According to His Will

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.

The key to receiving what we ask in prayer is to ask according to God’s will. So, how can we know something is according to God’s will? The first step is to see if it lines up with God’s word. If it is a clear contradiction to His word and is the product of sin, we can know for sure it is not God’s will.

Many things for which we pray, however, have no clear indication in God’s word. Which job do I take? Which event should I attend? What should I wear for the interview? What is the best use of my time today? All of these indicate choices we make. God allows us to make choices, and sometimes either choice is fine. We need never fear we’ve made the wrong decision and blown our destiny in God’s plan because of a choice we made that didn’t quite pan out the way we had hoped. God is greater than our choices. In fact, He knows the choices we will make before we do, and He works within them. We will still have to assume the responsibility for poor decisions, but even a poor choice can be redeemed. He works all things together for our good, and that includes the bad choices we make.

Then there are those things we for which we long that seem to go unanswered in prayer. Just how can we know it is God’s will for us to have those things? God works within the longings of our hearts, too. When we have a hunger or a desire that needs to be met, it will draw us into a closer relationship with God to learn His word and to hear His voice that we would not have if our desire were immediately met. That close relationship is God’s will for us. In that place, He will speak to us and show us things we would never know without the longing. As we grow closer to Him, He will either grant the longing or change it. We just need the faith to keep asking, keep searching, keep knocking, and keep leaning into Him while we wait. God is doing a work in us and through us that we can’t always see through those unfulfilled desires and needs. We place our faith in Him and trust He will reveal His perfect will at just the right time. We are called to live by faith, and this means living at times with unmet needs and desires while we wait for an answer.

Put your hope in God today. He will not disappoint you. He has good things for you, and you can trust Him. You can’t fulfill your unmet needs on your own anyway. If you could, you would have no need for God. Surrender your heart to Him, and pray according to His will. He really does hear you.

Have a blessed day!