More often than I’d like to admit, I’ve had thoughts like, “I’m not going to bother God with this little thing. He’s got much bigger fish to fry… it would be selfish to concern Him with such trivial things.”
Sound familiar? Have you had thoughts like that too? Maybe you want to pray for smooth traffic all the way to an important meeting so that you aren’t late. Maybe you want to pray for your kids to actually like the dinner you’re cooking for them tonight. Maybe you want to pray for an invite to Mom’s Night Out with your neighbors. It’s so easy to think that those are silly things to pray about! God needs to worry about things like child hunger and sex trafficking and war with Russia. Why would He care about traffic patterns or dinner battles or social invitations? Or whatever else you wanted to pray about but didn’t because it seemed too small? What I’ve learned is that that kind of thinking is putting limits on a limitless God. He can handle the great tragedies of the world AND the pieces of our daily lives. It isn’t one or the other. He’s in all of it. He wants to hear about all of it. He wants to be involved and included in all of it! Not only that, He tells us to pray to Him about all of it: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6 EVERY SITUATION. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 PRAY CONTINUALLY. It’s right there in the Bible. Pray about everything, all the time. That must mean all things, big and small. When I tuck my three kids into bed every night, I always ask them two questions:
They often come up with the smallest things! Like thanking God that they got to go to school or that they saw a pretty flower. And they ask Him for help with finishing their dinner or stopping their runny nose. We’re supposed to have a childlike faith, right? Matthew 18:2-4 says, "He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Children pray for simple things. And we’re called to be like children. So to me, that means we should never feel like our prayers are too small, too insignificant, or too selfish. And if we’re also called to pray without ceasing, then that must mean we can pray for small things too. Today, while praying for peace in Ukraine and safety for our troops, I’m also praying that I’ll find the right birthday gift for Grandma and that I’ll have time to fit a workout into my schedule. God is in all of it! What are you praying for today?
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AuthorChrissie Kenaston shares about her experiences as a wife, mother, friend, entrepreneur, etc., all filtered through the lens of God's grace. Archives
January 2023
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