[Confident Series] Confidence In PrayerSample

Pray for Character

When we pray out of our relationship with God, we will learn to pray for character first. As research shows, 74% of Americans pray about their own problems. This happens because people focus on their circumstances in prayer. It is OK to pray about our circumstances. We can pray about a better relationship with our spouse. We can pray for wisdom to be a godly parent. We can pray about a financial difficulty we need to resolve. 

However, it is even more important to pray for character. For example, the same research shows that 21% of Americans pray about winning the lottery. We pray for more money because we do not want to have any financial worries. A better prayer is to ask the Lord to make you into a person who trusts in His provision and, therefore, does not worry about finances. In the same way, instead of praying that your difficult coworker gets fired, as 5% of people unfortunately do, ask the Lord to make you a person who can work with difficult people. Ask Him to give you grace to walk into your office and be kind to that person who is hard to be around. 

When we pray for character, it creates a permanent change inside of us that affects our perspective. Our circumstances will often change as a result. We, however, will be better human beings regardless of whether our circumstances change, or not. We will be able to better show the love of Christ to this world in both favorable and unfavorable situations. 

Prayers for character give you confidence to walk through life. Instead of asking the Lord to make your life easier, ask Him to change you. You will become a stronger person who can confidently face anything life throws your way. Christ Himself described this confidence as peace that He gives His disciples. Jesus told us that we will face trouble in this world, but He also promised that He would overcome this world. He is giving us peace that comes from Him, not from this world. As Christians, we can walk with God’s peace into any situation. 

When we face life with the peace of Christ, we can always pray with confidence. We know that God hears us. We can be confident that all things will work together for good for us, as His Word promises. When we pray to become peaceful and confident individuals, we will live a peaceful and confident life in Christ.