practicing petition
Open Your Bible
Matthew 26:36-46, Philippians 4:6-7
BY Diana Stone
Text: Matthew 26:36-46, Philippians 4:6-7
Practice makes perfect – and that is what we strive for in our lives spiritually (to be like Christ). While we understand that we’ll never achieve perfection here on earth, part of God’s will for us is to strive for a closer relationship with His perfection. It is His ongoing act of sanctification in our lives.
Today sisters, let’s begin to practice how we approach the Lord with our petitions in life. No matter how great or small your desires may seem, they are important to you, and therefore, important to Him. Like the familiar words in Joseph Scriven’s hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” remind us:
“What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.”
We can come to Him for safety, for wisdom, with our desires, and more. Scripture tells us to be persistent, to approach God boldly, and to rest in knowing that He loves us like children and wants to give us good gifts. And in the gospel, Christ demonstrates the importance of praying that God’s will be done above all.
For today, let’s practice biblical petition together – use a journal if you’d like:
-
Thank God for being your Father who you can trust to provide and care for you. Repent if you find that you’ve kept your petitions, needs, desires from Him.
-
Call to mind some things you can ask your Father for.
-
Be specific when you pray. Don’t be afraid that He can’t handle your needs and desires.
-
Be bold in what you ask. We might forget that simply because something seems impossible to us, nothing is impossible for our Lord.
End with the simple words, “Not my will, but yours be done.” As hard as this may be to say, begin to trust that God has “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
34 thoughts on "practicing petition"
-
This post so blessed me today. Because I have so much to be thankful for, I often times fail to ask the Father for the desires of my heart. It feels a little bit like a spoiled child asking for more and more. But this post really helped prepare my heart — I spent most of my time in prayer thanking God for all of His amazing works in my life. And after some time, I felt a peace about asking for those seemingly impossible requests. I felt the Spirit's prompting, "Go ahead my child. I love you. Ask." And I loved concluding with "Your will, not mine." Diana, thank you thank you for your words and sensitivity to the Spirit to write this. Such a sweet blessing!
-
Pingback: eulogeo » Day Ten | Practicing Petition
-
Pingback: eulogeo » Day Ten | Practicing Petition
-
Sometimes i am confused by prayers of petition because i find Jesus' advice conflicting in this area, even though i know it's my own confusion getting in the way of me fully understanding how this works… I know God hears every prayer, and that i don't even have to say it out loud. I could just be thinking it. All it takes is one thought, and he could answer it. But i know that he also wants us to come to him like children, presenting requests to him as we would our parents. Bothering them about it until we get an answer. Praying about it every day, crying out to God, several times a day, for who knows how long. Yet for some requests, we only need to think the prayer once. I feel like if I pray insistently, that means I do not have faith that He will answer it the first time. Yet He wants us to pray insistently? Well, yes, He does. He says it plain and clear in this study. So that's what I will do.
-
Beth that is how I stumbled across SRT too! That was back in December and I haven’t missed a day since!! :) I’ll be praying for your continued health and happiness in our Lord Jesus Christ. You are amongst friends here!
Post Comments (34)