Asking and Thanking
Philippians 4:6-7
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.
Psalm 37:4-5
Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
I’ve known these scriptures backwards and forwards for years. Sometimes I just don’t act like it! Just before Christmas, I decided to really start taking God seriously by making my “requests” known to Him, with thanksgiving. So I made a list of things I’m trusting the Lord for and started thanking Him every day for providing them. As I prayed, I crossed a few things off the list and added a few more. I can’t tell you all of them (too much information, as my kids say), but just a few include:
--Returning ALL my children to me (one son is still in legal guardianship with another family)
--My house (we currently live in a 1-1/2 bedroom apartment)
--My new car (the old van had 152,000 miles on it and I couldn’t afford to even replace the leaky radiator, so going anywhere was a challenge)
--My new job
--My new husband
--Full-time ministry
--Christian schools for all the kids
Those are some of the desires of my heart. Like I said, I started thanking God for every one of them on a daily basis. A couple of weeks after I started doing this, my parents insisted on buying me a new (2002) van. It was totally unexpected. In fact, they paid cash for it before I even saw it!
By the first week of January, I had not just one job offer, but two (more on that tomorrow).
I am currently in the process of choosing between a 3-bed, 3-bath condo and a 3-bedroom house to rent.
I grew up thinking God was quick to punish and slow to bless. I used to think it was “selfish” to ask for things I truly wanted. But as I look at my own children, I realize how much it blesses me to bless them—and God is certainly a much more loving parent than I am.
Don’t be afraid to ask God for the deepest desires of your heart—He is your “Abba” Daddy! If your desires aren’t in line with His will, He will change those desires. But let HIM do the changing. Don’t talk yourself out of blessings before you even ask.
Your sister in Christ,
Cathleen
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.
Psalm 37:4-5
Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
I’ve known these scriptures backwards and forwards for years. Sometimes I just don’t act like it! Just before Christmas, I decided to really start taking God seriously by making my “requests” known to Him, with thanksgiving. So I made a list of things I’m trusting the Lord for and started thanking Him every day for providing them. As I prayed, I crossed a few things off the list and added a few more. I can’t tell you all of them (too much information, as my kids say), but just a few include:
--Returning ALL my children to me (one son is still in legal guardianship with another family)
--My house (we currently live in a 1-1/2 bedroom apartment)
--My new car (the old van had 152,000 miles on it and I couldn’t afford to even replace the leaky radiator, so going anywhere was a challenge)
--My new job
--My new husband
--Full-time ministry
--Christian schools for all the kids
Those are some of the desires of my heart. Like I said, I started thanking God for every one of them on a daily basis. A couple of weeks after I started doing this, my parents insisted on buying me a new (2002) van. It was totally unexpected. In fact, they paid cash for it before I even saw it!
By the first week of January, I had not just one job offer, but two (more on that tomorrow).
I am currently in the process of choosing between a 3-bed, 3-bath condo and a 3-bedroom house to rent.
I grew up thinking God was quick to punish and slow to bless. I used to think it was “selfish” to ask for things I truly wanted. But as I look at my own children, I realize how much it blesses me to bless them—and God is certainly a much more loving parent than I am.
Don’t be afraid to ask God for the deepest desires of your heart—He is your “Abba” Daddy! If your desires aren’t in line with His will, He will change those desires. But let HIM do the changing. Don’t talk yourself out of blessings before you even ask.
Your sister in Christ,
Cathleen
posted by BreadBakers at 2:46 PM
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