Praying for what I want often feels like a whiny request of God. I want what I want and I’m not above begging in the right circumstances. However, on a recent family vacation the circumstances seemed trivial, but I decided to go for it anyway.

With two adult children and one living out of state, getting together as a family does not happen often, and as much as we enjoy each other we can also get on each others nerves. So, I started praying. I prayed for everyone to have fun and enjoy our short time together. I prayed for positive attitudes. I prayed for flexibility. It all seemed so trivial and yet critical.

Life is full of many stressors. We were all in need of a break, laughter and sleep. Exhaustion had the potential to interfere with our time together. Praying was my answer.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 NIV).

I prayed for what I wanted many times throughout our time together. One morning I was feeling agitated and frustrated. I started praying for our time remaining time together. I prayed for positive attitudes only to realize mine was the one I needed to check.

God answered my prayers by reminding me that my attitude was the one that needed a reboot. Praying for what I want doesn’t always mean I get what I want. It does mean that I get what I need. And, that was exactly what I needed.

Do you pray for what you want? Do you get what you need? Share your story here and breathe life and bring hope to others.