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Time with God - June 18, 2014

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Instead of complaining, pray!

It is so easy to feel very negative about many things in life. The news is full of reports that concern us, and our own lives have many stresses, struggles and anxieties. But the Lord is reminding us today to take those negative thoughts and translate them into positive prayers to God for His involvement in our world and in our lives.

Complaining doesn’t really benefit anyone—not you, not the person you are venting your complaints onto, not the people you are complaining about! But what would happen if you turned your thoughts into prayers, not gripes? How much more pleasant you would be to spend time with! What’s more, God would be acting in response to your prayers, sometimes changing the circumstance and sometimes changing you. His response may not always be just what you asked for, but you can be sure that He loves to act when His people pray.

Praying instead of complaining gives you a much more pleasant mindset about life. Your response to life becomes constructive instead of negative.

What do you feel like complaining about today? How can you turn those thoughts to prayer instead?

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