itty-bitty lamb Posted November 10, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 80 Content Per Day: 0.42 Reputation: 107 Days Won: 2 Joined: 11/04/2023 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 10, 2023 @JohnD thank you for sharing with me what you felt the Lord wanted me to hear. I have been thinking over this thread many times today, and the advice everyone has provided. Quote It is after all our acknowledgement that HE is the Source / the Blessing / on whom we utterly depend. i think this is what i've primarily been missing in my approach. (Other feelings clutter me when i want to pray for myself, like being an annoyance with simple things when there are larger things happening. And my shortcomings for being able to relate to God as a caring Father, due to how i was raised.) But i have been missing that praying over the little things is also a way to acknowledge that He is our All. It is not an annoyance to Him at all to hear about our silly problems, because He knows it is just how we express our dependency on Him. And praying like this will help me build up my experience in knowing God as a caring Father. Quote Point being, don't underestimate God not overestimate him. Is it possible you can elaborate a little more on this for me? i would greatly appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itty-bitty lamb Posted November 10, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 80 Content Per Day: 0.42 Reputation: 107 Days Won: 2 Joined: 11/04/2023 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 10, 2023 Quote Meanwhile I just ask Him where my whatever thing I lost is. The latest was a 2 mm screw. There it is. Thanks Lord! @Renskedejonge Is this the point where you've reached that 'pray without ceasing' state? 1 Thes 5:17 Thank you for sharing the verses, Philippians 4:6-7 is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted November 10, 2023 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 0 Topic Count: 908 Topics Per Day: 0.19 Content Count: 9,653 Content Per Day: 2.02 Reputation: 5,837 Days Won: 9 Joined: 04/07/2011 Status: Offline Share Posted November 10, 2023 2 hours ago, itty-bitty lamb said: @JohnD thank you for sharing with me what you felt the Lord wanted me to hear. I have been thinking over this thread many times today, and the advice everyone has provided. i think this is what i've primarily been missing in my approach. (Other feelings clutter me when i want to pray for myself, like being an annoyance with simple things when there are larger things happening. And my shortcomings for being able to relate to God as a caring Father, due to how i was raised.) But i have been missing that praying over the little things is also a way to acknowledge that He is our All. It is not an annoyance to Him at all to hear about our silly problems, because He knows it is just how we express our dependency on Him. And praying like this will help me build up my experience in knowing God as a caring Father. Is it possible you can elaborate a little more on this for me? i would greatly appreciate it! Sure. Don't underestimate all that God is capable of (he created the universe and the spirit realm for all eternity). Don't overestimate God as being too big and too powerful and too involved with the bigger scheme of things that he doesn't care about the little things... the needs we all have... the reassurances... that he takes an interest in our lives to the nth degree. Because God does! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itty-bitty lamb Posted November 10, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 80 Content Per Day: 0.42 Reputation: 107 Days Won: 2 Joined: 11/04/2023 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 10, 2023 16 hours ago, JohnD said: Sure. Don't underestimate all that God is capable of (he created the universe and the spirit realm for all eternity). Don't overestimate God as being too big and too powerful and too involved with the bigger scheme of things that he doesn't care about the little things... the needs we all have... the reassurances... that he takes an interest in our lives to the nth degree. Because God does! Yes! Amen. Thank you for this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristen Posted November 11, 2023 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 9 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 2,380 Content Per Day: 0.63 Reputation: 1,361 Days Won: 1 Joined: 01/26/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted November 11, 2023 My first thought on reading your opening post was to ask, 'Why can't you do both - why can't you pray for big international issues as well as smaller personal issues (and everything in-between)?'. Prayer is just talking to God. As His children, we have a tendency to be mostly asking for things from our Father - as is the way of children. We serve a Father of infinite love. He well able to look after both big and small issues. If you have a concern, big or small, feel free to discuss your concerns with your loving Father. God welcomes us to "boldly" discuss our needs with Him. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need God values, and has concern for, every small detail of your life Luke 12:7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. When Jesus instructed us to pray, He included both the big issues; Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. And the small, personal issues; Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itty-bitty lamb Posted November 12, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 80 Content Per Day: 0.42 Reputation: 107 Days Won: 2 Joined: 11/04/2023 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 12, 2023 On 11/10/2023 at 11:06 PM, Tristen said: .When Jesus instructed us to pray, He included both the big issues; Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. And the small, personal issues; Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread Yes very true, thank you for sharing this. It is more like an emotion that creeps up on me. i ran into someone else on this forum who seemed to have (maybe) experienced the same emotions, however i don't know the details so please forgive if i am way off. But (for example) she wanted to request prayer for a need, but read someone else's prayer request first who was having surgery and removing an eyeball, and realized how could she ever request prayer for her own need after learning of a prayer request like his! It just seems we, in nature, whether we realize we are doing it or not, want to place a hierarchy on what prayers and requests need more attention over others. i do believe God wants to hear about all of our needs big and small, and i believe He knows our needs before we even ask for them, but is it healthy to set aside our small prayer requests for the larger ones? And ive been placing much thought on this, because i have a tendency to not pray for myself when i know that there are more pressing matters in the world to be addressed. And i feel it has been a good lesson for myself to work through, thanks to all of you guys. Because by praying for the small needs and not setting them aside, i have learned that it helps my heart admit that God cares about all of me. It helps my heart admit that i depend on God, and that He is big enough to handle everything down to the smallest detail. And additionally, it helps me to be a more mature child, operating as a servant of God who expresses that God does not play favoritism amongst His children's needs. He is concerned about all of us, no matter the weight of our pressing needs, and He wants to BE that help in our lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristen Posted November 13, 2023 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 9 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 2,380 Content Per Day: 0.63 Reputation: 1,361 Days Won: 1 Joined: 01/26/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted November 13, 2023 20 hours ago, itty-bitty lamb said: Yes very true, thank you for sharing this. It is more like an emotion that creeps up on me. i ran into someone else on this forum who seemed to have (maybe) experienced the same emotions, however i don't know the details so please forgive if i am way off. But (for example) she wanted to request prayer for a need, but read someone else's prayer request first who was having surgery and removing an eyeball, and realized how could she ever request prayer for her own need after learning of a prayer request like his! It just seems we, in nature, whether we realize we are doing it or not, want to place a hierarchy on what prayers and requests need more attention over others. i do believe God wants to hear about all of our needs big and small, and i believe He knows our needs before we even ask for them, but is it healthy to set aside our small prayer requests for the larger ones? And ive been placing much thought on this, because i have a tendency to not pray for myself when i know that there are more pressing matters in the world to be addressed. And i feel it has been a good lesson for myself to work through, thanks to all of you guys. Because by praying for the small needs and not setting them aside, i have learned that it helps my heart admit that God cares about all of me. It helps my heart admit that i depend on God, and that He is big enough to handle everything down to the smallest detail. And additionally, it helps me to be a more mature child, operating as a servant of God who expresses that God does not play favoritism amongst His children's needs. He is concerned about all of us, no matter the weight of our pressing needs, and He wants to BE that help in our lives. I would further interpret this as our flesh nature using pseudo-religious, legalistic thinking to place obstacles before our fellowship with God. Prayer is simply talking to God. We can talk to our Father about anything - big or small (He knows our heart regardless). Prayer is not some sombre religious chore. It's conversation with our beloved. If there's something you want to talk about, then God would love for you to talk to Him about it. But our flesh does not like it when we feed our spirit that way - and will fight to maintain a dominant influence in our thoughts and behaviors. Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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