Prayer

While I was taking communion in church today, I began to pray “God bless me!” As I thought about my request, I realized how selfish that must sound to God in Heaven, who always has my best interests at heart. I was asking Him to bless me and yet I know He will bless me. So I apologized and changed my prayer by switching around my words “Oh God help me to bless others.” That simple prayer says volumes, it actually conveys “O God, I am a sinner, I do mess up, and I need help but I want to obey you and love others as you love me.” That prayer shows a humble spirit, which is what God wants us to do, to care for others and not our own selfish desires.  My second prayer was saying “God, help me to be a witness for You, help me to shine for You, and help me to be Your light and love others like I have never loved before. Help me to be more like You.

I thought about it more and I considered the fact that I have said the first prayer numerous times without thinking about it. Because I am a Christian, and I know that God wants to bless His children, it never seemed wrong. But when I put myself in a parental position and I consider a child who begs, whines, or continues to ask for something – that I’m already going to give them, I would  feel upset. I would feel hurt if the child didn’t know that I am going to provide for them forever and always.  Likewise God is so powerful and awesome and I know He wants the best for me. His Word, The Bible, says that the greatest commandment is love. It doesn’t say that we should love ourselves above everything else. God’s word says to love God above everything, and then it says to love your neighbor as yourself – Matthew 22:39

So today, I feel as if I have found something that I need to work on spiritually. I hope that you will consider this too, because it might be something that you need to work on as well. God bless you.