Be Careful What You Ask For

Have you ever seen the movie Evan Almighty? In the flick, the character of God poses the same interesting question in three different ways:

• If you ask for patience, does God give you patience or does He give you opportunities to be patient?
   
• If you ask for courage, does God give you courage or does He give you opportunities to be courageous?
   
• If you ask for a close family, does God zap you with warm, fuzzy feelings or does He give you opportunities to love each other?

In sports and in life, we often want God to give us exactly what we ask for. Thankfully, that’s not the way He works. He loves us too much to give us everything we want when we want it. Instead of fixing our circumstances instantly, He often puts us on a journey to change us, not just resolve our circumstances. God cares about the character and love being produced in and through us just as much as He does about the solution.

The answer to our prayers may be revealed over time—the result of much nourishment and cultivation. It may not be exactly what we want, but it will be best. Keep that in mind when you pray, and trust God knowing it’s for the best.