Ask For What You Need
“You will not get what you want, you will get what you need.” ~ Maxime Lagace
The annual arrival of the JC Penney and Sears Christmas Gift Catalogs were highly anticipated events for us when we were younger. My brothers and I would pour over the catalogs, dreaming lavish dreams, and giving hints (and page numbers) to our parents for Christmas gift ideas.
Christmas and young people go hand in hand. The mystery and beauty of the season are often dwarfed by pure greed and commercialism. We dropped so many hints for a month or so and did our best to straighten out our behavior so that we could “earn” our gifts. We never took into account what it might cost our parents or even whether or not we really needed something. It was driven, as I said, more by greed than anything else.
For many people, every day is Christmas when it comes to spirituality. We often treat God like Santa Claus and tell God everything that we want without being aware of the price or the toll some things might take on us. We generally do not think of bettering ourselves as much as simply giving God lists of things we want Him to accomplish.
If we were to be logical and honest, however, we would have to admit that some of the things we desire really are not good for us. Just because we want something is not a reason for God to answer our prayers affirmatively. God often says no because He knows what some of the things we ask for might do to us.
How many times, when we hear a “no” from God do we get angry? How many times do we pout? How many times do we become despondent? Would it not be better to thank God for giving us what we truly need rather than to give in to our wish lists? Have we ever thanked God for saying no? Do we like and/or accept the fact that God is in charge?
Because God loves us so much He doesn’t give us all that we want; but, rather, He gives us what we need, what is good for us. Thank God!
FAITH ACTION: Be bold in your prayer today and ask God not for what you want but for what He knows you need.