It is easy to pray:
“God, let things change.”
“God, let my marriage get better.”
“God, let me have money.”
“God, let me be happy again.”
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with praying.
Please, pray. But sometimes, the answer to the prayer you are praying requires your participation.
You cannot keep asking God for financial stability while refusing to learn how to increase your income.
You cannot keep praying for peace while avoiding every difficult conversation you need to have.
You cannot keep asking for a better life while doing the same things every single day that created the life you are trying to escape.
You cannot pray for confidence while allowing everybody's opinion to determine how you live.
You cannot pray for opportunities while refusing to develop the skills that will make you ready when the opportunity comes.
And you cannot keep praying for your marriage to change while refusing to look honestly at the patterns, behaviours and choices that are contributing to the problem.
Sometimes, the breakthrough you are praying for is connected to work you don't want to do.
You may need to:
◾ Learn something new.
◾️ Unlearn what is no longer serving you.
◾️ Start over.
◾️ Ask for help.
◾️ Set boundaries.
◾️ Save money.
◾️ Build a skill.
◾️ Increase your income.
◾️ Have uncomfortable conversations.
◾️ Make difficult decisions.
◾️ Take responsibility.
◾️ And keep going when the results are not showing yet.
Prayer can give you strength.
Prayer can give you direction..
Prayer can give you peace.
But you still have to take the step.
Sometimes, God opens the door, but you have to get up and walk through it.
So don't spend your entire life asking God to open a door while refusing to prepare yourself for what is on the other side.
Pray, then prepare.
Pray, then move.
Pray, then do the work.
Because sometimes, the answer you are waiting for is waiting on the version of you that is willing to act.