Have faith that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. [Matthew 21:22 (GW)]

How do we reconcile this promise to God’s frequent denials of our petitions? We ask God for what we want but what He gives us is rarely on our timetable and frequently is not what we specifically requested. God may not give us what we want right now but He will give us everything we need, not just for now, but for the future as well. He probably won’t pay our credit card bills, make our teenagers behave, fix our cars or relationships, or get us that raise; he may not even heal us. He will, however, ease our fears, give us wisdom to solve our problems, guide us in our relationships, encourage us when we are weary, strengthen our faith in a crisis, bless us with inner peace, and provide courage enough to face any challenge. We will, indeed, receive what we have asked for in prayer.

Don’t pray to escape troubles. Don’t pray to be comfortable in your emotions. Pray to do the will of God in every situation. Nothing else is worth praying for. [Samuel M. Shoemaker]