7/30/14: God’s Answers

Consider some scenarios about conversations with my toddlers:

If they would ask me to let them play with a buzz saw, I would obviously say, “No.” No explanation would be necessary; they wouldn’t understand it anyway. My negative response would just have to be sufficient because of my authority and what I know about the tragic outcome of granting their request.
If they asked to drive the car, I’d say, “Not yet.” My more mature knowledge would answer in that way because I know one day they will have grown into the ability to drive and I will then be able to let them do so.
If they were to ask me to drive near Disneyland so they could look at it, I may say, “Hold on, I have something better,” and then actually purchase tickets and take them in to enjoy the Happiest Place on Earth all day.
If they were to ask me for more vegetables and less sweets, I would eagerly and quickly give them exactly what they asked for. Why? Because they would be asking for something that was in accordance with my will for them.

Our prayers are never ignored, nor do they go unanswered. When it comes to prayer, we have a tendency to forget that “no,” “not yet,” and “hold on for something better,” are also answers. 1 John 5:14-15 is pretty clear, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (NKJ). God fulfills for us those things we ask in accordance with His will for us. When we ask for stuff He doesn’t want for us, He says, “No.” At other times, He has to let us grow, or He has something better in mind.

Prayer is more about getting into God’s head than about convincing God that He should do what’s in our hearts. He already knows what we think and what we want, but He’s ultimately concerned with what we need. When we pray, let’s be about the business of finding out what God wants for us in every situation of life. Once we know His outlook on a subject, our prayer-confidence meter will soar. Not only will we be patient with God and His timing, we’ll spend much less time asking for what we want, and much more time asking for what He wants for us. And God’s answers are always right. Worship God today for being the prayer-answerer regardless of what answer He gives.

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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

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