Does your faith make you a better or worse person? Do you find this question offensive? Yet I addressed it in great length in my interactions with the Pharisees. They were as devout and diligent in their practice of faith as you could ask for. Yet their practices made them less loving, caring, and compassionate, and provided them with excuses for their bad behavior. Their faith took them further away from me and made them worse people than if they had made no profession or affirmation of faith. Don’t think this issue is limited to a small sect that only existed for a short while.

Is there some big obstacle standing in your way; some impediment that prevents you from making the progress you want in your life? Perhaps you do not see things the same way I do. Paul complained of a thorn in his flesh, something he did not want and asked me three times to remove. This is what he wanted but I told him that my grace was sufficient for him. This is not what he wanted but he found out it was true and the thorn I refused to remove was part of my process of grace in his life. Do you have a thorn of your own? Are you still at the stage of asking me to remove it?

What do the poor want? Those without food, drink, shelter, and clothing are very aware of these basic needs and are highly motivated to fulfill them. Once these necessities are met the concept of desire does not go away, but it does change. The wealthy spend just as much time in the pursuit of their desires as the poor, but the search is not as focused. The wealthy are not as able to articulate what they want, and more expensive versions of toys do not bring satisfaction.

Why do you pray? Do you like the promises that you can have anything you ask for in prayer? How has this worked out for you? Yet if you believe it, what would you ask for? You know better than to offer selfish prayers, and you are sensitive enough to be aware when others do this. I have already promised to meet the needs of believer and unbeliever alike, whether they pray or not. So what if prayer didn’t ‘get’ you anything except a change in yourself? Would you still pray as fervently as you do now?