Expectation vs. Appreciation: A Spiritual Battle

• By candidasullivan
• December 31, 2025
• No Comments

Satan doesn’t want any of us talking to God.

So he tries to downplay the greatness of prayer. He wants us to believe that it’s not a big deal. Sometimes he even reframes it, making prayer feel like a chore instead of the blessing it truly is.

But we know the truth and the power of communicating with our Lord.

When we go to the Lord in prayer, great things can happen. We have a direct line to the Creator of it all. Our God gave us the beautiful gift of talking to Him.

Sometimes I need to pause and let that truth settle into my heart and mind:
I get to talk to my Lord.
I get to listen for His guidance.
And He is on my side.

1 Peter 5:7 KJV

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Sweet friends, God doesn’t want us to worry or try to figure everything out on our own. He wants us to come to Him.

When we seek solutions to our problems, God will provide the answers. He will show up for us in powerful ways when we allow Him to be an active part of our lives.

Prayer is the bridge between us and God. It connects our hearts to Jesus, and through Him, we are brought into the presence and wisdom of the Father.

Prayer was so important to Daniel that he was willing to die for it.

When the king made the decree that no one could ask anything of God for thirty days, Daniel didn’t stop praying. The Bible tells us that he prayed three times a day—just as he always had.

Daniel 6:10 KJV

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Can you imagine what our lives would look like if we prayed three times a day and intentionally gave thanks to God?

When I truly pause and reflect on my blessings, I can clearly see the goodness in my life. Yet too often, instead of praising God, I find myself focusing on the small things that feel lacking or incomplete.

Practicing gratitude is holy. It is a prayer of thanksgiving and one I want to strengthen daily. I want God to know how deeply grateful I am for the life He has given me.

Expectation is the way of the enemy.
Appreciation is the way of God.

We can choose the kind of life we live.
We can live as if everything is a blessing, and it will be.
Or we can live as if everything is owed to us, and grow bitter when it falls short.

We can change our lives today.
All we have to do is pray more and give God the praise He deserves.