You Get What You Pray For

I recently had a big presentation to give this week, one that I was extremely anxious about. I was really concerned about this particular presentation because I had not done so well on my last one and was nervous that the same mistakes and failures were going to happen again. So I called my friend and said, “I have a big presentation today and I’m nervous, can you pray for me please?” I honestly was a bit ashamed to ask that this presentation go better than my last because I would then have to explain all the failures of the last presentation. So to avoid embarrassment, I left that part out of my request. My friend prayed for me. They asked God to cover me and keep me safe, and to help take away my nerves. It was a beautiful prayer – but by the end of the prayer, I was disappointed. I was disappointed because as beautiful as the prayer was, it didn’t address my real concerns. I thanked my friend and hung up. I thought to myself, ‘what was the point?’. And then God responded, “You got what you asked for, not what you wanted.”

Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV) 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

I realized what my problem was. My friend used the information I had given and aimed their prayer toward the identified target. I said I was nervous, so my friend prayed for God to take away the nerves. I hid the fact that I was feeling embarrassed, yet somehow expected my friend to pray for that too. And sometimes we do the same with God. Yes, he’s omniscient and knows all and can provide for us better than we know how to provide for ourselves. But sometimes, He wants us to ask.

When we trust God enough to bring Him all our problems, what we’re really doing is saying ‘God, I think you’re capable of handling this problem, so I’m trusting you with it’. We’re exercising our faith in Him. Think about it. When you go to the doctor, you tell him or her about your medical problems. You leave out the car problems you’re having, because that’s not what they do. When you go to the mechanic, you don’t feel the need to tell him or her about your medical issues, because that’s not what they do. But sometimes, when we become accustomed to seeing God as one thing, we leave out information. So we might ask for a new car, or a house, or a good report at the doctor’s office, but we leave out the mental health issues, the relationship problems, or any issue that makes us feel ashamed or uncomfortable. We leave things out, as if that’s not God’s area of expertise. As if there’s someone more equipped to handle those issues. As if that’s something we have to handle ourselves. We ask for the things we think are appropriate to ask for, and then get disappointed when the real problems aren’t addressed. But Jesus literally tells us ‘ask and you shall receive’. Not ask and I’ll figure out what you mean. Not ask and I’ll try to fill in the blanks. Ask and you shall receive. And if we really believe that God cannot lie, then shouldn’t we act like it?

Matthew 13: 53-58 (KJV) 53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. 58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

I’m not saying God can’t provide for the things you don’t know how to ask for. He’s God. He can answer prayers you didn’t even know you had. But sometimes, God gives you what you ask for, and only what you ask for, because He’s waiting on you to believe. Jesus himself shows us how the unbelief of the people in his hometown restricted the experience they had in His presence. The same power that is strong enough to part seas, heal, resurrect, deliver, and save “did not do many mighty works there” simply because of the unbelief of the people. They missed out on life-changing experiences, not because He was too far for them to reach Him, but because even with Him standing in their presence, they simply didn’t believe.

So let’s say God is telling the truth, and you do receive when you ask, how will you shift your view of Him? Will your requests change? I dare you to try Him out. Bring Him every concern – big, small, scary, embarrassing, stupid, annoying, uncomfortable, confusing, shameful, private – give Him every thought and concern. Stretch your perspective of His capabilities and give it all to Him. Have faith in His ability to hear, understand, and respond. Trust me, He’s pretty good at what He does.