“The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous,” Proverbs 15:29.

During a particularly stressful time in my life, I found it impossible to leave my problems with God. I found myself praying over and over in a very nagging sort of way. Yes, there is the parable of the woman who went before the judge and he finally granted her request because of her continuous efforts. I believe God does want us to be persistent in prayer.

But when I listen to my daughter nagging, I realize what an unpleasant sound it is to the ears. I do not think God enjoys the sound of my voice asking him the same thing over and over.

Sometimes you need a visual reminder of a spiritual truth you know and believe. I have a prayer basket strategically positioned next to a cross. When my daughter or I have something we are anxious about and need to trust to God, we write the prayer on a piece of paper and place it in the basket. It’s like God’s mailbox.

Whenever I find myself worrying about something I’ve already talked to God about, I remind myself, “It’s in the basket. God’s already handling it. No need to nag him.” And then I thank him for the way that he is going to answer this prayer, for I know he will handle it with love and wisdom.

Is there anything heavy on your heart that you keep repeating to the Lord? Remember, God heard your prayer. He’s on it.