Do you feel guilty “bothering” God about helping you achieve a work-related goal when your neighbor is praying for his wife to be healed from COVID?

Does it make you feel bad when you spend time praising God that your house remained intact during a recent hurricane and then discover your neighbor, only a block away, would love to be praising God for the same miracle?

When we struggle with these or similar feelings of unworthiness, are we telling ourselves that our needs are only important to God if they’re weightier than everyone else’s? Should our less critical requests be put on hold or not presented at all – ever? When our promotion comes through or our home is spared, should we feel guilty because others weren’t as fortunate?

While we never want to disregard another’s time of anguish, we also never want to disregard the One Who knows our needs even before we ask Him (see Matthew 6:8). God wants (indeed, expects) us to go to Him when we need His help. And when He blesses us, He finds great delight in seeing our joy.

Think of it this way: For those of us who are parents of multiple children, don’t we care about every struggle each child faces? And when one of them is blessed with good news, don’t we enjoy seeing that child’s happiness?

Or do we only care about the child with the greatest need? Do we rebuke the one who celebrates good news because their sibling (or relative or classmate) has suffered a loss or disappointment?

Of course not.

We, as compassionate people, want to be there and respond with sensitivity to those who suffer, including when – especially when – our circumstances turn out better than theirs.

But it wouldn’t be practical, biblical, or relationally healthy to weigh the needs of everyone around us whenever we consider going to God with a prayer request. Especially knowing there will always be more serious needs bombarding heaven.

Thankfully, God is bigger than any (and all) needs we have. Unlike an ER physician who triages every patient and treats them in order of seriousness, God has the ability to hear and respond to every request we make – all of us, all at the same time.

What a mighty God we serve!

So … what do you need from your heavenly Father?

Go to Him – frequently.

And after you’ve received His help, thank Him for His blessings.

What do you think?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)

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