Colossians 4:2 (GNT)
Be persistent in prayer,
and keep alert as you pray,
giving thanks to God.
Day after day, my prayers seem much the same. But God never seems to tire of my words … thanks be to God!
Good morning, Lord. Here I am, same time, same place, same prayer requests. How can it be that You’re not bored, tired of the same conversation?
Nudge me when my thoughts don’t line up with Yours. Give me eyes to see things from Your point of view, ears to hear Your response. Grant me a patient heart, willing to wait for Your perfect timing. Thank You for listening, day after day.
I had a friend one time tell me she doesn’t pray for the same thing day after day. She said it would be like your child asking ten times a day, every day, if they could have a cookie or if they could buy that special new toy. As a parent we’d get real tired of that. In her mind that was how she felt about asking God every day for the same thing. I’ve thought of her comment often and was very glad to read your devotion today. I continue to ask God for the same thing every day and thank him over and over for answered prayers.
God always answers prayer: yes, no or not yet. When a request is time limited, I try to accept God’s “no” without complaint. I repeat prayers for protection, spiritual growth, wisdom and guidance — they are consistently appropriate, even as our earthly circumstances change. Your friend is right, Mary, in that endlessly repeating a request won’t change God’s mind and will … but it might change mine. I often pray for assurance that something I plan is right or wrong — God often answers with unfolding wisdom, a little more every day.