Praying to Moe, Curly, and Larry:

Philippians 4:6
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

A few months ago, I was having a chat with my cousin Charlene.  We were discussing some issues that were going on in each of our lives, sharing our struggles and our concerns.  In the middle of our conversation, she stopped mid-sentence and said something that really challenged me and has caused me to be more deliberate in my life.  


"Debs, I want to stop praying to people"....


It was such a profound thought that it actually caught me off guard.  

I want to stop praying to people.  What she meant by that is something that we are all guilty of.  How many times do we take our needs and pour our hearts out to others...neglecting at the end of the line to pour these things out to God, the only one who can really do anything about them.  

Don't get me wrong, I believe there is something powerful about connecting with others in an intimate way, sharing struggles and allowing others to walk by our side through them.  But so often, we allow our venting to others to take the need of speaking to our Lord. 

We are so "talked out" by the end of the day.  And many times, all that talking actually makes us feel better....temporarily, of course.  Because when the line of people comes to it's end, we find that our problem is still lingering...

I was challenged that day to take my words more seriously, sharing them with a few selected friends...but more importantly, I was challenged to be deliberate in bringing my needs to Jesus.  I want to learn to vent to Him more than I vent to others.  I want it to become a natural and even necessary part of my life.  Because at the end of the day, He is the only one who holds the keys to healing, power, and change.