Confidence in Prayer
Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to pray. In Matthew 7, Jesus tells His disciples to keep asking, seeking, and knocking while trusting the heavenly Father to give His children what's good. In Philippians 4:6, Paul urges us to respond to anxiety in this way: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” That assures us that the Lord hears and answers our prayers. However, this promise is accompanied by an important stipulation: We must ask according to His will. Much of God’s will is clearly revealed in Scripture, but what are we to do when an issue is not directly addressed in the Bible? Though we would like to feel confident that the Lord will answer, at times we may feel uncertain about whether our prayers align with His purposes. If we want to pray effectively, our goal should not be to offer up quick, thoughtless, or self-willed prayers in hopes of receiving speedy answers. Instead, we must learn to pray wisely and wait patiently. When we are yielded and obedient to the Lord, His Spirit will guide us and provide the wisdom needed for praying according to His will.
