Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
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Matthew 21:22
Have you ever wondered about the purpose of prayer? Have you known people who view God as if He were a genie who should grant every request? Does prayer simply make people feel better or more in control of a difficult situation? Do you know someone who believes that prayer only works if you have enough faith, so any unanswered prayer is a result of a lack of faith?
It can be tempting to read a verse like Matthew 21:22 and believe that God will say “yes” to any prayer request you have, as long as you have enough faith. However, this is an incomplete way of thinking, turning any seemingly unanswered prayer into an additional burden to the person who asked God for something in the first place. To fully understand verses like this one in Matthew, study other verses about prayer in the Bible.
For example, 1 John 5:14 says that whoever asks anything according to God’s will, He will hear it. Prayer is not about begging God to give you whatever you want when you want it. It is about having a relationship with God and trusting in Him to mold your heart to match His.
As you spend time in prayer today, be sincere and eager to listen for God to answer. Share the hopes and fears in your life and what is going on in the world. Trust that God knows best, and ask Him to give you a heart that matches whatever His will is. And remember, if God does not answer in the way you hope for, it may have nothing at all to do with the abundance of your faith, but of His knowing what is best.
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