Have you ever “comprayed”? You know, made complaints wrapped in prayers: Lord, this car is so old. Please bless me with a new one.
My day at work had been particularly rough. Frustrated, I comprayed to God all the way home. Why was it taking so long for me to receive the new job I believed He had for me? I’ve been waiting for years, Lord. Please, help me.
I arrived home and silently moaned about how the front door of my condo building was in need of a new paint job. Why can’t this property management company get its act together and take care of the grounds as well as the previous company did?
I walked inside my condo and comprayed some more. It sure would be nice to come home to a kind and loving husband, Lord. Being single has its advantages, but how long do I have to wait?
After dinner, I grabbed the laptop and scanned through my emails. One of the devotions immobilized me. It was about the children of Israel during the exodus from Egypt and their frequent bouts of complaining and ingratitude. Their bad attitude kept them in the wilderness for forty years and prevented most of them from entering the Promised Land.
Asking God for a new job, a loving spouse, or a new home isn’t wrong. In fact, Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock. But until I can be content and grateful with the provision God has already given me, why should I ask Him to pour out new blessings? Philippians 4:6 spotlights an essential ingredient for presenting our requests to God: being thankful.
Thank the Lord for what He has already provided—your manna—and for what you believe He will provide in the future in answer to your prayers.
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So good! I needed this and so do most people I know.