Why You Need to Talk to God About “This” First When Praying
TODAY'S TEACHING
And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? —2 Chronicles 20:6
When King Jehoshaphat faced a challenge, his first instinct wasn’t to just throw his problems at God.
Instead, as we read in today's scripture, he took a moment to remember who God was and that made all the difference.
I’ve learned the hard way that when we jump straight into our struggles, it’s easy to forget to praise the One who can actually help us.
I’ll never forget a time in my own life when I felt like everything was falling apart.
Work was overwhelming, relationships felt distant, and I couldn’t seem to catch a break.
One evening, I sat down to pray, ready to list out all my problems.
But then something (Someone) stopped me.
This quiet voice whispered, "Before you say anything, remind yourself of Who I am."
So, I took a step back, and instead of pouring out my worries, I began to thank God for His greatness.
I remembered how He had provided for me before, how He’s always been there when I needed Him most.
That simple act of remembering His goodness first completely shifted my perspective.
It’s easy to forget the power of praise, worship, and thanksgiving.
God is the One who created the universe, who knows the number of hairs on our heads and holds the stars in place.
We might not see the dramatic miracles we read about in the Bible every day, but trust me, His hand is at work in the small, quiet moments too.
Just think about the times when you felt a sense of peace that didn’t come from anything you did or the way a prayer seemed to get answered just when you needed it.
That’s what we need to first focus on when we pray.
Not just the problems, but the goodness and greatness of the God we’re talking to.
I had a "friend" once who only called me when they needed something
Never just to chat or check in.
I don’t know about you, but that’s tough.
As soon as I see their name on my call display I have to take a deep breath before answering.
It felt like I was just a sounding board for their problems, and it stung a bit (actually a lot).
Relationships need more than that.
They need balance.
We can’t just show up for people when they’re in crisis.
We should be there in the good moments, too.
It’s the same with God.
He’s not just there to solve our problems.
He’s there for the everyday moments too.
The times when we’re not asking for anything but just offering our gratitude for who He is.
He’s our constant Companion.
He’s with us in the easy times and the hard ones.
And He wants us to have that deep, personal relationship with Him.
Think about how Abraham was called a friend of God.
I want that for myself, and I believe you do too.
If every time you spoke to a friend, they only came to you when they were in need, wouldn’t that start to wear thin?
We all want relationships where there’s give and take.
Where love and appreciation are shared both in the good times and the tough ones.
That’s what God wants from us too.
He’s not just there for our “emergencies.”
He’s there to walk with us through every part of life, and He wants us to acknowledge Him for who He is.
Not just what He can do for us.
So, next time you pray, try this first: before you bring your problems to God, take a moment to lift up who He is.
Remember His faithfulness, His power, His greatness, His love.
It’s amazing how when we do that first when praying, our problems don’t seem so big anymore.
And you’ll find peace in knowing you’re not just talking to a Problem Solver, but to a faithful Friend who loves you deeply.
If this resonates with you, here's a short prayer you can say today:
"Dear God, before I even bring my problems to You, I want to take a moment to praise You for who You are. You are the Anchor in my storms, the Light in my darkness, and the One who holds me together when everything feels like it’s falling apart. I don’t just need You to solve my issues, I need You to remind me of Your greatness, Your goodness, and Your unshakable faithfulness. Help me to always start with praise, knowing that when I focus on You, everything else falls into place. Amen."
God bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Daniel
DailyEffectivePrayer.org
P.S. - Thank you for allowing me to connect with you through email. If you ever want to UNSUBSCRIBE you can do so at the bottom of any of my emails - no questions asked. God bless you.
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DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS
1. How can we as Christians make sure that we prioritize praising God before asking Him for help in our prayers?
We’ve all been there, right? We get to God with a whole list of things we need fixed, and we forget to start with praise. But let me tell you—starting with worship changes everything. When we begin our prayers by acknowledging how amazing God is, it sets our hearts in the right place. It’s like hitting the reset button on our perspective. Suddenly, the problems aren’t as big, and the God we’re talking to seems a whole lot bigger. It doesn’t mean we’re ignoring what’s going wrong. It just helps us remember that God can handle it all because He is bigger.
2. In what ways can we remind ourselves of God's greatness and faithfulness when we feel overwhelmed by our problems?
When life feels like it's closing in, it’s easy to forget just how good God’s been. But the truth is, He’s been there before. I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen God pull me through some stuff I thought I’d never get out of. So, when everything starts feeling heavy, I try to pause and remember those moments. Maybe you’ve got your own collection of “God showed up” stories, too. Those are the times we need to bring to the forefront of our minds. The moments when we thought all hope was lost, but somehow, God made a way. That’s His faithfulness, right there.
3. Why is it important for Believers to focus on God's character, not just our needs, when we approach Him in prayer?
If we only show up to God when we need something, we’re missing the real relationship He wants with us. Think about it. How would you feel if a friend only called you when they wanted something? It’d start to feel one-sided, wouldn’t it? God isn’t a vending machine where we punch in our problems and get a solution. He’s our Father, and He wants to know us, not just fix things for us. So, when we focus on who He is (His love, His power, His grace) we open the door for a deeper connection. That’s when the relationship starts to really grow.
4. How does starting our prayers with worship and praise change the way we view our struggles and God's ability to help us?
Worship and praise is like a shift in the atmosphere. When we begin our prayers by lifting God up, everything changes. We’re not looking at our struggles anymore. We’re looking at the One who can handle them. It’s like turning on a flashlight in a dark room. Suddenly, you can see where you’re going, and things that seemed scary in the dark aren’t so intimidating anymore. Worship and praise remind us that God is bigger than what we’re facing, and that alone brings peace.
5. What are some practical ways a Christian can build a relationship with God that goes beyond asking for things, focusing instead on giving Him thanks and honor?
Building a real relationship with God isn’t just about asking for help when we need it. It’s about spending time with Him for who He is. The more we thank Him, the more we recognize all the ways He’s been faithful. So, take a moment throughout your day to thank Him, not just for the big stuff, but for the small blessings too. A simple “thank You, Lord” when you see a beautiful sunset or when your day goes smoothly is a great way to stay connected. And when you do this, you’ll find yourself naturally talking to Him, not just about your needs, but about His goodness.
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For this reason I kneel before the Father... I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
—Ephesians 3:16-17
