I wonder where you shop. Whether it’s in Waitrose, Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Liddle or the Co-op, we all often do the same thing; we exit the store having bought a variety of items – it would be silly not to! Whether we enter the store with a list, some sort of idea of what we want to buy, or with the hope that the list will form as we wonder round with our trollies, we all purchase items. The truth is, the number one aim is nearly never to create and build relationships. We never enter the store in order to communicate, relate and to make memories with others; this may happen nevertheless, but it’s never the goal – that would be silly!

If we were to look into the very depths of ourselves however, we would more often than not agree that creating relationships is more life-fulfilling than shopping, simply because shopping allows us to enjoy fleeting moments, whereas relationships fill the deeper need in all of us to be known. We all long to be liked. We all long to be celebrated, to be seen and to be understood. We all long to be recognised. Which is why I wonder why we often treat prayer like going shopping rather than the opportunity to relate to the one we are speaking to.

Did you know that your Heavenly Father simply loves to hang out with you? Did you know that your Heavenly Father loves to hear about that very thing or person you’re struggling with? Be encouraged, because the ability to pray was never created for you to simply present your requests. Instead, it was created in order for you to create and build on your relationship with your Heavenly Father who knows you – and your requests.