Saturday, August 3, 2013

By: Gwen Hitt

Getting What You Pray For

Romans 8:27 And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.

I once read a joke about a married couple in their early 60s who were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. To their surprise, a fairy appeared an offered each of them one wish on this very special night.

The wife happily asked for a trip around the world for her to enjoy with her husband. This wish was granted. To the total dismay of both the fairy and the wife, the husband wished for a wife 30 years younger than himself. Unfortunately for the husband, the fairy did grant his wish .... HE was now in his early 90s!!!

I had a good chuckle when I read this story BUT quickly realized that it could definitely apply to all of our lives. How many times have we longed and prayed for a certain thing and then after obtaining it realized that the object of our desire was not what we wanted or needed after all???

Psalm 106:14-15 references the account of the Israelites becoming greedy for food in the desert causing them to test God. They were tired of just eating manna, and they wanted meat. They did indeed get what they wanted (a huge quantity of quail), but they were also afflicted with a terrible disease. The very thing they wanted was NOT what they NEEDED.

We are encouraged throughout God's Word to pray for HIS will. When we pray with an understanding that His ways are greater than our ways, we are able to seek Him for what's BEST for us.

Rather than simply praying for what you WANT, I challenge you to always pray for His perfect will for your life. When I think of some of the things that I thought I wanted over the years, I am so grateful that He DID NOT answer ALL of my prayers. Trust Him that He knows what is best for you and your family. When going to Him in prayer, always go with the understanding that He IS ABLE to answer your prayers. Keep in mind that when we pray, we are in touch with power - God's mighty power!!!!

Dear Lord, You tell me in Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you." I pray that I will trust in you to grant me the things that I NEED and not necessarily the things that I want.