Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should pray to God instead of worrying

God Answered My Prayer . . . Now what?
A devotional by Leslie Bake

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

—Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)

Less than a year into living in our home, which is perched halfway up a mountain and battered by 45 mph winds during storms, we need to replace shingles on our roof. Our homeowners’ insurance covers only three-fourths of the cost, and the remaining balance—several thousand dollars—has caused us significant anxiety.

Yet I forgot to pray. Worry consumed me.

We shared this concern with my dad and his family. While I failed to pray about it and only worried, my husband mentioned the issue to them. They offered to help cover what insurance wouldn’t. At first, he was hesitant. Was the offer conditional? My husband had several questions he didn’t get the chance to ask.

Nevertheless, a check arrived. While I know my husband appreciated the gift, he also admitted he struggled with receiving it. He’s not alone. Many of us hesitate to accept monetary or tangible gifts. We think we should handle difficulties quietly. We don’t want to burden others. Accepting help feels like revealing incompetence or weakness. We worry that we owe the giver something to make things even.

I knew the proper response was gratitude. I promptly wrote a “thank you” note to my family and thanked my Heavenly Father (God) too. Due to this experience, I couldn’t help wondering—was there another lesson God was teaching us?

Much has been written about how to respond when our prayers seem unanswered and God appears slow to respond or even denies our requests. In those moments, we’re encouraged to move forward with thankfulness and praise, trusting God’s perfect timing. But how should we respond when our prayers are answered right away? Do we simply thank Him and move on to the next request? Yes, but I believe more is required of us.

When my mother-in-law visited earlier this year, I gave her Robert J. Morgan’s book Worry Less, Live More: God’s Prescription for a Better Life. It is a biblical guide to overcoming anxiety. Soon after that, my Bible Study Fellowship group ended for the summer. I didn’t want to go two months without accountability—that’s never ended well. So, I looked for other church-based studies, but none fit into my schedule. One of them focused on the Bible book of Philippians, which I sensed I needed. I prayed that another opportunity would come up.

Then my husband returned from visiting his mom. Sitting on our kitchen table was the book I had given her. “She wanted me to return it to you,” he said. There it was again—Philippians. The Holy Spirit was clearly drilling something into me, especially Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV) that says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

As we wrap up my message today, I’d like to share a quote by Morgan from his book Worry Less, Live More: God’s Prescription for a Better Life. He said, “When worry barges into our brains, it brings along a gang of accomplices—discouragement, fear, exhaustion, despair, anguish, hopelessness, pain, obsession, distraction, foreboding, irritation, impatience—none of which are friends of the Holy Spirit. We have to throw the bums out of our hearts and minds. Prayer is how we open the door, shove them out, and let the peace of God rush in to secure our thoughts and feelings.”

A few days later, after I decided to not attend another church’s summertime Bible study, another neighbor—a homeschooling mom active in a local church—offered to lead a Bible study for me and a few other neighborhood moms. Our boys often play together. And the study she suggested? Philippians. I immediately sent her a “thank you” text. But then I wondered—what’s the next step? What is required of me now? God revealed the answer to me in one word: obedience.

How do we treat God less like a cosmic vending machine and more like the Creator we depend on and trust? With every answered prayer, we should be developing a deeper level of trust, trust that emboldens us to pray bigger and bolder prayers. I recommend keeping a prayer journal to write your prayers to God, make your requests to Him then record the dates of how and when God answers. During dry seasons, when you feel unheard, return to these pages to remember God’s faithfulness.

We also need to thank God for revealing His character—His faithfulness and provision—especially when we struggle with doubt. We need to fight back against the enemy’s lies with truth and renewed confidence that God is who He says He is.

We should also look for ways to bless others and listen for The Holy Spirit’s leading then we should obey God and follow His lead. I send encouraging prayers—usually starting with my husband and kids. I’ve written more “thank you” notes. I even volunteered to lead our Sunday School class. Finally, we need to ask ourselves: What is God teaching us about worry through answered prayer?

He knows our needs, but He waits for us to seek Him humbly. Pastor Timothy Keller said, “Worry is when we don’t trust God to get it right. We have not surrendered our own agenda and we want God to get on board and make it all happen according to our plan. It’s a form of pride.”

How have you responded to God when He answers your prayers? Do you pause to rejoice and thank Him? What is He teaching you through them?

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are our faithful provider in all things. You know our needs before we ask. Thank You. Help us release our pride and forgive us for trying to hold on to our agendas. You are sovereign. Your ways are always better than our ways. Keep our hearts and minds open to what you are teaching us through answered prayer. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Somebody Prayed” by Crowder. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Leslie Bake grew up Lutheran in Des Moines, graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with an undergraduate degree in English, and with a new understanding of what a relationship with the Lord could look like. 

She spent a few years reporting and editing in small town journalism and then began pursuing a master’s degree at Iowa State University in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Then she got married and later went through a divorce, which deepened her relationship with God and transformed her life.

Leslie taught English as a second language for three years at Kansas State University, then returned to writing and earned a master’s degree in creative non-fiction in Pittsburgh. Her memoir will eventually be published. It details the process of how the Lord created beauty from the ashes of divorce.

Pittsburgh is also where she met and married her second husband. They are now the parents of two wonderful children—one in fifth grade and one in first grade.

Leslie and her husband make their home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Leslie has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 11 years and actively growing her writing career alongside her two growing children.

She now maintains a monthly blog of her own and is working toward expanding her writing ministry on Substack. Her heart’s deepest desire is to help others connect with God through writing.

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Connect with Leslie:
Website: lesliejoybake.com
Substack: lesliebake.substack.com
E-mail address: Leslie.bake@yahoo.com