Got answers?
Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before him, for if we present any request agreeable to his will, he will hear us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we also know that we have obtained the requests we ask of him. 1 John 5:14-15 (TPT)
“Agreeable to his will” is his promise. We must take care not to make it an escape clause for our unbelief. If we do not see answered prayer right away, will we justify our unbelief by saying we did not ask for something “agreeable to his will?”
It’s curious how we often focus on whether or not our prayer requests are agreeable to his will. It reveals how we relate to him.
Servants want instructions. Friends want to talk.
We want instruction, direction, answers. We look at the things before us and our situation becomes… complicated. We need an answer to our question, and we know God has the answer. Adding to our complication, we need to align our requests with his will, which we don’t know yet. His answer is his will, yes? So how can we know it before we ask? We put in our requests and hope for the best.
We’ve made the prayer thing complicated. But if we look at it relationally, it becomes clear. We pray to get an answer. God has a different agenda.
We want an answer. God wants a conversation. And so there’s an impasse.
We approach him to get something so we can be on our way. We want to know his will as a means to our end. He wants us to stay awhile and talk, to build our relational bond. He knows that solutions flow from the bond.
Sometimes he’ll give us answers without a conversation, particularly when our bond is young. But as we grow together, he’s all about growing our bond so we will know his heart in a matter.
I say to God: answer me, and I’ll know your will. God says to me: come closer, and know me.
Dad, change my heart so I will value our conversations. I want to know your heart. I want to dream your dreams. I want to align my perspective with yours. In your presence I find joy and there everything becomes clear.
