13rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

PRAYER AS THE FIRST OPTION NOT THE LAST RESORT

“For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds, and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:8).

One day, I woke up with a headache. I walked around with that miserable headache almost all day, telling everybody I met about how terrible I felt, until I finally realized that I had complained most of the day and had never taken the time to simply pray and ask God to take the pain away.

Unfortunately, that response is rather typical for some of us.

We complain about our problems and spend a majority of our time trying to figure out what we can do to solve them. We often do everything except the one thing we are told to do in the word of God: Ask, that we may receive and our joy may be full. “You have not done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant Joy.” (John 16:24).

Thankfully, the Lord Jesus Christ wants to provide for our every need. We have the awesome privilege of “asking and receiving”, and we should always pray as a first response to every situation.

Prayer of Thanks

Lord Jesus Christ,

I thank you. 

In everything, no matter what the circumstance may be. 

I desire to be the most thankful person I can be,

and I ask you to help me reach my goal. Amen.