One of the Christmas gifts the Lord wants to give you is confidence in Him. We develop confidence in God as we do with other people – by communicating with God, asking Him for things, and receiving those things. If we neglect prayer, pray for our will to be done instead of His, or pray for what we wrongly think is His will, we don't have our prayers answered. This may result in disappointment, confusion, or feeling we're not loved by God. Under these circumstances, we don't develop confidence in God.
To have confidence in God means praying according to His will (1 Jn 5:14). It means listening to God in prayer more than speaking, so we can learn His will. Moreover, prayer that leads to confidence in God is the prayer of repentance. We repent of allowing all our idols (see 1 Jn 5:21) to speak so loudly to us that they drown out the voice of God. The listening prayer of repentance seeks, learns, and prays for God's will. This prayer then is in the name of Jesus (Jn 14:13). It is always answered. It makes us confident we are loved and that Jesus is Lord. Get confidence for Christmas and the new year.
| PRAYER: | Father, teach me to pray towards confidence and then with confidence in You. |
| PROMISE: | "The Groom's best man waits there listening for Him and is overjoyed to hear His voice. That is my joy, and it is complete. He must increase, while I must decrease." –Jn 3:29-30 |
| PRAISE: | St. Marguerite used her spiritual gift of administration to build God's kingdom. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College