Confident Prayers

This is the confidence we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. I JOHN 5:14 CSB 

If someone asked you to take them to a movie in a demanding, upset, or even robotic way, would that sway you to say yes? Or what if they asked you to take them, but then they went to a restaurant or even back to bed? You’d assume they didn’t really want to see the movie anymore and probably say no. Contrast that with them running up and hugging you excitedly because they knew you’d take them if they asked. What then? You’d probably go.  

How we ask, and in what spirit, often matters as much as what we ask. Far too often we forget that and somehow assume God is a vending machine. But God has a heart, like you do. He has emotions. Lots of emotions. God is love. What’s more, He created you for a relationship with Himself and others. He wants to hear from you like you want to hear from those you love. He is your Savior, yes, but He is also your friend. 

Embracing a life you enjoy involves empowering your prayer life. The good we desire rests in God’s hands, and we access this through prayer. First John 5:14 tells us how to pray; we are to pray with confidence. Elsewhere, Scripture teaches that our prayers should carry a spirit of expectation and gratitude too. It is the spirit in which you pray that embodies your faith. 

Praying in confidence is like the feeling you get when you order something online. The receipt arrives in your inbox. You see it and give it no other thought. You’re calm because you know what you’ve ordered will arrive. You rest because you’ve made your purchase from a position of strength. Similarly, praying from a position of strength rather than one of desperation, doubt, or lack promotes a state of calm and rest.  

Confidence demonstrates faith, and God adores faith. Faith is God’s love language. The idea in prayer is to get creative—have fun with it. Prayer doesn’t have to be ritualistic, boring, or even all that religious. God is real. Talk to Him like He is real. Talk to Him like you know Him, and you’ll be surprised how much He makes Himself known. Do whatever you need to do to have a mindset of confidence and gratitude when you pray. Then sit back and watch Him move mountains on your behalf. Even if that mountain just happens to be you, your emotions, your happiness, and your ability to live fully present each day. 

Jesus, I ask for the grace to live a fully present and aware life each day, making the most of my moments You’ve given me. Amen. 

This is an excerpt from It’s All Good: 90 Devotions to Embrace Your Now by Heather Hair– a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.