Prayer Prompt: Pray for your families and homes.

Choose this day whom you will serve. . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:4-5 (ESV)

Sometimes we face discouragement in prayer. We might have prayed for something or someone specific, and it seems God is silent. So we give up. Or maybe we don’t even go to God in prayer because the situation is just too big and complicated, and we feel completely inadequate and unable to pray effectively. Or perhaps it’s the opposite, the prayer seems little and insignificant, and we doubt that God has time to listen to something so trivial.

But the TRUTH is that God wants ALL of our prayers…
Prayers that are persistent, and we’ve prayed over and over again.
Prayers that are big and messy and complicated.
Prayers that seem silly and minor.
Prayers cried out in deep grief and anger.
Prayers that are full of emotion, requesting God just do something.
Prayers that heartfelt.
Prayers that are distracted and scattered.
Prayers that are long and said in the quiet and stillness of the early morning.
Prayers that are shot up like arrows in the chaos of our day.

God wants them all. God answers them all. Some prayers He answers with a definite “Yes!” Some are answered with a “No, but trust that I’m working.” And some answers are “Not yet.” He might answer in a way we don’t want or expect, but He always answers. In His sovereignty, He knows best. When we become discouraged by the prayers that seem to go unanswered, remember that when we pray with a right heart, we never pray in vain.

Dearest Father, we place our family in Your capable and sovereign hands. Bless our lives, not with worldly abundance, ease, and comfort, but bless us with greater faith, more profound wisdom, and deeper confidence in how You are working in our lives. Guide us and protect us from the enemy. Cultivate kindness, patience, and gratitude in our family. Lead us to be quick to show love and forgiveness, and slow to anger and harsh words. Let the gospel motivate the way we lead our families. Let the peace of Christ rule in our home and help us to make it a place of hospitality and retreat. We ask that anyone who walks through our doors be covered with compassion, kindness, humility, and strength. We pray that You would use our family and home to glorify You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

#21dayprayerchallenge #prayer #fasting