Show Your Appreciation for Unseen Treasures - THE GIFT OF PRAYER

Another unseen treasure is prayer. Close friends enjoy sharing thoughts and feelings with each other. Is that true of our friendship with Jehovah? Yes! Jehovah speaks to us through his Word. and in it he reveals to us his thoughts and feelings.  We communicate with him in prayer, and we can share with him our deepest thoughts and feelings. Jehovah not only listens to our prayers but also answers them.  Sometimes the answer comes quickly.  At other times we may have to keep praying about a matter.  Still, we can be confident that the answer will come at the right time and in the best way. Of course, God's answer may be different from we expect.  For example, rather than remove a trial, he might give us the wisdom and strength "to endure it." - 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13.

How can we show our appreciation for this priceless gift of prayer? One way is by heeding the divine counsel to "pray constantly." (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Jehovah does not force us to pray. Instead, he respects our free will and urges us to "persevere in prayer." (Romans 12:12)  So we can  show our appreciation by praying often throughout each day.  Of course, we should include in our prayers expressions of thanks and praise to Jehovah. - PSALM 145:2, 3. 

The longer we serve Jehovah and experience his ways he answers our requests, the deeper our appreciation for prayer should become.  Take, for example, Chris, a brother who has been in full-time service for the past 47 years.  "How pleasurable it is to have a time slot  early in the morning to linger in prayer to Jehovah,"  he says. "What a refreshing experience it is to talk to Jehovah as the first rays of sun cause the dewdrops to sparkle!  This move sus to thank him for his gifts, including the privilege of prayer.  Then after praying at the end of the day, what a pleasure it is to go to sleep with a clean conscience.

Next time: Show Your Appreciation for Unseen Treasures - THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

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