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Ask, already!
My prayer life has improved greatly over the past year, but honestly, prayer has always been the most difficult aspect of my Christian walk. An issue may have been weighing heavily on my heart, but I was always reticent to bring it to the Lord.
I knew my reasoning was faulty, but to me, it just seemed so selfish to make a request of a Heavenly Father who had given me so much and blessed me so richly. I did understand that a God who would give His only Son to die for my sins would give me anything else I asked of Him, so why it was so difficult for me to let my requests be made known unto God? I wanted a better prayer life, but didn’t know how to go about making it my reality.
So while reading my Bible one night, I came across Phillippians 4:6-7.
I craved that peace which passeth all understanding in all matters, and so wanted my heart and mind kept through Christ Jesus. After reading that passage, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, repeating the words “in every thing” and “with thanksgiving.” Now, I knew I needed help with coming to Him “in every thing” but I didn’t know I needed help with the “thanksgiving” part.
So I started being more grateful, going as far as to look for things for which to praise and thank Jesus. I started thanking Him for five things before I even got out of bed. My gratitude expanded, and I found that the more I thanked Him for everything He’s already done, the easier it became to bring my most pressing issues to the throne. Constant praise for all the things the Lord has already blessed me with served to strengthen my faith. And stronger faith made it easier to let my requests be made known unto God.
Granted, I’m still not totally comfortable with the Cumberland practice of praying out loud in front of everyone present, but I’ve gotten a lot better at bringing my most troubling issues to the Lord in prayer. And the peace I’ve gained in doing so passes all understanding.
Thanks Tasha…great words and challenge. Loved your practical suggestion about thanking God for 5 things before getting out of bed.Great having you around CCC.
love, love, LOVE having you in Kids Ministry. Thanks for a reminder of gratitude in prayer. Today, I needed that.
Tasha…thanks so much for sharing. It was a great reminder to me. I once heard a gentleman thanking God for some of the simplest things in his life – clothes, air, eyes, good tires on his car, etc. It’s so easy for me to take for granted all the incredible gifts God has lavished on me and my family. It seems so much easier to focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. If I can keep thanking God for all the big and little gifts in my life, hopefully He can change my focus and my heart.
Lord, may you help me and all of Cumberland appreciate all the rich gifts you have provided. Lord, may you change our hearts so that the world may always see us thanking you. Not in a phony, “everything is always rosy” attitude, but in genuine gratitude. Lord, only you can change us. We cannot do it ourselves and you never intended us to. Youonly ask that we rely on you with everything that we are. Lord, may your name be blessed. May you shine and may the people of Smyrna see your light through your children. In Jesus name, Amen.