“ASKING FOR THE WRONG THINGS”

Have you ever fervently prayed for something only for God to tell you no? It is something that happens in life. As children, we learn that every request is not met with a yes. Since God is all-knowing, He knows what is best for us. He sees the big picture; we see a little picture.

?This principle was vividly illustrated at one congregation which I preached. A woman approached us and asked for financial assistance to help pay for her storage unit. Through the course of conversation, she said that basically her entire life and all her valued possessions were in that storge unit. She said if she didn’t come up with the past due rent on the unit, the contents would be sold to the highest bidder at an auction. Now this raised the obvious question, why did she not keep her valuables wherever she lived? Then she said because she lived in her car. That led the discussion in a new direction. Long story short, we paid her storage unit rental then worked on finding her housing. The problem she was prioritizing was going to be a monthly problem until the underlying issues were dealt with.

?God desires to bless us, yet He knows exactly what we need and what blessings we can handle. Spiritual maturity helps us achieve greater blessings because the closer we grow to God, the more our focus turns away from self and on to others. The blessings we receive from God are to be used to His glory. Nowhere in scripture does God ever say, “Take this blessing and hide it away.” Notice the words of Peter in I Peter 4:10-Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

?Since God knows our hearts, He knows everything about us. Have you ever heard anybody say, “If I win the lottery, I will give the church a generous amount”? God knows that if you are not already a generous giver, winning a large amount of money will not change that.

?Let us learn to have discerning hearts and be big picture people. Are my prayers self-centered, or are they God-centered? Am I praying in His will, or am I praying for my will to be done? Am I using my current blessings to glorify God? Why am I asking for this particular thing in prayer. These are all good questions to consider as we pray. Answered prayers are directly related to motivation. Pray for God’s glory to be seen through us and the blessings He gives.

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Read James 4:1-6