Many years ago the Lord spoke to me about my motives when praying. He said 'Are you willing for others to be more blessed than you'. I had to admit I wanted those that I prayed for to be as blessed as myself. But more prosperous, more healthy, more respected and loved, closer to God than me, well that was a challenge! it was a revelation of my selfishness! It had to change. And with God's help it did.
It is true that it is more blessed to give than to receive. I started blessing others in a new way. I genuinely wanted them to have the best God could give them. I wanted them to 'abound' in blessings! And God opened the way for me to go to Uganda and be a blessing to the poor.
Often my prayer times are just 'blessing' others, all those I can think of. I ask for God to bless their lives, then I bless their lives, then I thank God that they are blessed. This has practical results.
Our family printing business is in a row of three industrial units. A few years ago we needed more space. The third unit was rented by a picture framing business. I started praying for that business to be blessed. Some months later they moved out into other premises more suitable for them. We took over their unit and just knocked a hole through the wall into the new place. No big expense of having to move heavy equipment, no loss of man hours in the move, no inconvenience at all!! The captivity of Job was turned when he prayed for his friends Job 42:10. Job prayed for his friends blessing and because of his unselfishness God changed his own situation .
No comments:
Post a Comment