What a privilege to exercise the encouragement to have confidence to approaching God in prayer.

Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God—Jesus, the Son of God. Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. Let us have confidence, then, and approach God’s throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it. – Hebrews 4:14-16 GNT

So when things get messy, and I mean messy, praying with fasting takes a priority.

Give orders for a fast;
    call an assembly!
Gather the leaders
    and all the people of Judah
    into the Temple of the Lord your God
    and cry out to him! – Joel 1:!4 GNT

Even daily work takes a lesser priority in my life in times of great need.

Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given. – G. Campbell Morgan

Whether the times have some urgency in them or my crises is just breaking, I endure the storm by seeking to hear what my Father is saying – so I wait on Him.

“Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God’s will.” – Jeremy Collier

Waiting for an answer to prayer is often part of the answer.

Even as I pray the Psalm that is described as an evening prayer, I pray that my mouth does not speak what is not in my heart. As the gatekeeper only alllows the gate to be opened for a good purpose – may it be the same with my lips.

I call to you, Lord; help me now!
    Listen to me when I call to you.
Receive my prayer as incense,
    my uplifted hands as an evening sacrifice. – Psalm 141:1-2 GNT

God is looking for me to direct my prayer to Him and in the calling out, He is looking for zeal, passion and enthusiasm. If not, I may be tempted to give up praying.

To pray and have my prayer received as incense is to offer a prayer that is not defiled and has no blemish in the offering – pure and holy. I light it with enthusiasm and then I offer my prayer.

“Prayer, in every care and anxiety and need of life, with thanksgiving, is the means God has appointed for out obtaining freedom from all anxiety, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” – R. A. Torrey