Pray for Understanding

As I was reading a psalm for my morning devotions today, a verse just popped out at me. It deals with what we pray for, and it is not what we normally request from God.

We have the psalmist praying: "May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word. " Ps. 119:169. There are so many things that we request in prayer: health amid sickness, getting through a difficult time, or passing a class in school.

Have you ever thought about simply praying for understanding. You don't know what the outcome of your life is going to be with a given circumstance. Certainly, it is in God's hands; however, we can pray for understanding.

Understanding helps us to accept whatever the outcome might be. It also helps us to accept what might be God's will whether it fits what we desire or not. Understanding brings us closer to God.

Here are times when you might want to consider such a prayer:

1. You are facing a situation with a terminal illness.
2. You are faced with making a very difficult decision.
3. Something extremely good or bad has just happened in your life.
4. You have a hard time accepting what seems to be an unanswered prayer.

The people of faith have much to teach us in their own practice of prayer. I will now be more encouraged to pray for understanding in my own life.

Have you ever prayed like this before in your life? If so, did you find it easy to do so?