Prayer Makes A Relationship

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

     How do you pray? Do you actually talk to God as if you were having a conversation with Him? Do you have a regular prayer you pray every morning or night, saying the same thing over and over each day? Do you even pray every day, or only when you need something? Do you stop to thank Him when He answers your prayer in the way you were hoping for? Do you praise Him every day? Do you still praise Him when He gives you what you need rather than what you want?

     God is our Heavenly Father and we should feel like we can have an open conversation with Him. He wants us to talk to Him. Tell Him what you want, tell Him what you feel like you need, tell Him your hopes and dreams, tell Him your fears and frustrations and things you're struggling with.

     After all that, though, don't forget to listen for His response. Yes, He will talk to you. The Holy Spirit is always talking to us, encouraging the choices we make every day. The closer you get to Him, it will seem easier to recognize His guidance. Don't forget to read your Bible because that is the main tool He uses to talk to us. Pray before you read that you will get something out of it, and you most definitely always will.

     Some people might say they don't know how to pray. It's easier than you might think. Just talk to Him like you would talk to anyone. Talk to him like I'm talking to you right now. Prayer is a one-on-one conversation with your Creator. That might make it seem a little intimidating to just talk to Him casually, but that comes with having a relationship with Him. He is also our Heavenly Father. Talk to Him like you would talk to your dad, or you could also talk to Him like you would talk to your best friend (which is another part of the relationship we have with Him).

     By the way, yes, I called prayer a conversation. Like I said, God talks to us all the time. Sometimes He might choose to do it through your Bible reading. Other times, we just need to be still, be quiet, open our hearts, and listen.

     Just like any relationship, it takes time and effort to help it grow. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says simply that we are to "Pray without ceasing." Jesus will always make the time to talk to us. Will you make the time to talk to Him?

Facing Our Trials

     "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
     Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."" - John 9:1-3

     Many times, when we face trials, we become angry with God. If God is supposed to love us, we want to know why He would do things that seem like they would hurt us. Especially after we've all heard the saying over and over that God never gives us more than we can handle, so why does it sometimes seem like we're given more than we can handle?

     Yes, God does love us, but His job is not to give us everything we ask for. What He does give us, is exactly what we need. Sometimes, most of the time, what we need is not something physical. He uses hardships to teach us lessons.

     Have you ever prayed for more money? A new car? A new job? A sickness to be healed? If your request isn't answered in the way you want within a certain time frame, what do you do? Do you ask again? Do you ask why you didn't get what you wanted? Do you get angry at God?

     Picture this: A little toddler wants some candy, but has already had more than he should. The father says no, so the toddler begins to throw a fit. The toddler is going to continue to throw a fit until he gets what he wants. The dad knows he can't give the toddler more candy because that is what is best for him and if he eats any more he will get sick. Should the dad hold his ground? Or should the dad give in to make the child happy?

     How is that situation any different than ours when we pitch a fit to God for not giving us what we want? God knows what is best for us because He can see the bigger picture. We may think we know what we want, but that doesn't always mean we know what we need. Our wants are based on our current circumstances. What God wants is for us to trust Him with those circumstances so He can take care of our needs.

     If we don't trust Him, if we keep pulling back, then we're never going to achieve that happiness God wants for us. We may say, God doesn't know what I need, I know what I need and God won't give it to me. We try to control our lives, but our views are limited. The only way to peace is to follow God.

     Sometimes, if we stray from the path He has for us, he may give us some hard times to help encourage us to turn back to the right path. Other times, he may let us struggle with certain situations to help us build Godly character. It's up to us whether we learn something or not, but if we close our hearts to God's teachings, we risk closing our hearts to God Himself.

     Nobody enjoys going through trials in their life, but if we trust God to help us through, He will lead us through even the darkest times.