For whom do you pray? Family? Friends? Leaders? Neighbors? All of the above?
Do you pray for yourself?
Some Christians don’t. They’re consumed by the needs of others. They find it easier to seek help on behalf of someone else than to seek it for themselves. Or they believe that praying for oneself is prideful.
Author Jodie Berndt says praying for yourself is essential. For one thing, prayer connects us to the Spirit of God. As the vine feeds its branches, and the branches bear fruit, so the Lord expresses His goodness through us into the lives of other people.
Prayer also empowers us to forgive and love one another. God calls us not only to love those who love us but to love those who make our lives hard (Matthew 5:44). The only way to truly live that out is to love others out of God’s riches instead of out of our poverty.
God wants to interact with us like we interact with our own children, connecting with them, caring for their needs, and hearing about their joys and struggles. “Beloved, we are God’s children now…” (1 John 3:2a).
How do we do that?
Jodie Berndt is with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Why Praying for Yourself Is Essential” to share how to minimize the daily distractions of life and “abide in Christ” through prayer. Listen on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.
Before I close, I pray you’ll remember Focus on the Family as you consider your end-of-year giving. We have a great opportunity for you. Generous friends are matching every donation you make to this ministry. That means your gift will go twice as far toward rescuing hurting marriages, equipping parents, and giving families hope.
With your gift of any amount, we’ll send you Jodie Berndt’s book Praying the Scriptures for Your Life: 31 days of Abiding in the Presence, Provision and Power of God. Visit our website for more information.
And if you’re facing difficult challenges, and God feels distant, we want to connect you with one of our caring, Christian counselors. We can set up an initial consult where they can listen to your story, pray with you, and direct you to additional resources in your area. The number during business hours is 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
The post Why Praying for Yourself Is Essential appeared first on Jim Daly.
Do you pray for yourself?
Some Christians don’t. They’re consumed by the needs of others. They find it easier to seek help on behalf of someone else than to seek it for themselves. Or they believe that praying for oneself is prideful.
Author Jodie Berndt says praying for yourself is essential. For one thing, prayer connects us to the Spirit of God. As the vine feeds its branches, and the branches bear fruit, so the Lord expresses His goodness through us into the lives of other people.
Prayer also empowers us to forgive and love one another. God calls us not only to love those who love us but to love those who make our lives hard (Matthew 5:44). The only way to truly live that out is to love others out of God’s riches instead of out of our poverty.
God wants to interact with us like we interact with our own children, connecting with them, caring for their needs, and hearing about their joys and struggles. “Beloved, we are God’s children now…” (1 John 3:2a).
How do we do that?
Jodie Berndt is with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Why Praying for Yourself Is Essential” to share how to minimize the daily distractions of life and “abide in Christ” through prayer. Listen on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.
Before I close, I pray you’ll remember Focus on the Family as you consider your end-of-year giving. We have a great opportunity for you. Generous friends are matching every donation you make to this ministry. That means your gift will go twice as far toward rescuing hurting marriages, equipping parents, and giving families hope.
With your gift of any amount, we’ll send you Jodie Berndt’s book Praying the Scriptures for Your Life: 31 days of Abiding in the Presence, Provision and Power of God. Visit our website for more information.
And if you’re facing difficult challenges, and God feels distant, we want to connect you with one of our caring, Christian counselors. We can set up an initial consult where they can listen to your story, pray with you, and direct you to additional resources in your area. The number during business hours is 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
The post Why Praying for Yourself Is Essential appeared first on Jim Daly.