When you play it small, you play it safe. But when you take a chance, a calculated risk, exciting outcomes enter the equation.
Small efforts and requests may lead to safe answers and minimal disruption, but as Christians are we really called to lead lives of insignificance?
The Circle Maker
I am currently reading a book called The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. If you’ve never read it pick it up! His way of writing is engaging and easy to understand. He makes valid points to help you upgrade your prayer life and better understand the character of God.
We all are probably familiar with James 4:2b-3 – “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” So to extrapolate, we have not because we ask not. And I would say that is at least true of myself. I don’t want to be told no, so if I think there’s a chance, I don’t ask – in life and in prayer.
But this is where we take things to the next level and look at the situation backwards. Not asking is playing it safe, thinking on a small scale. But what if we took things next level and made the request? Perhaps simply in the midst of making the request, letting God know our heart and seeking Him, He would fine-tune our heart to seek after what He has for us! And I’m a firm believer in getting inline with what God wants to do.
Think of great people in our history – George Mueller made incredible requests of God and God answered in amazingly specific ways! Elijah made specific requests and God delivered! And the list goes on and on. Perhaps we have not because we ask not and also because our motivation isn’t correct. It is a logical fact that basically, except for a random exception, God doesn’t answer prayers we don’t pray.
What Should We Pray?
So what should we pray about? What is appropriate and pleasing to God? I’ve been pondering this and I’ll share some of my thoughts on the subject. Some have come about from reading the book mentioned above and others are simply my musings. Obviously what I share isn’t exhaustive – would any list ever be? – but merely a few new thoughts that have entered my awareness.
We are to pray for others. The Bible speaks about Job praying for his friends, Abraham praying for Abimelech and his wife, etc. I can’t help but think pray is meant to give to others more than pray for oneself. Not that we can’t pray about things effecting us, but rather it is more of a tool to be applied outside of ourselves.
The book mentions that when we are low, feeling dismal and weary, that we need to remember that God has equipped us for where He leads us. So instead of crumbling, we need to make sure we are in alignment with God and muster our strength and stand. Perhaps instead of praying to get out of the situation that is weighing on us sooner (which would be seeking our own comfort) we should pray for a burst of energy to complete our job well (which is focused on serving where He has placed us).
The Bible says the joy of the Lord is our strength, and as much as I hear that sometimes it is hard to internalize how that helps when I am wiped out. So to put it another way, when we please God and bring glory to His name, we can find delight and enthusiasm for the work He has us doing! And somehow the thought of pleasing God resonates with me on a new level!
Ask and You Shall Receive
I love that God always answers – but I also love identifying how He answers. The other night I was getting into bed and I was praying that God would reveal Himself to me on a new level. I was seeking Him and reading the Bible, but I was so hungry for something more.
Within the next few days (less than a week), I was in a meeting and someone mentioned the Circle Maker book. And there was my answer! Breadcrumbs that feed my soul and introduce me to a new dimension of God. I love knowing that when I ask, He answers. Always – no exceptions. How He answers is a mystery all of its own, but the fact of the matter is that He will always answer when we seek Him.
And there’s just one more thing I want to share – God is in the business of doing what we cannot. So pray for exciting outcomes, pray bold prayers that let Him show His strength! Don’t limit Him to small little prayers that we can accomplish without Him. If we want to see His strength and His power displayed in remarkable ways, then we need to pray bold, big prayers!
God knows what He has placed on your heart. Don’t stifle your prayers and your dreams in order to make them achievable by your human efforts. Stretch your faith and ask for what He has set in your heart! Ask Him to fine-tune your heart and desires to want what He has for you and then pray, pray, pray!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. Keep reading: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2018/04/11/your-plans-my-dreams/