January 2, 2016

Colossians 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (ESV)

Great advice as we begin the new year. Paul gives us the directive to prayer constantly. We should give everything to God in prayer; the good, the bad, and the ugly. God wants us to rely on Him and to turn to Him always. When we are making big decisions, we should first consult with God. When we are worried about something, we should turn it over to God. When we are happy about something, we should thank God for the blessing. In everything we should be prayerful! We teach our babies to talk to God, beginning with simple prayers at mealtime and bedtime. We encourage our youngsters and teens to look to God for guidance through prayer. Why is it that so many of us as adults think that we no longer need to pray about life’s issues? Some of us think we can handle “it”. Asking for help may make others think we are weak. Some of us seem to think that our God is too small to deal with real big life issues or maybe we don’t want to hear what God tells us we need to be doing.  I can tell you from experience that if we talk to God first we will save ourselves a lot of stress and difficulty. I often get myself in a big mess before I turn things over to God. It is always less messy when I just give it to God to begin with. Jot this Scripture down on a card and carry it with you to remind yourself to first pray. God will bless your efforts!