Ask God for Everything - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 13
Ask God for Everything
By: Michelle Lazurek
Bible Reading:
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6
“Lord, please heal my body from this illness.” Because of some health issues that required me to get blood drawn every month and see a doctor regularly, I was concerned about the state of my health. I took supplements, didn't smoke, didn't drink alcohol, and generally took care of myself; I believed the lie that I would live for a long time. After all, since I'd cared for my body so well, wasn't that what I deserved?
It wasn't until the doctor asked me to go for an ultrasound to screen for possible cancer that my whole world came to a screeching halt. I made the drive to the hospital to have the scan, and a myriad of thoughts flooded my mind. I began to picture my life with only limited time left. I started to think about everything I still wanted to do during my time on Earth.
As I drove to the hospital, I uttered the above prayer. It was my Hail Mary prayer to ask God to turn things around. In my mind, I went to God for his help. But deep down in my heart, I doubted God could turn this around. I had already expected the worst test result.
Even though I didn't voice this to anyone, my doubts spoke extensively about my lack of faith in God. I trusted God for many things in life, but for my health, that was something else. Because I had just encountered several godly people who were struggling with their cancer journeys, I expected to be the next one in line. After all, if these godly people were struggling with cancer, what would make me think I would be off the hook?
The test results came back negative. I was elated. For the next few weeks, I spent every day praising the Lord. In my prayer time, I thanked him for allowing me not to have to deal with the trial of cancer. But I also praised him for moving on my behalf despite my lack of faith. Because in my mind, I prayed that prayer. But in my heart, I already assumed the worst.
The above verse guides us on how to pray genuinely. We should ask God for the big and the small things in life without any doubt. We must pray and believe that God will deliver what he promised. We also must declare and believe that God’s plan is good regardless of the outcome. In our finite understanding of God, we often minimize God to a genie in a bottle.
If he doesn't do things our way, he isn't real. But when we cling to God in desperation, God still wants us to pray and believe he will deliver. When we pray and not doubt, he increases our faith. It allows us to declare that God is good and that he will work out everything in his timing, not ours.
Although it is not appropriate to demand from God luxuries like a fancy car or house, it is suitable for us to ask for anything in our hearts. Even if our desires are fleshly, God still chooses to respond. He wants us to come to him with unabashed faith. He wants us to ask and not doubt. When we doubt, it is like the above verse suggests. We are like waves tossed back and forth by the wind with no direction or real purpose. However, asking God for everything and declaring that he is good even with a bad result solidifies our faith.
God cares more about our character and our faith than our comfort zones. However, part of how we grow in our faith is to ask for even the impossible things in our minds. God wants us to be people who run to him whenever we have a need or want. He wants to be our everything. He doesn't want us to run to the world's resources but to drink from the everlasting water that will allow us never to thirst again and give us all the satisfaction we could ever need.
Father, let us be firm in our faith. Let us ask for big and small things in life. Let us ask and declare without doubt. Please help us grow in our faith and not be like the waves of the sea tossed back and forth by the wind. Amen.
Intersecting Faith and Life
Do you go to God with all your needs and wants? Why or why not?
Further Reading
Psalm 4:1
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Layland Masuda
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