Me and my sweet tooth

Yesterday, we talked about how prayer shifts your focus from your problems to the Problem Solver. Today, I want to share another shift that happens when you pray—this time, in your desires.

I’ve mentioned before that I have a serious sweet tooth. It’s really hard for me to stay away from pastries, chocolate, and desserts. But I’ve found a few tricks to help curb a craving.

For example, brushing my teeth or drinking a glass of water changes the taste in my mouth, and suddenly the urge to snack fades away.

Prayer can have a similar effect on our “mental cravings”; the Bible calls them temptations. And giving in to those temptations is what we know as sin.

Jesus emphasised the role of prayer in protecting oneself from temptations:

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Mark 14:38

Even in the Lord’s Prayer–the prayer of all prayers, as taught by Jesus during the sermon on the mount–He includes the request for protection from temptations:

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:13

When you feel yourself teetering on the edge of giving in to your desires—whether it’s greed, lust, lying, envy, pride, gluttony, selfishness, laziness, anger, or anything else—pause and pray.

Even a quick prayer can help shift your desire away from temptation and toward the loving, grace-filled arms of your Heavenly Father.

I’ve noticed that when I start my day with prayer, I tend to be a kinder, more loving, and more generous person, less likely to snap or get irritated.

Prayer—whether or not it changes our circumstances—changes us from the inside out.

Hey! You are a Chamatkar.

Jenny Mendes