MAKING SURE WE PRAY IN THE WILL OF GOD
Praying for yourself and your needs and wants are an important aspect of our total prayer life, the Bible calls praying for ourselves PETITION, I list it as 7 in my list of THE 8 ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO DAILY PRAYER. Petition comes last in the list before READING AND MEDIDATING ON THE WORD OF GOD. Please note I make it no.7 as there are many things that are of MUCH higher priority than praying for yourself. I read recently in the Psalms And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul Psalm 106:15 NKJV The MESSAGE paraphrase says this, He gave them exactly what they asked for— but along with it they got an empty heart.
This is a very sad Scripture, we need to recognise because of our sinful nature, we are basically selfish people, we need to recognise God is Sovereign He knows everything about everything and HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US. I would suggest the constant and daily prayer of our life needs to be NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE.
I guess most of the time fortunately the Lord doesn’t give us just what we want, I am sure glad about that, because I do not want leanness in my soul and an empty heart.
I think King David, had the right answer for this dilemma for many Christians He says :Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart Psalm 37:4 NKJV The Passion Translation expresses it this way
Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, and he will provide for you what you desire the most.
I would suggest King David is saying, AS YOU DELIGHT IN THE LORD, HIS DESIRES WILL BECOME YOUR DESIRES, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil.4:19 NKJV. Paul was writing to the Philippian church and reminded the Believers that God knew their need/s and that God had an overflowing reservoir of supply for them, that would meet their need, and assist them to be a pattern New Testament church.
GOD PROMISES TO MEET OUR NEED NOT OUR GREED
God loves us with an everlasting unchanging love, He knows what is best for us, in all honesty, we often don’t really know what is best, that is why we must learn to pray NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE. This will save us from the disappointment and frustration of not getting what we want.
I guess I need to say one more thing, we may have discerned what is the Lord will and what we need, but it doesn’t come when we think it should come. Remember again GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND HIS TIMING IS PERFECT, and while we wait, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV Let us keep developing out THANKFUL HEART. Like the crowd who brought the sick to Jesus let us declare He has done all things well Mark 7:37 NKJV I love what the Passion Translation says And they began to declare, “Everything He does is wonderful! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!” AMEN