Those times when we're in a prayer meeting and absolutely everything's going through our mind - except what's being prayed for. Everything seems to be a distraction, from the rumble informing us we haven't eaten to organising our schedule.

Here's something that should be a relief: we have someone praying for us 24/7. A wise, patient, kind person who just enjoys spending time with people and with God. We find the identity of this person in Romans 8:27 GWT: 'The Spirit intercedes for God's people the way God wants him to.' Let's take a moment to let that sink in. The Holy Spirit is constantly praying for us, for our family, for our anxieties, for our future. That's a sweet deal. The work of the Holy Spirit is to join our spirit with God's, making us more like him.

To maximise this godly connection, let's work towards a more focussed prayer time. Here are two tips: (a) Phone on silent (or off completely!). It's very possible to survive 15 minutes without our phone! (b) Do our best to fight through any tiredness or distractedness - if we can fight past tiredness to watch an extra episode, we can do it for God.

So what now? Make a dedicated effort to spend quality time with God today. Firstly, thank the Holy Spirit that he has brought you before your heavenly Father already.

CS Lewis said, 'Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.' When we refuse to forgive a person who has hurt us, we may feel like we're powerful. But it's a false power. Unforgiveness is like sipping poison and expecting someone else to die. Jesus puts the focus squarely on us: how we're going to deal with the hurt. In Matthew 5:39 NLT, he says 'If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.' That's massively challenging. And the attitude Jesus is talking about here is extremely counter-cultural.

When we have negative words spoken to us, let's test them. If there is any truth in them, our job is to take that truth on board and allow what's been said to change us for better. If there is no truth in them, let's not hold to the words, but brush them off and show grace to whoever hurt us (that's where turning the other cheek comes in).

It's not our job to control other people and their responses - it's our job to control and manage our own emotional health. When we're next wronged by someone, let's not retaliate or hold onto anger or resentfulness, but show the other cheek by offering forgiveness and letting go of the offence.

So what now? Is there someone you're finding hard to forgive? Slowly, carefully, bring them before God. Slowly: obviously, it can't be rushed. Carefully: forgiveness means asking God to allow his forgiveness to flow through you to them bit by bit.

Ever made a mistake, then another, then another, and eventually we're in a tougher-than-tough spot? We wonder how we got there in the first place. Probably we missed (or ignored) several warnings cautioning us to take care. Those bad choices we've made...we're not alone - the Bible's filled with examples of people making really bad decisions. Like when King David slept with another man's wife and then had the husband killed. In the end, David repented and asked for forgiveness - but that didn't mean he avoided the consequences.

We live in this wonderful age where our phones highlight words we've misspelt. What if God had given us something similar, but for moral choices? He has! Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit, to help us discern what's good and what to avoid: 'When the Helper comes, he will prove to the people of the world the truth about sin, about being right with God, and about judgement' (John 16:8 NCV).

It's not unusual for us to make bad decisions (realistically, in life they're unavoidable), so the important thing to keep in mind is that God has given us the Holy Spirit so we have clarity about what's sin and what's not. One of the Holy Spirit's jobs is to lead us back to God when we mess things up.

So what now? What tempts you to move away or become distracted in your walk with Jesus? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you in these areas. God's heart is always to restore us back to him.

The Bible is full of moments of mankind utterly failing to remember God's character and provision. The people of Israel watched a miracle in the wilderness, then almost overnight forgot that God wanted to be the centre of their nation. The disciples were terrified of a storm that Jesus could calm just by speaking to it. They just didn't trust him to come through. And what about when Jesus tells the disciples to beware the 'yeast' of the Pharisees ('yeast' is a metaphor for their teaching) and they don't get it. Not only do they not get it, they start panicking about whose fault it is that no-one brought bread with them. Jesus talked them through the two miracles they'd just seen where thousands of people were fed (read Matthew 16:5-12)!

Our memory for God doing amazing things isn't great. And it seems our memory get worse the more comfortable we get. God says through Moses: 'When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you' (Deuteronomy 8:10 NIV). And if we forget? The same passage warns that our forgetfulness and pride invite potential downfalls.

So what to do? What if we make regular plans to thank him for what he gives us? And for his grace?

So what now? Whenever you're about to eat today, say grace intentionally, not just blindly. Thank God for your food, and for his goodness to you. Watch how it changes your attitude.

God's people are living in a desert. When Moses tells them that God has given him plans for a 'tent of meeting' so God can dwell in amongst his people, we'd think they'd be excited. Here's how we imagine the chat: 'And, folks, it's going to have loads of treasure!' - 'Great Moses!' - 'And you're going to be providing that treasure!' - 'Hmm... actually, Moses we're not so sure about this...'

Yes, God could have provided treasure out of thin air (after all, 'he'd been providing a steady bread service). But he didn't. He wanted (and wants) the people to be involved. God wants the people to give to this tent, even from their own limited belongings (they're living with only essentials in a desert, remember). Why? Might it just be good for the people to put their money where their faith is? To be personally committed to the God in the centre of our lives?

Money has always been a touchy subject. But the model here seems to be: God gives the plan, then asks his people to fund it. God's people then make the plan happen, and have it as their own. (Psssst...God had given them everything they had in the first place, of course, but that's not today's main point). Wondering how to fund something? Start with asking God for his plan, then asking people to help you out.

So what now? What money issue are you going through at the moment? Do you have God's input for your plan yet?

What do wilderness-dwellers need most? Food? Water? Maps? If we said, 'Jesus!', that extra points for us.

The people of Israel had a list of physical needs in the desert, but underlying every need was their need for God. And he knew it. So, in one of his face-to-face chats with Moses, God gives Moses instructions for a 'tent of meeting'. God wants Moses to build a place for God to chat with him, regularly.

Amazing as that is, that closeness is available for us, too. Spending time in church, listening to sermons, hearing powerful testimonies are all great to do. But not one of those 'second-hand' stories can replace the first-hand experience of spending time with Jesus ourselves. James writes, 'Draw near to God and he will draw near to you' (James 4:8 NKJV). He wants a relationship. He wants us to get to know him.

Also, that tent of meeting was to be in the middle of the camp. God didn't want to be at the side of his people, and he doesn't want to be an aside in our life. His presence was the core of his people, and all parts of the camp saw and felt his presence at the centre. With Jesus in the centre, no problem seems anywhere near as daunting.

So what now? Put your Bible in the middle of the table. Around it, arrange the other important things in your life (phone, photos of friends, study books, work, etc.). Take a photo of your life, with Jesus at the centre. Is it accurate?