“Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.”—1 John 3:21–22 NLT

The Bible makes clear that prayer is to be central to the Christian life. We are to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6). The Bible reminds us that the effectiveness of our prayer life is impacted by our relationship with God. There also are impediments to effective prayer: attitudes and actions that can clog our relationship with God and provide distractions.

As we approach God in prayer, it can be easy to be conscious of reasons our prayers might not be answered: We let our minds wander, and we focus on ourselves and our weaknesses instead of on God and His promises. The size of the problems might seem too large. Our minds can be filled with thoughts that distract us. We can wonder if God will hear us. And we can be overwhelmed by guilt.

The Bible encourages us to pray with faith, put aside doubts, seek to be freed from guilt, and pray with “bold confidence.” But a lack of confidence can impede our prayers. We can be confident if we are clean in His sight, and if we are confident in our relationship with Him.

What issues do you face? As you pray about them, be sure you are not allowing anything to clog your heart and separate you from God. Remember, He is ready to cleanse you, give you the confidence to approach His presence with boldness, and make your prayers more effective.

Reflection Question: Compose your own prayer for boldness.

“Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes … Do not lose your temper … those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.”—Psalm 37:7–9 NLT

How do we react to problems? With worry or fear? Looking at the lives of other people, we can be filled with envy. We can “fret about their wicked schemes” and feel we need to avenge ourselves.

But the Bible tells us that God wants us to make Him the focus of our lives and be still in His presence. Instead of being in a hurry to act, He wants us to “wait patiently for Him to act.” We can only have rest and peace if we unconditionally wait on and have confidence in Him. If we decide to act as judges ourselves, we will end up fretting. This will lead only to doing evil.

God wants us to realize that our path to blessing starts when we wait on Him. Learn not to be upset when others appear to prosper. We need to maintain our own joy in the Lord and be confident in His ability to care for us and guide us. He will take care of the world and others.

Today, remember that you are in God’s presence. Commit every situation you face to Him. Remember that He is in control. Do not allow anxiety and worry to fill your heart. Do not be angry or worry, and don’t envy those who are prosperous. You can trust God, commit your way to Him, and give Him your burdens. Let Him give you His peace.

Reflection Question: How can you plan to be still before the Lord today?