Devotionals for those hard questions

is it wrong to pray for any thing

I have heard many people say this over and over again. Don't pray about this or that and it really makes me question if there is really something that people think should not be prayed about. I have any thought myself well, I should not pray about... Because it is so small and I am sure that God has bigger problems to worry about than this. Or I have caught myself thinking something along the lines of I need to be careful how I pray about this because it can all turn out wrong. It is a scary thought that we have to watch what we pray about, or how we talk to God in all reality. But recently, after hearing someone say something similar to what I have thought, I feel God has really put it on my heart to share openly just what I have learned from thinking such thoughts and putting scripture to them. First, let me explain that I found that I was wrong, and that God really does want to hear about everything and that he would never respond in a negative way to one of his children's prayers. It is just not his nature and his word proves so. In Philippians 4:6 the first part of the verse is do not be anxious about anything, well for myself, not sure about others, it is really hard not to be anxious about everything, much less not at all about anything. The unknown causes anxiety, whether the good unknown or the bad unknown. My first real good memory of anxiousness was when I was no older than 12 years old. Now many people may think what in the world can a kid be anxious about? Well, in this case it was stage fright, I had been selected out of all fifth grade classes to read my dare speech in front of the entire school. Now this was a big deal (at the time) because only two fifth graders were selected for this task, because we were not allowed to opt out and because I was an introvert. I remember praying that the officer liked my speech, as it was a part of our grade, but praying specifically that he did not like it enough for this to happen. Â Maybe because I felt let down by God, and maybe because I was taught to believe (probably not on purpose) that God had bigger problems, but not once did I pray to perform well or to have support of family there. However, had I read the second part of Philippians 4:6 I surely would have, as it states, bring everything by prayer and supplication and with a thankful heart to him (rephrased). Lets look at a few more verses where he tells us to bring all before him openly in prayer. Ephesians 6, the same chapter that tells us we are not fighting against the flesh or in other words humans, but against the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of darkness- verse 12, also tells us that we are to pray about everything in verse 18. He is instructing us to fight using the power of prayer. There is no other time that I feel like I am fighting the devil as much as when I know something is a sin, but my flesh craves it so deeply. There is also no time that I am anxious that some sort of sin has not crossed my mind, as a kid it was if I was in trouble with someone it may be better to lie to escape it (false thinking), as an adult it has been in the past to attempt suicide (anything had to be better than what I was going through, so I thought), not even attempt to tame my tongue (normally with a problem to do with racism), and other things. My point is, that in times of stress, anxiety can arise as so can temptation, which sounds to me like we need to pray. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you, says 1 Peter 5:7. Again, it is normal to feel anxious with many things: the unknown future, not knowing what to do in a circumstance, and any other problem that exist. However, we are invited to give him this anxiety, to not handle it on our own. The only way that I think of when I think of giving God my problems is to pray them through. 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 also was something that helped me to understand that really no problem was too small or too big to bring to God. It simply says pray without ceasing, but when compared to Jesus telling us that If the world hates you, know that it first hated me, in John 15:18 that is an open invitation to pray about troublesome things. Keeping in mind that God knew all, he knew that we would find temptation to sin, and he knew that we would have problems in this world (hate never brings anything but problems) but yet he asked us to keep in conversation with him. So, he could've said and rephrased in other verses did says Even if you feel you are going through the most difficult time in your life due to a problem you feel is so small, tell me about it and ask for help. I grew up hearing not to pray about money or financial needs. Looking back on Philippians 4:6 where it tells us to pray about everything. It kind of contradicts this teaching. Again everything would include financial needs, maybe not wants of the flesh (James 4:3) but needs for sure. Matthew 6:8 also tells us that our God knows what we need before we ask him, and Philippians 4:19 tells us that God will provide for those needs. God knows all and that includes all of the needs to live in a world that is so dependent on currency, I look forward to a time that currency will not have the same power but for now he has promised to provide us with all of our needs. A comment that is said a little more lightly, is don’t pray for patience. As much of a joke as this may be, I have found myself cautioning to watch who I say it to. Being involved with non-believers and newer Christians and accidentally leading one to believe this harsh thinking. Well, lets just say even if I catch myself thinking this every now and then I really do try to refrain from putting this thought into words. Of course when we pray for patience then it will seam as if trials come. Trials, as James 1: 2-4 states, will build perseverance and when complete the perseverance will make us mature, and not lacking of anything. However, this of course should not keep us from praying for it, it is one of the nine fruits of the spirit, and needed during the walk with God. After being hit by a vehicle and told that I would need physical therapy, I did not want it. It hurt, it was tiresome, it was boring (I was 18 and could think of a lot of more entertaining things to do then practice walking on some steps) and in many other ways unpleasant for sure. However, to get the use back in my legs I needed it, the same way that in order to fully walk in the spirit we as humans (flesh), need the fruits of the spirit. Now, am I saying that we should never expect a hard time getting there? No, I am not. But the comfort I have is one of my favorite bible verses Romans 8:28 All things were work out to the good of those who love God, those who were called according to his purpose. (a quick side note, we were called to his purpose so it may not all go the way we had planned or would like but it will always be better because he is beyond our understanding.) One thing that I have been at fault for truly believing before is God would answer a prayer the wrong way. However, while not answering my way (as mentioned above, he is above our understanding and his ways are higher than our ways), he never would answer to intentionally harm one of us. The bible is full of verses that tells us God is love, such as 1 John 4:8 and 16. However, unless we meditate on this we may not grasp it fully. This main idea is supported by the passage found in Matthew 9:7-11 where it begins by saying if we ask for something, in accordance to God’s will, we will receive it. It goes on to say that if we have a child that ask for bread, we wouldn't give them a stone, and if they asks for fish, we would give them a serpent and so if God is perfect and we are not then if we ask of God we won’t receive evil in return for a request. I have never experienced the blessing of a child however, I am a huge animal lover. To my belief God has entrusted me with my dog, both the one I have today and the one I had in the past. And, being so I would never mistreat my dog for whining at his food bag (as he does), waking me up at night to go outside (which he also does) or scratching the bottom of an empty bowl (again he does this as well,) and if you ask me these are uninvited ways to ask me for anything. So, I find it easy to believe that God would not respond in an unloving manner to his kids. Â Matthew 10: 29 is a perfect reference, in my opinion, to this thought. Not a single sparrow falls to the ground without God’s knowing that is how much he deeply cares for his creation. We are a major part of that, being the ones who were made in his image