WHAT DO YOU DO when you’re in distress, trouble or need help? What’s your first move, quick trained reflex, best go-to move?

Do you:

• collapse in worry?
• bury yourself in fear?
• panic, bail out and run?
• admit defeat and surrender?
• victimize yourself/blameshift?
• take to the streets in protest?
• vent on social media?
• ignore the need and move on?
• grit teeth/face challenge?
• fight back faithfully?

AND WHERE DO YOU GO when you’re in distress, in trouble, need help? Call 911? Ask family or a friend to assist? Find a bed, a bottle or a bunker? Go nowhere and just hope for the best?

BEFORE you go anywhere and do anything else when life comes at you hard, make this your first move and best move:

GO TO GOD. Go here. Get to Him first. Get to Him fast. Before everything and everyone else rushes in. 

A lost coin or a big disaster, a new problem or a building trauma — all  are within His reach. His presence and input matters most. He sees best, knows most, cares deeply. 

This is the go-to move to make. Don’t let yourself go other places first.

AND PRAY. Inquire of the LORD. Cry out to Him. Pour your heart out to Him, before Him. Lament. Seek. Get His mind on matters, big and small. 

Evidence of this action is found well over a thousand times in Scripture.

So give yourself permission to live like this. Release yourself in prayer. Train this reflex. Let it rip. 

Prayer is the great exercise, expression, and liberation of the soul. Ask. Seek. Knock (Psalm 42:4, Psalm 62:8, Psalm 102:1, Psalm 142:2, Proverbs 16:3, James 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 7:7–12, Philippians 4:6).

Reflect: What go-to moves may need to be eliminated so that prayer comes first? Are you giving your heart and soul enough expression before God, regularly pouring your heart out to Him with soul passion for others and self?

A prayer to consider: LORD, my first move and best move is You. Forgive me for going everywhere else or nowhere when wisdom is needed, storms rise, problems hit.

Release my soul to pray, to pour out my heart before You, to pour out my soul to You, to cast my burdens on You, and leave them there. Free me to be confident, bold, petitioning, seeking and wide open before You. 

I want prayer to be the faithful discipline and sweet, soulish expression of my life. For my joy and Your great glory, I pray. Amen.