonderful desire and does seem to help my focus problem (sometimes), it recently occurred to me that these words are a bit non-specific and vague.

What exactly does “more of God and less of me” mean? How will this prayer actually change my thoughts and behavior?  How can praying these words help me mature as a disciple? Thankfully God’s Word gives us plenty of insight into the “more and less” equations of living a life of faith. I am discovering that there are almost endless ways to make that “more and less” prayer more specific and effective (I hope!) in slowly transforming the way I think and behave.

I thought of quite a few “more or less” prayers that were a bit more specific than that original utterance.  In the interest of brevity, I won’t cover all of them; so, here are three that the Holy Spirit laid on my heart.

More trusting in you and your plans and less clinging to and fretting over my plans. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  The impact of truly trusting in him is profound and changes how we think and act.  In his prayer for the Romans, the apostle Paul assure us of the outcomes: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). It is so obvious that trusting in him is far better than clinging to my own plans, yet I still struggle with this. I need to utter this “more and less” prayer on a daily basis!

More time spent in your Word and less time and energy spent on conquering my ever-present to-do list.  I’m pretty sure that I am not the only one with this problem! I just returned from a vacation and the urge to set my priorities based on my “return-to-reality” to-do list has been incredibly strong. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit has gently reminded me of how I should set my priorities. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”) assures me that reading and studying his Word will equip me to make my way through the to-do list according to his will and timing.

More of your love in my heart to share with others and less judgmental and critical thoughts and words. I wish I could spend a day when I don’t think or say anything that is judgmental or critical.  The only way I can ever come close to accomplishing this is through divine intervention.  Jesus cautioned us in Matthew 7:1-2: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  The apostle Paul gently reminds me of a better way. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).  The power of Holy Spirit can replace our critical and judgmental behavior with humility and kindness. I need constant help with this. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit is available 24/7!

This painting is titled “Lift Up My Soul” and is based on Psalm 143:8: “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” This prayer beautifully summarizes what it takes to have more of God in our lives: a daily discipline of seeking and trusting him as we lift up our souls in surrender to the One who loves us perfectly.  Let that be our prayer today and every day!