Reading over this scripture several times, in several versions, divided my focus into two thoughts. Pray diligently is simple—conscientious, earnest, eager, tireless—easy concepts for us. We know we are called to pray.

The two thoughts battling for my attention are being watchful (The Message uses “stay alert”) and thankful (other versions use in gratitude).

Being watchful or alert signals paying “full attention”, not being distracted by our plans, or thoughts or desires. Being open to what is happening and accepting that God’s plan just might not match ours. We find ourselves often praying for outcomes that meet our own selfish desires. We may or may not have considered the ripple effects for others or long-term effects. We are called to seek God and His will for our lives. In this fast-paced world, with distractions at every turn, our ability to focus has become a real challenge. Often, we automatically become frustrated when life does not go our way and our plans are thwarted. Impatiently, we then set out to correct the situation via our own plan without regard to others. We can only see the desired result and not the full implication of forcing the result. We certainly aren’t displaying thankfulness or gratitude, much less trust and faith.

Gratitude (thankfulness) calls us to assess the real, broader situation and acknowledge what we have received. In doing this, we recognize how God has continued to shower us with so many gifts. In our haste to have more, we miss the enjoyment of what has already been given. Often, we do not allow such thankfulness to fill our hearts. In considering just how much we have been given by God, we realize how very rich we are. Through our prayers and diligence to be alert, we find that our thankful spirit has the power to replace anger with love, resentment with happiness, fear with faith and worry with peace.

Private prayer, when centered with watchfulness and gratitude allows us to step back and see that God is the answer, not just to our prayers, but to our real needs. God is always with us, not just when we need Him most.

Devoting ourselves to prayer, being alert for His response and grateful for His love is an ongoing challenge. We are blessed the most when we trust in God and not ourselves.

Open our eyes and hearts as we pray. Grant us the ability to trust you and to be grateful for our lives in every setting whether pleasant or difficult for we know you love us always. Amen.

This devotional was written by Lisa Blackwood and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.