The Top Things We Prayed for in 2016

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People pray to God for many reasons. Often, people pray for the purpose of communicating with God and to build a better relationship with Jesus Christ. From family, friends and personal problems to asking for God’s protection for those impacted by natural disasters, the most cited elements and concerns are truly diverse. Prayer is personal and involves peoples lifting up their individual needs, along with the needs of others. It allows us the privilege of experiencing God. Prayer allows us to worship, praise the Lord, and to offer confession of our sins. God hears and answers the prayers of His people. He is personal, cares for us and wants to commune with us through prayer. The Bible tells us, “Blessed is the nation whose God is Lord” (Psalm 33:12). We live in scary times and many people are fearful about the future. It’s imperative that we are grounded in prayer now more than ever. Here are the top things we prayed for in 2016.

Personal Problems

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This year, many people lifted up concerns about their own problems and difficulties. A survey conducted by LifeWay found most people’s prayers are personal. Around 74 percent of people said they focus on their own problems. This includes relational issues, fears about money, health issues, anxiety over finding and losing loved ones, concerns about death and the future, among others. When we are in trouble, our first instinct is to pray and that’s right. That’s as it should be. The only problem is that when we are in trouble, our first instinct is to pray for ourselves when we should also be concerned about the well-being of others. Pray for someone else, and you will discover your own problems are being dealt with as well.