more than you ask for…

take some time every day, a few minutes at the beginning to talk to GOD honestly.  find some space to talk to HIM about the opportunities of the day, the feelings of the day, the relationships, the problems of the day. 

in fact, let me get real practical about this.  in your car.  turn off the radio and the cell phone and stop putting on makeup or shaving.  and just for five minutes talk to GOD.  i’m not saying talk to GOD all the time you’re in the car.  don’t make this so crazy you can’t do it.  but just take five minutes.  for many of us the only time we’re sure to be alone sometime during the day is somewhere driving in the car.  so just turn everything off and take five minutes to say, “ok, GOD, let’s have an honest talk about how i’m feeling.”  if you begin to do that as a daily habit it makes an incredible difference in your life.when you talk to GOD in honest prayer let me just tell you, you will not always get what you ask for.  GOD is much wiser than to give us everything that we ask for.  you will often get much more than you ask for. 

some of you are familiar with this soldier’s prayer from american history. 

i asked GOD for strength that i might achieve,

i was made weak that i might learn humbly to obey.

i asked GOD for health that i might do greater things,

i was given infirmity that i might do better things.

i asked for riches that i might be happy,

i was given poverty that i might be wise.

i asked for power that i might have the praise of men,

i was given weakness that i might feel the need of GOD.

i asked for all things that i might enjoy life,

i was given life that i might enjoy all things.

i got nothing that i asked for, but everything that i’d hoped for.

almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered. 

i am among all men most richly blessed.

when you don’t know what to do what do you do?  start by making GOD’s love your lifeline.  then you make the decision to make patience your priority.  then you make prayer your pressure release. 

just a thought from the front porch…