PONDER THIS

When you pray, don’t get the idea that there are spiritual things you can ask for and secular things you cannot ask for. The Bible never divides life between the sacred and the secular. With God, every task is a holy task, and every day is a holy day. Can you imagine Jesus dividing His life into the sacred and the secular? Can you imagine Jesus saying, “Now, Father, when I preach, I want anointing, but the rest of the time I’ll do it Myself”? No, you see, “In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” A good test as to whether you should move forward in an area is to consider if you can ask God to help you or ask God to do it through you with a clear heart and mind. Whatever you desire, tell God. Ask Him.

But what if you want the wrong thing? Tell Him. Say, “Lord, I want the wrong thing. Have mercy on me, O God. Fix my wants.” The truth is, you can’t hide from God. If you want it, He already knows it, doesn’t He? So, tell Him. Pray about everything. The responsibility for asking is ours. The responsibility for giving is God’s. Just ask. Learn to ask God for what you want and trust Him to respond in the way that is best.

• What is something you struggle to ask God for?
• What should we do when God’s answer to our prayer is different than we want?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray and talk to God about your wants and needs.