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Our highest purpose is to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and this includes praying according to His will. To do this, we must first ask for wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). As we seek wisdom, we must trust in God’s graciousness and believe that He hears and answers our prayers: “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt” (James 1:6; also Mark 11:24). Therefore, praying according to God’s will involves seeking wisdom to discern His will and asking in faith to trust it.

Here are five biblical principles to help believers pray according to God’s will:
1) Pray for what Scripture commands: The Bible provides clear direction for prayer. There are clear things that we are supposed to pray for – like our enemies (Matthew 5), more workers for the harvest and for the healing of others (James 5). When we pray for what God has commanded, we can be assured that we are praying according to His will.
2) Pray with the right motives: Selfish prayers are not honoured by God. “When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives” (James 4:3). Our prayers should not be for personal gain or to be seen as spiritual by others, but rather offered humbly and in private, knowing that God sees and rewards what is done in secret (Matthew 6:5-6).
3) Pray with thanksgiving: Gratitude should accompany our prayers (Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6-7). No matter how weighed down we feel by life’s challenges, there is always something to be thankful for. Even in the midst of suffering, we have the assurance of God’s redeeming love and the hope of eternity with Him.
4) Pray with persistence: Jesus encouraged persistent prayer (Luke 18:1), and Paul urged believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should not give up when answers don’t come quickly, trusting that God’s timing and will are perfect, whether His answer is “yes,” “no,” or “wait.”
5) Rely on the Holy Spirit in prayer: One of the greatest comforts is knowing that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray for. “The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26-27). Even in our weakest moments, when prayer seems impossible, the Spirit prays on our behalf according to God’s will.

When we walk in step with the Spirit, we can trust that He will present our prayers to the Father according to His perfect will. We can rest in the promise that God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Anxiety can be a heavy burden, weighing us down and stealing our peace. But what if we had a source of comfort that we could turn to in those moments when the worries of life seem overwhelming? For centuries, people have found peace, hope, and courage through the words of the Bible. It’s filled with promises and reminders that we are not alone, even in our toughest moments.

Here are five passages that offer encouragement and reassurance in times of anxiety, along with ways you can pray and meditate on them to experience God’s peace.

1. Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Reflect and Pray: When anxiety arises, it’s natural to let worries build up in our minds. This passage invites us to bring each of our fears and concerns to God in prayer. Begin by naming what’s weighing on your heart. Offer those worries to God with a thankful heart, trusting that He hears you. Close your prayer by asking for His peace to guard your heart and mind.

2. Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Reflect and Pray: Jesus reminds us that we can only handle one day at a time. Anxiety often pulls us into the future, filling our minds with “what ifs” and uncertainties. Practice focusing on just today’s needs. Pray for help in letting go of future worries and trust that God will equip you for each new day as it comes.

3. Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

Reflect and Pray: This psalm is a testament to God’s faithfulness in calming our fears when we seek Him. In a quiet moment, read this verse several times, letting the words sink in. Allow yourself to believe that God hears you. Pray, asking for deliverance from the specific fears that are clouding your heart and ask for God’s comfort to fill those spaces instead.

4. 1 Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Reflect and Pray: The idea of casting is active. Imagine physically placing each of your worries into God’s hands. Spend some time visualizing this in prayer. One by one, bring your worries and imagine handing them over to God. Trust that He genuinely cares for you and wants to carry those burdens.

5. Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Reflect and Pray: When we feel weak or anxious, God’s strength is our refuge. Meditate on this verse, and let it reassure you that God’s presence is constant. In your prayer, ask God to strengthen you with His love, to hold you up when you feel like you can’t go on, and to give you courage to face what lies ahead.

There have been times in my life when prayer feels difficult, when my life is so confusing and stressful that prayer, something I’ve believed is only supposed to be thankful and happy. And the more I’ve studied the Bible, the more I’ve come to recognize that there is a lot in the Bible to support a different type of prayer – one that has us pouring out our true feelings to our Father. We call it lament – and it is the type of prayer that is shown to us most in the Bible, the majority of the Psalms, the central topic in the book of Lamentations and is even modelled for us by Jesus when before He dies, He explains “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” But today, it is a type of prayer we have lost the art for, and so we must recover it. To do this, I want to sketch the broad outline for lament that we in the Psalms.

1. Turn to God
The first step in biblical lament is directing our pain and confusion to God. Instead of withdrawing or turning inward, the Psalms encourage us to seek the One who is always listening. Whether it’s David crying out in Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” or Psalm 77 where the psalmist calls out, “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me,” we see a common thread: lament starts by taking our burdens to God. This is an act of faith because it acknowledges that He is the only one who can truly hold our sorrow.
2. Express the Complaint
Once we turn to God, the next step in the process is to bring our complaint to Him. This is not about grumbling, but about honestly expressing our emotions—whether they be confusion, grief, or anger. The Psalms are full of bold complaints. In Psalm 13:1-2, David asks, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” These verses teach us that God is not afraid of our raw emotions. Lament gives us the space to voice our questions without fear.
3. Ask Boldly for Help
After expressing the complaint, lament moves toward asking God for His intervention. In Psalm 13, after David lays out his feelings of abandonment, he prays, “Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death” (Psalm 13:3). In Psalm 77, after recalling his despair, the psalmist remembers God’s past faithfulness and asks for His help again. Asking God to act in lament is an acknowledgment of His power to change situations, bring healing, or give peace.
4. Choose to Trust
The final part of biblical lament is a declaration of trust. Even when the situation hasn’t changed, the Psalms model how to rest in the character of God. In Psalm 13, after expressing his sorrow and asking for help, David concludes, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5). This doesn’t mean the pain has vanished, but it shows that lament brings us to a place where we can rest in God’s sovereignty.

If you’ve ever spent any time talking to me, you’ll know that I am a major planner. To-do lists, calendars, and schedules shape how I live my life. But lately, I’ve been wondering: *Should* we plan at all?
On one hand, we resemble the Maker who created the world with a six-day blueprint. We share a likeness with Him who “planned from days of old what now I bring to pass” (2 Kings 19:25), and act like Him who always moves according to a “definite plan” (Acts 2:23). As planners, we reflect the image of a planning God.
But on the other hand, is there a risk that our planning could go too far? Sometimes, we plan as if we were in control of everything, as if life wasn’t uncertain. In our desire for control, we often fail to say, “If the Lord wills…” (James 4:15). So, how do we balance our innate desire to plan with the unpredictability of life and the sovereignty of God?
1. Plan with humility.
When we plan, whether for next week or next year, we project our hopes into the future. We imagine what tomorrow holds and chart a course to get there. But as James reminds us, we “do not know what tomorrow will bring” (James 4:14). We are like mist, here one moment and gone the next.
Humility doesn’t mean we stop planning, but it reframes how we do it. We realize our plans are like sketches, subject to God’s eraser. We plan, yes—but with the mindset that our plans are fragile and contingent on God’s will. Every to-do list and calendar entry should be marked with a quiet “If the Lord wills.”
2. Plan prayerfully.
Sometimes, planning can be an exercise in pride. We rely on our own reasoning, crafting pro-con lists without ever asking for divine guidance. Yet, planning that truly honors God is saturated with prayer. We should invite God into every aspect of our planning, seeking His wisdom to discern what is truly best.
Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-10 is a helpful model: he prays that love may abound with “knowledge and all discernment” so that we can approve what is excellent. As we plan, we need more than common sense—we need Spirit-filled discernment to guide us to what is best.
3. Plan with worship at the centre.
After we’ve made our plans, how do we keep from taking them too seriously? We do so by keeping worship at the heart of everything. At the top of all our to-do lists, the first priority must be our relationship with God. What does my Bible reading look like this year? When and where will I pray? How will I stay connected to my church family? When we prioritize worship, we keep our plans in perspective, and God’s providence—not our agenda—guides us.

4. Dream with courage.
Should we be bold in our planning? Yes, but with caution. Like Paul, who outlined long-range plans to travel across multiple regions (Romans 15:24-26), we can craft audacious plans, knowing that some good works require long-term vision. Global missions, starting a business, or raising a family are all endeavors that reach far beyond today’s calendar. Yet even in our boldest dreams, we must hold them loosely, ready for God to redirect them according to His will. We are dreamers, but always dreamers under God’s authority.
5. Submit to God’s plans.
The ultimate test of a planner’s heart comes when our plans don’t unfold as we envisioned. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21). When our plans fall apart, it’s an opportunity to embrace the fact that we are sub-planners, operating under God’s greater plan.
Paul may have never made it to Spain, just as some of our most ambitious plans may never materialize. But even in those moments, we can trust that God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28). Our failed plans remind us to pray, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
So, should we plan? Yes, but we must do so with humility, prayer, worship, courage, and submission to God’s will.

I believe that one of the greatest desires for Christians, and even those who aren’t, is to hear God speak to them. We want to spend time and commune with our creator. Jesus tells us in John 10:27,28 that if we are His sheep we will hear His voice. That means God wants to speak to us. But it’s simply not that easy – we have to be in the position to hear His voice.

Just like tuning into a radio signal, we need to adjust our spiritual frequency to hear the Holy Spirit. God is constant, unchanging—His voice is always there, but we need to be open and receptive to it.

God’s Voice is Found When We Are Still
God speaks with a still, quiet presence. In 1 Kings 19:12, after his victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah fled in fear of Queen Jezebel. Desperate to hear from God, he expected a dramatic sign, but instead, God spoke to him in a *still small voice.* Sometimes we too expect God to shout, but His voice is most often found in moments of stillness.

Psalm 46:10 says, *“Be still, and know that I am God.”* We’re often so busy, rushing from one task to the next, that we miss God’s voice. It’s easy to say a quick prayer and move on with our day, but to truly hear Him, we must quiet ourselves and listen.

God’s Voice Aligns With Scripture
The Bible needs to be our “tuning fork.” We must measure everything we hear against Scripture to confirm it’s truly from God. When we study and meditate on God’s Word, we recognize His voice more clearly. Luke 24:27 reminds us how Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples on the road to Emmaus through the Scriptures. In John 5:39, Jesus says, “Search the Scriptures, for they testify of Me.” If what we hear contradicts the Bible, we need to reject it as the voice of a stranger.

God’s Voice Is Personal
Finally, God’s voice is deeply personal. Just as a father knows his child, God knows you intimately—He’ll speak in ways that resonate with your heart. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God is personally invested in our future.

In John 10:27, Jesus says, *“My sheep hear My voice.”* God calls us by name, relating to us in a way that reflects our unique personality, background, and experiences. Whether He’s talking to a farmer, a fisherman, or a tech expert, God speaks in a way that each person can understand.

The key to hearing God’s voice is maintaining a close relationship with Him. As we keep our hearts open and our spirits tuned in, we’ll discover the deep joy of recognizing His voice and walking in His guidance.

As thanksgiving approaches, we’re all told and reminded that we should be more thankful. It’s easy to look at what we don’t have instead of what we do. In this blog post, we want to look at some practical thing that we can do to cultivate thankfulness, not just in this season but in all seasons of our lives.

1. Gratitude Journal:
Daily Entries: Write down three things you’re thankful for each day. They can be as simple as a good meal or as significant as a strong relationship.
Weekly Reflection: At the end of each week, review your entries to remind yourself of the positive aspects of your life.
2. Thank You Notes:
Express Gratitude: Write and send thank you notes to people who have made a difference in your life. It can be a quick text or a handwritten card. Make a point of doing this every week or two to get into the habit of it.
5. Acts of Kindness:
Giving Back: Volunteer or help someone in need. Acts of kindness often lead to a greater sense of gratitude for what you have.
Pay It Forward: When someone does something kind for you, pay it forward to someone else, fostering a cycle of thankfulness.
6. Gratitude Rituals:
Mealtime Thanks: Make it a habit to express gratitude before meals, acknowledging the food, the hands that prepared it and our God who made it all possible.
7. Perspective Shifts:
Focus on Abundance: Instead of dwelling on what you lack, consciously shift your focus to what you have and what’s going well in your life.

Conflicts are an inevitable part of family life. Despite our best intentions, misunderstandings and disagreements can arise, even among those we love the most. However, a family disagreement doesn’t have to lead to division or resentment. By approaching conflicts with Christian principles, we can turn disagreements into opportunities for growth and stronger relationships. Here’s how to have a good family fight in a way that aligns with your faith.
1. Approach the Situation with Humility
In moments of conflict, it can be tempting to focus solely on proving our point or defending our position. Instead, Scripture encourages us to prioritize humility. In Philippians 2:3-4, we are instructed to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Approaching a disagreement with humility means being willing to listen and understand the other person’s perspective before asserting your own. This attitude opens the door for meaningful dialogue and mutual respect.
Practical Tip: Before initiating a conversation about a conflict, take a moment to pray, asking God to help you see the situation from the other person’s point of view. This practice can help cultivate a heart of humility and openness.
2. Communicate with Love
Ephesians 4:15 reminds us to “speak the truth in love.” This principle is crucial in conflict resolution. It’s easy to let emotions take over and resort to harsh words during an argument. Instead, strive to express your feelings honestly but kindly. Focus on addressing the issue without attacking the person.
Practical Tip: Use “I” statements to express how you feel. For example, say, “I feel hurt when…” instead of “You always…”. This approach helps to communicate your feelings without placing blame on the other person, creating a more constructive atmosphere for discussion.
3. Seek Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Forgiveness is a central theme in Christianity. Colossians 3:13 urges us to “bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Holding onto resentment only hinders healing and growth. Being quick to apologize and forgive fosters reconciliation and peace.
Practical Tip: After resolving a conflict, consider praying together, thanking God for His guidance and asking for continued grace and understanding in your relationship.
4. Pray Together
Prayer is a powerful tool in conflict resolution. Matthew 18:19-20 assures us that “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Praying together not only invites God into your situation but also fosters a spirit of unity and cooperation.
Practical Tip: If you find yourself struggling with a particularly challenging conflict, set aside time to pray about it both individually and together. Ask God for wisdom, patience, and understanding to navigate the situation.
5. Establish Healthy Boundaries
Boundaries are essential for maintaining healthy relationships. Proverbs 25:17 offers wisdom on this: “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—too much of you, and they will hate you.” Recognizing when to take a break and give each other space can prevent conflicts from escalating and allow time for reflection.
Practical Tip: If a disagreement becomes too heated, agree to take a short break. Use this time to calm down, pray, and reflect on the situation before reconvening with a clearer mindset.
6. Focus on Solutions, Not Problems
Romans 12:18 encourages us to “live at peace with everyone” as far as it depends on us. Instead of dwelling on the problem or assigning blame, shift the focus to finding a solution that addresses the underlying issues.
Practical Tip: Work together to brainstorm possible solutions, emphasizing collaboration and teamwork. This approach can transform a conflict into an opportunity for growth and deeper understanding.
Conclusion
Conflict is an opportunity for growth and deeper connection when approached with a Christ-centered perspective. By embracing humility, communicating with love, seeking forgiveness, praying together, establishing healthy boundaries, and focusing on solutions, we can navigate family disagreements in a way that strengthens our relationships and glorifies God. Remember, a good family fight isn’t about winning or losing but about growing together in love and understanding.

Further Resources
Books: The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande
Articles: “The Art of Conflict Resolution” on ChristianityToday.com
Podcasts: “Focus on the Family” podcast episodes on conflict resolution and healthy communication.