Tag: <span>praying</span>


I once heard of a little boy who refused to say his evening prayers one night; not out of defiance, but simply because he couldn’t think of anything he wanted.

He didn’t see much point in praying when there wasn’t anything to ask for.
When his mother heard his dilemma, she suggested he give thanks for all the things he had instead.

So the little boy got on his knees and thanked the Lord for everything he could think of – from his favorite toy to the fact he wasn’t blind like the boy down the street.
His evening prayers were longer that night, because he was thankful for more than he wanted.

We often have the opposite dilemma.

We find it hard to pray; not because we don’t have anything to ask for, but because we’re too disheartened to pray.

Our prayers seem to hit a stone ceiling; our prayers go unanswered for years; or we simply don’t receive the peace we used to enjoy in times of prayer.

But maybe we can’t pray, because we’ve forgotten to be thankful.

Like this little boy, what if we took some time and turned our prayers into words of only thanks?

When you pray today, don’t ask for one single thing.
JUST give thanks.

While you drive to work, list one thing after another you’re grateful for.
And thank the Lord ONLY.

When you have a few quiet moments, think of things you know are gifts.
And ONLY thank the Lord.

When you can’t pray . . . give thanks.
Your prayers might be longer than usual, because you find yourself thankful for more than you want.

With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

By Bethany Hayes
Used by Permission

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Further Reading

•  How to Pray

•  Sample Prayers

•  Salvation Explained


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thoughts by Bethany Hayes Thoughts by Women


“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

When a family member faced an uncertain prognosis ? a possible diagnosis of cancer — I was anxious about their future and my future. I didn’t want to think about the possible unpleasant events to come. Because of this, I was very desirous to share my burden with others, in the belief that the prayers of others would help spare my family member from her health issues. But what I found was that nobody to whom I thought I was close really cared.

Nobody said they’d pray.

Angry, I sought the counsel of a friend, confiding in them my feelings towards my supposed Christian “friends” and their actions against me. Graciously, this friend pointed out that yes, it is a sad situation when believers cannot be relied upon for help, but she gently asked if I had ever done the exact same thing without realizing it. I thought about it and had to admit that as a believer, I had failed others many times too. I had merely said a tiny prayer once for someone with health issues or completely ignored their burden because I couldn’t understand the magnitude of their situation; well, that is, until I was in their shoes.

That’s exactly what Christ calls us to do — to bear each other’s burdens. It doesn’t matter if your best friend or your pastor doesn’t do that for you, you are required to, no matter what others around you are doing. You might just be that only person’s advocate. Take some time today to think about how you can bear someone else’s burden.

Father in Heaven, spur in our hearts the desire to pray for others and remind us throughout the day to do so. Let us always be ready to pray for others and ask for prayers for ourselves and those we love. Amen.

By Ashlea Massey
Used by Permission

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Further Reading

•  Prayer – Asking Specifically
•  Intercessory Prayer Story
•  Salvation Explained

thoughts by Ashlea Massie Thoughts by Women