Teenside Daily Devotional

 4/21/20
Read Matthew 7:7-11.

I have often found myself questioning whether or not I should pray to God for certain things. Sometimes, I decide for Him that He wouldn’t answer a prayer if I did pray. That’s not fair to the One who created all things! If you don’t give God a chance, He won’t answer you. Jesus tells us here to simply ask, seek, and knock. He says that doing these things will result in a response from God. But are these as simple as they sound?

When you are thinking about asking someone authoritative for something, is it ever wise to do so in a nonchalant, prideful way? No! When we “ask” before God, it should be done in humility and we should know what we need to ask beforehand. If we “seek”, we are actively pursuing God and the works of His kingdom. We cannot ask God for things that we want or need and simply leave Him alone until the next time we need to ask for something. He wants a relationship with you! Be intentional with Him and praying to Him about your needs will feel more natural, and I guarantee that His answers will become more clear. Finally, how would one usually “knock” on a door? If the door isn’t opened, you just keep knocking! God expects us to persevere in our asking. If you pray for something once, and then it doesn’t happen and you move on, that doesn’t show God that it was very important to you. The biggest blessings that I have in life, I prayed for months about. Commit to your prayers!

Overall, God wants you to put some energy and effort into your asking for things. He is not our servant. We do not ring a bell and He comes running to us, ready to take our order. He is our Father. He desires a relationship with us, and through that He will bless us as a father does. Jesus says that if an earthly father can figure out how to give good gifts, how great do you think the gifts that the Father gives are? Be humble, seek Him, and be persistent, and I know that your prayer life and the answers that you receive from God will change!

Questions:
*Take a moment to journal these questions. Write down your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Then date your entry. One of the coolest things is being able to look back and see how God came through for you.*

1. Rarely do we doubt God’s ability to act; rather we put Him into a box of what we think He will or won’t do for us. Are there requests you are withholding from God? Why are these things you have withheld? 

2. These verses are often misused to claim that God wants to give us what we want. Not exactly… God wants our good and He will always answer us. However, that does not mean it is always what we want to hear. Have you ever mistaken God’s answer of “no” or “wait” as silence? What do you think God could have been trying to show you?

3. Read 1 John 5:14-15. Do your requests align with the will of God? Here are some questions to ask yourself to test it: Is this request true, just, honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, or worthy of praise (Phillipians 4:8)? Is this request rooted and inspired by the truth of God’s word? Does this request align with the character of God? Will this request further the kingdom in my life or the people’s lives around me?

Prayer: Spend some time praying about the things you journaled. Praise God by acknowledging that He is a good father who listens and answers your requests with your best interests in mind. Repent of any time that you have mistaken God’s answer of “no'' or “wait” as silence. Ask that He would help you to see what He was showing you through this answer. Pray that as you continue to seek after God, He would align your requests to His will.

*Remember*– If you have something that is weighing heavily on your heart, BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYER. Don’t relent because God listens and answers the cries of His people.

Psalm: Read Psalm 116

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