Strength AND joy

I’ve noticed that when I pray, I sure ask the Lord for a lot.

Guidance, blessings, comfort, opportunities, peace, love…

All good things!

All things that I know He is willing to give and that He loves for me to ask for.

But the gratitude, the worship, the joy aspect has been lacking in my prayers recently.

At the same time, I’ve started to realize that the Lord encourages gratitude toward Him EVERYWHERE.

In the scriptures, in the temple, in covenants…

He always wants to remind His people of everything that He has done for them first.

And then He asks for obedience or commitment from us.

But there is always a big emphasis on the mercy, the blessings, the creations, His love FIRST.

He knows how important it is for us to feel that overwhelming gratitude and devotion toward Him before we ask for or commit to anything else.

And so I’ve taken what I’ve learned in my studies and started to apply it to my prayers.

How can I pray with so much complete gratitude and worship and joy, that by the time I think to even ask Him for anything, I’m in a much holier and devoted mindset?

“The Lord is my strength and song”. (Exodus 15:2)

He is BOTH my strength and my song.

He answers questions, gives me blessings, and guides me.

AND He is the one I gladly worship through my internal songs of gratitude and devotion.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black