Gratitude Day 523

Wed., Oct. 14, 2020

James 4:3 – And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires.

I know that it’s happening right now. People are praying for exact opposites to happen:

For “their” candidate to win the presidential election.

Or another election.

For a referendum to pass or not pass.

For people’s minds to be changed to their “correct” position.

How can all of these prayers be answered?

They can’t.

Someone is going to be disappointed. We just pray that it won’t be us.

And my heart becomes sad.

Prayer IS important. It’s mandated by Jesus as a way for us to draw closer to God, share our heart with God and have confidence that God wants what is best for us.

The problem is … sometimes we get it wrong.

Our prayers aren’t the best prayers.

Our prayers are more about US than they are about GOD.

We convince ourselves if we just pray hard enough, God WILL see it our way.

And my heart becomes sad.

Don’t get me wrong. God is interested in every single last detail in your life and our world. God’s desk never gets too cluttered that God forgets the desires of your heart. But here’s the deal. Sometimes we get it wrong. And we aren’t wise enough to see, believe or know this.

And my heart becomes sad.

My heart becomes sad because I’ve tried to bargain with God myself … more than once. My heart is sad because I know better than to pray these self-serving prayers … and yet I still do. My heart is sad because in my prayers, I’m already setting up the structure of winners and losers … and forget that in God, there are no losers. Only winners.

Can we be a little more careful with our prayers in the days ahead? Can we hear that prayer is more about transforming ourselves than transforming God? Can we allow ourselves to trust in God even when these self-serving prayers we reiterate aren’t answered … and we just want to blame and give up on God?

Answering prayer isn’t about us. It’s about God. Thank goodness there is someone who knows a lot more than we do … and will provide God’s will to prevail

Yes, we can be angry. Mad. Blame God and assure everyone that God has let you down when those prayers aren’t answered exactly like we would like.

God will still love you. God will still advocate for you. God will never leave you.

Now, if we can only remember that it’s not really about us. It’s only about God.

For a necessary attitude adjustment about prayer, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – We want You to trust us and our prayer requests when really what is necessary is us to trust You. Remind me again that You have this. Now, help me depend upon You, no matter what happens in the days and weeks ahead. Amen.

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