Strengthening Your Grip on Prayer
This lesson will help us open up the lines of continual communication with our Lord, giving us joy, hope, and stability in our anxiety-producing world.
This lesson will help us open up the lines of continual communication with our Lord, giving us joy, hope, and stability in our anxiety-producing world.
We have always been fascinated with stories—especially the ones beginning with those same four words “Once upon a time…” and ending with “And they all lived happily ever after.” Oh, that it were true! Living happily ever after only happens in fairy tales. Wish instead for a full life, one that's satisfied, godly, balanced…and reasonably sweet.
It is correct to say God wants me happy. But He doesn’t want us to value it above other things or base our happiness in superficial temporary circumstances. God built us to desire happiness but He wants us to find it in relation to Him.
How specific are you in your prayers? When you talk to God, talk about your needs—don’t beat around the bush! God does His most ideal work when we are in an impossible situation. And He always proves Himself faithful.
As we share with God every worry that weighs us down, our circumstances may not change but we will. We begin to let Him carry the heavy loads that we can’t bear. We start to trust Him to handle the problems that we can’t control.
There isn’t a day that passes in which I fail to see, hear, or read something that makes me smile. And because laughter is such an effective therapy, I’m grateful that God dispenses this divine medication so frequently.
It’s not about the change in the weather, how young or old you are, or any other circumstance. None of these things matter. Life is to be celebrated, not merely endured.
We tend to get angry when things don’t go the way we want. A good sense of humour can turn irritation into laughter. Next time things don’t go your way refuse to let your circumstances dampen your joy.
A positive attitude is based on a choice, not on feelings. Too often we make our attitude the victim of our feelings and think we can have a positive attitude only when we feel positive.
There are days when it’s wise for us to stop and look and listen. We scrutinize our lives, examine Scripture, and spend extended time in prayer as we gain a clearer sense of what God is doing in our lives and what He has for us in the future. As the new year rolls around, take some time for reflection and renewal. Start today.