Humble Prayer
- Thread starter Bilgae
- Start date
Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your prayer has been received and we thank you for sharing what is on your heart so openly. We hear in your words a deep desire to be valued and to live a good life, and we want to answer you with both honesty and love from Scripture.
The Scriptures teach that many things we chase in this present life can become vanity when they have no useful end before God. Buildings, riches, outward show, and the praise that comes from other people are described as vanity of vanities, not because God did not make the heavens and the earth and our bodies very good, but because we turn good things into empty things when we use them only for display and for honor from others. Riches cease to be vain when they are shared with those in need. Strength and health cease to be vain when they are used to serve God and to love our neighbor. When we spend them only on luxury or on being seen by others, they fill a leaking vessel and leave us still empty, and the honor of the crowd itself fades quickly because those who give it also pass away.
God does not look as people look. People look at outward appearance, at height, at build, at skin tone, but the Lord looks at the heart. Your body as God has formed it is very good, and every person bears the image of God in the color and form God has given. The church is like one body with many members, and if all were the same member there would be no body. God has not made everyone alike, and our calling is not to become the most admired in outward form but to become whole in humility and love.
Humility is the groundwork of all that is good. It is not only saying humble words about ourselves while still seeking praise, but truly acknowledging our need before God, bearing with patience what others think of us, and serving the Lord with a lowly mind. Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit. Pride is the fountain of much sin, but humility opens the way for wisdom and grace.
So we will not ask God to make you the most handsome in the eyes of the world or to change your skin to another tone or to grant height for the sake of vainglory, because that would be to ask Him to bless vanity. Instead we will pray for what is truly good for you.
We pray that God will give you health to serve Him, strength to do good work with your hands, and discipline to care for your body as His temple with thankfulness and moderation. We pray that He will give you true wealth, which is contentment with what you have and a generous heart to give to others. We pray above all that He will give you wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord, that you may know Christ, walk in His ways, and find your worth not in how you appear to others but in being loved and made new by Him. May He clothe you with inner beauty that does not fade, a gentle and quiet spirit, kindness, purity, and love, which is precious in His sight.
If you desire to grow in these things, seek the Lord daily in prayer and in His Word, care for your body with simple diligence, work faithfully, and use what God gives you to bless others. He will shape you more and more into the person He intends you to be.
May the Lord grant you peace in how He has made you and joy in becoming like Christ. Amen.
The Scriptures teach that many things we chase in this present life can become vanity when they have no useful end before God. Buildings, riches, outward show, and the praise that comes from other people are described as vanity of vanities, not because God did not make the heavens and the earth and our bodies very good, but because we turn good things into empty things when we use them only for display and for honor from others. Riches cease to be vain when they are shared with those in need. Strength and health cease to be vain when they are used to serve God and to love our neighbor. When we spend them only on luxury or on being seen by others, they fill a leaking vessel and leave us still empty, and the honor of the crowd itself fades quickly because those who give it also pass away.
God does not look as people look. People look at outward appearance, at height, at build, at skin tone, but the Lord looks at the heart. Your body as God has formed it is very good, and every person bears the image of God in the color and form God has given. The church is like one body with many members, and if all were the same member there would be no body. God has not made everyone alike, and our calling is not to become the most admired in outward form but to become whole in humility and love.
Humility is the groundwork of all that is good. It is not only saying humble words about ourselves while still seeking praise, but truly acknowledging our need before God, bearing with patience what others think of us, and serving the Lord with a lowly mind. Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit. Pride is the fountain of much sin, but humility opens the way for wisdom and grace.
So we will not ask God to make you the most handsome in the eyes of the world or to change your skin to another tone or to grant height for the sake of vainglory, because that would be to ask Him to bless vanity. Instead we will pray for what is truly good for you.
We pray that God will give you health to serve Him, strength to do good work with your hands, and discipline to care for your body as His temple with thankfulness and moderation. We pray that He will give you true wealth, which is contentment with what you have and a generous heart to give to others. We pray above all that He will give you wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord, that you may know Christ, walk in His ways, and find your worth not in how you appear to others but in being loved and made new by Him. May He clothe you with inner beauty that does not fade, a gentle and quiet spirit, kindness, purity, and love, which is precious in His sight.
If you desire to grow in these things, seek the Lord daily in prayer and in His Word, care for your body with simple diligence, work faithfully, and use what God gives you to bless others. He will shape you more and more into the person He intends you to be.
May the Lord grant you peace in how He has made you and joy in becoming like Christ. Amen.
Silas
Beloved of All
Your honesty before God is seen and heard, and I want to answer your prayer with care for what is best for your soul.
The desire to be healthy and to have wisdom is understandable, but the way you have framed it, to be the most handsome, the fairest, the tallest and most muscular, comes from looking at life only on the level of the body. Scripture warns that when a person lives only to satisfy the needs and appearance of the body, denying the spiritual nature that God gave, the end is emptiness. The word translated vanity means that which vanishes. Outward beauty, strength, and stature all vanish. They fade, they age, and the body itself returns to dust. Chasing them as the main goal will always leave you frustrated, because you were made for more.
You were made in the image of God as body, soul, and spirit. The real you is not only this outer form. The body is the instrument God has given you through which your spirit can express itself in this life, but it is not your true and lasting identity. God looks not as man looks. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Your value before Him is not measured by complexion, height, or muscle, and He purposely made people different. The church is described as a body with many members, and each member is necessary and important. If the whole body were an eye or an ear it would be strange and incomplete. God designed you as you are, with your own features and stature, to fill a vital place that no one else can fill, and when each person fulfills his part the whole body is healthy and complete.
Scripture also teaches that for the one who belongs to Christ, the body is not your own to use simply as you please. It is for the Lord and the Lord for the body. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you, bought with a price. The calling therefore is to yield the members of your body as instruments for what is right and to glorify Christ in your body while you live in it. That is a far higher purpose than impressing others with appearance.
This present body is also temporary. It is a tent, sown in weakness and subject to decay. Flesh and blood in its present state cannot inherit the eternal kingdom. The chemicals that make up this natural body go back to the dust when the spirit moves out. But God has promised His children a new body, a building from God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. We have borne the image of the earthly, and we shall also bear the image of the heavenly, fashioned to be like the resurrected body of Jesus, which is no longer subject to corruption. That is the lasting hope, not a slightly improved version of this present form.
So instead of asking God to make you the most handsome or to change your skin or height for vanity, I would encourage you to pray in a different direction and I will pray with you in that way. Pray that God will help you steward the health you have for His glory, using strength and energy to serve Him and others. Pray for true wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord and knowing His Word, not merely cleverness. Pray for true riches, which are spiritual and eternal, knowing Christ and laying up treasure in heaven. Pray for contentment and thankfulness for how God formed you, and for grace to offer your body to Him daily to be used for His purposes and for what will last forever.
May the Lord give you peace in who you are in Christ, make you wise with His wisdom, keep you in health as He sees fit, and teach you the joy of glorifying Him in the body He has given you now, while you look forward to the incorruptible body He will give you then.
The desire to be healthy and to have wisdom is understandable, but the way you have framed it, to be the most handsome, the fairest, the tallest and most muscular, comes from looking at life only on the level of the body. Scripture warns that when a person lives only to satisfy the needs and appearance of the body, denying the spiritual nature that God gave, the end is emptiness. The word translated vanity means that which vanishes. Outward beauty, strength, and stature all vanish. They fade, they age, and the body itself returns to dust. Chasing them as the main goal will always leave you frustrated, because you were made for more.
You were made in the image of God as body, soul, and spirit. The real you is not only this outer form. The body is the instrument God has given you through which your spirit can express itself in this life, but it is not your true and lasting identity. God looks not as man looks. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Your value before Him is not measured by complexion, height, or muscle, and He purposely made people different. The church is described as a body with many members, and each member is necessary and important. If the whole body were an eye or an ear it would be strange and incomplete. God designed you as you are, with your own features and stature, to fill a vital place that no one else can fill, and when each person fulfills his part the whole body is healthy and complete.
Scripture also teaches that for the one who belongs to Christ, the body is not your own to use simply as you please. It is for the Lord and the Lord for the body. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you, bought with a price. The calling therefore is to yield the members of your body as instruments for what is right and to glorify Christ in your body while you live in it. That is a far higher purpose than impressing others with appearance.
This present body is also temporary. It is a tent, sown in weakness and subject to decay. Flesh and blood in its present state cannot inherit the eternal kingdom. The chemicals that make up this natural body go back to the dust when the spirit moves out. But God has promised His children a new body, a building from God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. We have borne the image of the earthly, and we shall also bear the image of the heavenly, fashioned to be like the resurrected body of Jesus, which is no longer subject to corruption. That is the lasting hope, not a slightly improved version of this present form.
So instead of asking God to make you the most handsome or to change your skin or height for vanity, I would encourage you to pray in a different direction and I will pray with you in that way. Pray that God will help you steward the health you have for His glory, using strength and energy to serve Him and others. Pray for true wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord and knowing His Word, not merely cleverness. Pray for true riches, which are spiritual and eternal, knowing Christ and laying up treasure in heaven. Pray for contentment and thankfulness for how God formed you, and for grace to offer your body to Him daily to be used for His purposes and for what will last forever.
May the Lord give you peace in who you are in Christ, make you wise with His wisdom, keep you in health as He sees fit, and teach you the joy of glorifying Him in the body He has given you now, while you look forward to the incorruptible body He will give you then.
Thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf. We are glad that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer. We have continued to lift you up before the Lord and to bring your desires before His throne of grace.
We have prayed for your request to be healthy and strong, to be provided for and to walk in true wisdom, and for the desires you shared concerning your appearance to be the most handsome and to be tall and muscular and fair skinned. We have asked the Lord to bless you according to His perfect will and to draw you closer to Him.
We pray that you will come to see yourself as God sees you, fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14, created in His image for His purpose. We pray that you will find your confidence and value in Christ and that you will know that people look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart 1 Sam 16:7. We pray that the Lord will grant you true wisdom that comes from above, for if any of you lacks wisdom you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you James 1:5. We pray that He will grant you health and strength to serve Him and that you will be content and secure in how He has made you.
If your request was answered, please post a praise report and let us all know how God has worked in your life. If your request does not seem to have been answered, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. We count it a joy to keep standing with you and to keep seeking the Lord together.
May God bless you as you continue to seek Him through His Son Jesus Christ. We pray this in Jesus Name Amen.
We have prayed for your request to be healthy and strong, to be provided for and to walk in true wisdom, and for the desires you shared concerning your appearance to be the most handsome and to be tall and muscular and fair skinned. We have asked the Lord to bless you according to His perfect will and to draw you closer to Him.
We pray that you will come to see yourself as God sees you, fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14, created in His image for His purpose. We pray that you will find your confidence and value in Christ and that you will know that people look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart 1 Sam 16:7. We pray that the Lord will grant you true wisdom that comes from above, for if any of you lacks wisdom you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you James 1:5. We pray that He will grant you health and strength to serve Him and that you will be content and secure in how He has made you.
If your request was answered, please post a praise report and let us all know how God has worked in your life. If your request does not seem to have been answered, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. We count it a joy to keep standing with you and to keep seeking the Lord together.
May God bless you as you continue to seek Him through His Son Jesus Christ. We pray this in Jesus Name Amen.
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