The Laundry List to God

Have you ever heard someone decry Christians bringing a laundry list of prayers to God? It sure does sound spiritual, let me tell you. “Don’t bring God a laundry list of prayers. Don’t be selfish and focus on yourself in your prayers, focus on others.” It sure sounds spiritual, but is it true? Does it have the right effect?

God is not a Santa Claus in the sky ready to grant every wish, but is he a God that would rather you shove it when it comes to your petty personal needs and instead focus on lost loved ones, church growth, or World Evangelism? Such a God is removed from the workaday reality of our daily lives where we need daily bread and daily grace. Oftentimes, trying to be unselfish in my prayers, I’ve found myself unable to pray at all or to pray effectively for the needs of others, when my needs are pressing down on me so much.

Take a look at what Peter, who says to cast ” all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). Yes, God cares about our every need, our every care. Does that mean that every care is a good one to have. No. Too often, we all waste time obsessing over something that doesn’t matter one whit. But, the fact is that whether we put on a pious show  for the Omniscent Creator of the Universe, we still are concerned with things, and it’s the condition of our heart that matters.

I’ve found at different times that when I begin to pray about something silly, something happens, it loses some importance, I gain some peace from God and suddenly lo and behold, it’s not so important.  We all need to become better people, but stifling our relationship with God by pretending we’re better won’t make it so.

In addition, we all have very real pain and sorrow that we have to bring to God to ever gain any measure of peace about.  So, bring your Laundry lists and the dirty laundry of your heart, bring it to God and he will cleanse you and comfort you according to His Grace and Mercy.