Some people don’t know the difference between complaining to the Lord and making a request of Him. When Jesus met the sick man at the pool of Bethesda, He asked him, “Do you want to be made whole?” Instead of the man to request His help, he started complaining that any time the pool was there stirred and he tried to step in, someone else got there ahead of him. He could have missed his miracle, but thank God for the compassion of Jesus; He mercifully healed him.

 

When the wine was finished midway into the wedding ceremony in Cana of Galilee, some of the servers might have complained and said, “See, there are too many guests! Why did they invite two hundred people instead of one hundred? Now the wine is finished. Where do they expect us to get wine from?” But Mary, Jesus’ mother, had a different attitude. When she heard the wine had finished, she told Jesus about it and said to the servers, “Whatever He asks you to do, do it” (John 2:5).

 

There were six water vessels there that were used for Jewish purification rituals, and Jesus instructed them to fill each one with water. They went and did as they were told, wondering what exactly Jesus was up to. Then He asked them to pour one of the vessels and take it to the chairman of the occasion to drink. Thank God they obeyed, and there was a miracle. The water was turned into the best wine he’d tasted that day! If the servers had complained and refused to obey Jesus, thinking His instruction was going to get them into trouble, they would have missed that miracle!

 

Your attitude in prayer determines whether or not you’ll receive what you desire. Don’t have a complaining attitude. Complaints don’t work with God. He has shown us what works in His Word; it says “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 CEV).