There are many reasons we should pray and most of them have nothing to do with us personally. But have everything to do with loving God and Loving others. And so I bring this before you that when we pray and fulfill the greatest commandment we in return gain a heart that is overjoyed with gratitude.
As I have found recently how closely knitted these two qualities are. Prayer and Praise~
And if your 2018 goal is to not have a complaining, grumbling heart. But one of gratitude, encouragement, and excitement for what the Lord can do.
It starts with a real, time-consuming prayer life.
Where fears are released and apprehensions are let go of.
Then God can give our hearts eyes to see His goodness.
This step of prayer ushers in a true rest in the Father, one can laugh at the future and rejoice in every glimpse of His hand no matter how small or if no one else can see it!
Praise is an extension of our prayers.
It is said that grumblers and complainers are selfish because in reality they are just inconvenienced to the point that they feel the need to state it but rarely do they take actions in love once vocalized.
It is the ones who know that their voice is only impactful at certain times if it is used in prayer first and then that makes a lasting difference in love.
God’s word tells us this in many places that it is a matter of the heart that we act and speak but here is what Luke says, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:45
And out of the mouth will reveal what’s in the heart ~ and that can be a heart that rests in the Lord’s doing, no matter what life throws at us.
Can you see how this would lead us away from grumbling and complaints?
What do you find yourself grumbling about? What effort in prayer have you put into that situation or inconvenience?
I am not talking about a “drive-by” prayer but a real, sincere, Bible open before you, and time alone waiting for your Father to guide, discipline, or encourage you in a way only He can. This is what it is like to know Him and be known by Him. To fill your cup with His good perspective.
You can not pour out what is not already filled the cup. What will you fill your cup with~ Your perspective or God’s perspective and that will be what flows from you on to others.
I have seen and been that person that grumbles ~ at the least inconvenient thing. And I want to choose to not be that person but to be one of prayer at inconvenient times and seek His hand of goodness because I can not see it sometimes apart from communication with Him!
This principle of communication and praise rings true in so many areas of life.
You can tell which side of Galatians 5 people are on when they open their mouths to speak. Are they speaking in Love or in their own desires?
Love speaks louder because it has a lasting effect. And it can only be love if it is in the Spirit of God.
Without love, it is just a noise.
Let us be a person of Prayer and Praise! Let us be led by the Spirit into the freedom to love unconditionally and unbiasedly.
Praise rarely comes without some form of prior communication with the Father.
So the # 1 reason to be in prayer is so that you will be a person that praise, gratitude, and encouragement flows from like a fountain that brings life!
This brings the Father glory and makes your light shine brightly in His kingdom.
This attitude affects every area of your life and if not cultivated will lead us into the bondage of an ungrateful heart. And those are chains that have already been broken by the Suffering Servant who suffered without a word… “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Heb 4:15~ Jesus calls on the Father continuously and we would be wise to do so also.
We come to be guided into a heart of praise in every situation no matter how big or how small the situation. This broken world brings a lot into our paths and it can all done through prayer and with gratitude.