When in doubt, Pray!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." -Phillipians 4:6

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." -James 5:13-16

"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him."- James 4:3

The Bible has so many references to the importance of prayer. According to the Bible, when we are in need of something, wether it be assurance, encouragement, financial relief, guidance, or peace, prayer should be our first thought. Unfortunately, for many Christians (including myself) that's not the case. I heard a quote once that said "Have you prayed about it as much as you've talked about it?" That really struck a chord with me. I find that more often than not, when things are not going the way I want them to, I talk about it so much; but when I actually stop to think about it, I realize I haven't even prayed about it. It's shocking how different things play out in my life when I actually take the time to talk to God about it. For example, this summer I needed a job so I could buy a car. I talked about how much I needed a job to everyone I encountered. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and it was causing me such anxiety. But, when I finally stopped talking and started praying, amazing things happened! Not only did God bless me with one job, but He blessed me with two! How awesome is that? So, my advice to you is to stop WORRYING and TALKING about your concerns, wants, needs, etc. and start PRAYING about it. I promise you that there is so much peace in taking your problems to God. He is the creator of this world, so how could He NOT solve your problems. Another quote to keep in mind is "Don't tell God how big your problem is. Tell your problem how big your God is!" God can do anything if you'll jus take the time to ask!