Why Didn’t I Get What I Asked God For?
By Rick Warren

“We are sure that [God] hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will.” 1 John 5:14 (GNT)

Do you ever wonder if prayer really works? Maybe you’re praying about something and Satan whispers to you, “This is a waste of time. Forget it! Who do you think you are? God is not listening.”

Prayer works because God is in control. The basis of all miracles is God’s sovereignty. Why does he allow one request and not another? Because God is in control. We can trust his wisdom and his goodness.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “God . . . is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes” (TLB).

Prayer can do whatever God can do. His resources are available to you. It’s encouraging to know that things out of your control are not out of God’s. You may not be able to change a situation, but you can pray, and God can change it.

I know what you might be thinking right now: “If I can pray and ask God to change things, and if God is really in control of everything, then why don’t I get everything I ask for?” Good question.

Here are three reasons:

God is not a genie. You don’t just put in a prayer and get whatever you want. Do you give your children everything they ask for? I hope not. You can see the bigger picture for your kids and make decisions accordingly. Think about how much bigger the picture is that God can see!

Sometimes Christians pray in conflict. I’ll give a silly example, but if two Christians are praying during the Super Bowl for different teams to win, who is God going to answer? If God were concerned about the outcome of a football game, he still wouldn’t let both teams win.

But I think the real reason is this:

God knows what’s best, and you don’t. The Bible tells us, “We are sure that [God] hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will” (1 John 5:14 GNT).

The attitude of your prayer needs to be: “Lord, this is my prayer request, but your will be done.” That’s what Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (NIV).

Keep on praying, even when it doesn’t turn out like you planned. Remember, God knows what’s best.

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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