Why ask God for certain things...

[Strider1002]

...if it all depends on His plan? Should we just pray for God's will to be done instead? Is prayer going to change His plan?

 

[fm107]

We are God's children and just like our earthly father grants his children certain requests, our Father does likewise but in a far greater way.

And just like the earthly father has plans for his own children, God too also has far greater plans for his children. Despite that, the children can still approach the Father and ask him for things.

Matthew 7:11
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

And remember:

Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Look at this verse:

1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

Doesn't our earthly father do likewise? He will only grant his children certain things if it is his will for them to have it / do it etc.

 

[timf]

Why ask God for certain things...

Being specific in prayer can reflect a heart that is mistaken about the purpose of prayer like, "Dear God, please let me win the lottery". In a way this is like saying, "I want money so I won't need you".

Being specific can show agony over a specific task, "Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt".

Being specific can show a heart that looks to God for provision, "Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread".

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

God wants us to come to him with every request, not just so-called "important" things or general things. It is when we begin to see God as really involved in every aspect of our lives that we draw near to Him. Our prayer is not to let God know what needs to be done, but to remind ourselves that it is He by whom and in whom are all things.

 

[Quasicentennial]

I always feel his spiritual energy or existence as I pray so that I can stay fearless or confident through my conversations at home or at work. Prayer is a non-stop conversation with God. You might not hear his own voice but you can feel his holy spirit-like confidence flow into your heart and soul for a healthy mind and body while you are still young. You become absolute leader over your feelings so much so that evil gossip in your memories just fade into silence as if you were born on a perfect planet where there is no nasty comments about your mistakes or past failures that would make you feel like a permanent failure.:*:. Jesus was not a rich billionaire but he wanted to help and heal the poor and sick by using his supernatural gift from God.:*:. We as Christians want to be like Jesus, although our minds and bodies are not as perfect as Jesus Christ, we always seek his existence so that his healing miraculous holy spirit can transfer through our hearts to the hearts of others, especially non-Christians who want to accept Jesus first time.:*:.

 

[Pal Handy]

...if it all depends on His plan? Should we just pray for God's will to be done instead? Is prayer going to change His plan?

All great answers...

All I can add is this...

We are not robots preprogrammed and unable to enjoy freewill.

God's over all will will be done...
Within God's overall will is our freewill.
We have many options within that freewill...

We do not have all options but we have the ones God has allowed.

God doesn't tell you how to dress or drive your car or demand that you
work in a field you hate.

But God doesn't allow us access to all knowledge or what the future may hold
when we make our decision.

You could think of it like chess.
We make our moves and the God makes His moves....

Who do you think wins in the end...

Who will win overall?
Whose overall plan will be accomplished even with the
almost limitless moves that we can make?

God works through men and God has changed the course of history through
willing men who of their own freewill have done what God has asked them to do.

God has His pieces on the chess board....

Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

God has never asked us to be robots but He has asked us to trust Him.

If a young man is making plans for his future,
would it be prudent for that man to ask his fathers advice?
After all his father has been around a whole lot longer and
has a greater knowledge base.

Would it be wise for the young man to take his loving and very
supportive fathers good advice?

So God not only wants us to ask Him for good things,
He wants us to ask Him for His good advice and instruction on
how to get through this life.

It is so much more than asking for "things".

What kind of a relationship could any of us have if our
family, friends and acquaintances only interactions with
us, would be a constant barrage of request for things?

We are not robots nor would we ever want to be so we should not
expect God to be our Blessing Bot either....

So does God want us to ask for good things?

Absolutely....and after God has shown Himself good, can we begin
a dialog with Him based not on our needs or wants but on
the relationship....

Can we begin with "thanks God" and expand the relationship into
a two way intercourse?

God gives to us so much, what do we give back?

What does God the Father want back?

Your time?

Your thoughts?

Your dreams and hopes, given back to God in the form of a desire
to hear what your Father has to say on life's most important decisions?

This is what God is after.....the relationship.

 

[wayfaring man]

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. <-----> John 16:24

Within God's will is the intention that we would discover our genuine needs and become like minded with godly desires, for which we would then petition Our Heavenly Father in honest, humble, respectful, reverential prayer. And then through His granting our request, is our interaction sweetened with the joy of being heard and recognized as being acceptable in The Beloved.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. <-----> 1st John 5:14+15

Wherein, having our good and godly requests granted by God does serve as a blessed confirmation and holy encouragement that we are on the right path with Christ.

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. <-----> 1st John 3:21+22

Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. <-----> John 9:31

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
But verily God has heard me; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, which has not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. <-----> Psalm 66:18-20

May The Lord Be Pleased !

wm

 

[dfreeland311]

I try not to ask for specific things, but can't help it sometimes. There's no other way to put my request that I finally meet someone who's actually Christian, who can love me for who I am. I've been trying to live in his will, but keep getting crushed / shot down. It's driving me crazy :/

Patience is a tool I need to sharpen, but it's hard. I've been trying to pray that I follow / find his will, but I'm so afraid that if I keep praying for that, I'll somehow completely miss His will when the opportunity arises.

 

[Pal Handy]

I try not to ask for specific things, but can't help it sometimes. There's no other way to put my request that I finally meet someone who's actually Christian, who can love me for who I am. I've been trying to live in his will, but keep getting crushed / shot down. It's driving me crazy :/

Patience is a tool I need to sharpen, but it's hard. I've been trying to pray that I follow / find his will, but I'm so afraid that if I keep praying for that, I'll somehow completely miss His will when the opportunity arises.

Some of my best prayers were prayed in a moment when it seems like
I was groaning out the prayer rather than the usual well thought out
prayer. The prayer for a wife seemed to come out of me in a moment of despair
and resignation to God. And then the prayer was forgotten....by me,
but not God....

I met my future wife about a year later after that cry for help and
it didn't dawn on me that God had brought it all about until I was engaged.

I then saw it so plainly...

Pour your heart out to the One who cares for you more than any other
and then walk away leaving it up to God and put away your angst and doubt
once and for all and let God bring it about....

 

[dfreeland311]

Some of my best prayers were prayed in a moment when it seems like
I was groaning out the prayer rather than the usual well thought out
prayer. The prayer for a wife seemed to come out of me in a moment of despair
and resignation to God. And then the prayer was forgotten....by me,
but not God....

I met my future wife about a year later after that cry for help and
it didn't dawn on me that God had brought it all about until I was engaged.

I then saw it so plainly...

Pour your heart out to the One who cares for you more than any other
and then walk away leaving it up to God and put away your angst and doubt
once and for all and let God bring it about....

And sometimes I feel bad, I've been constantly in prayer about it but I don't want to make Him think that I'm just throwing grievances up there, and that I've lost focus. I guess that's a quality He doesn't have though. He understands what I'm going through, even if I don't.

 

[whatfor]

As a child did you ask your earthly parents for things or just wait for them to provide what they knew you needed anyway?

 

[dfreeland311]

As a child did you ask your earthly parents for things or just wait for them to provide what they knew you needed anyway?

Very true. Even as babies we cry out when we're hungry or don't feel loved. Just because we're more vocal now doesn't mean we should stop letting Him hear us.

 

[Bella Vita]

Pray Big Bold and Specific we are suppose to cry out to God we are suppose to ask he wants us to it is written all over the Bible. Even if we never get it we still should take it to God because we are blessed just in doing so.

 

[Pal Handy]

Pray Big Bold and Specific we are suppose to cry out to God we are suppose to ask he wants us to it is written all over the Bible. Even if we never get it we still should take it to God because we are blessed just in doing so.

Good point...
You have not because you ask not...

 

[Strider1002]

Some of my best prayers were prayed in a moment when it seems like
I was groaning out the prayer rather than the usual well thought out
prayer. The prayer for a wife seemed to come out of me in a moment of despair
and resignation to God. And then the prayer was forgotten....by me,
but not God....

I met my future wife about a year later after that cry for help and
it didn't dawn on me that God had brought it all about until I was engaged.

I then saw it so plainly...

Pal, did it seem like you weren't quite ready when you asked God for a wife, and He waited until you were ready? Because I've asked for the same thing, but I know that in at least one area in my life, I'm not quite ready to support a wife and, eventually, a family. It makes sense that God would want me to take care of that before He gives me what I'm asking for.

 

[Pal Handy]

Pal, did it seem like you weren't quite ready when you asked God for a wife, and He waited until you were ready? Because I've asked for the same thing, but I know that in at least one area in my life, I'm not quite ready to support a wife and, eventually, a family. It makes sense that God would want me to take care of that before He gives me what I'm asking for.

I was a complete mess when I prayed...but I wasn't that much better a year later but
it took that time for God to bring us together.
I recall my need to change was stronger a year later.
God was on my mind and I knew I needed His help.

It was God's introduction of two messed up people to each other
that began the process for the redemption of both of us.
I wanted to help her and to do that I needed to change.

I couldn't change for myself but I could find the incentive I was lacking
in the desire to see someone else who was struggling, find a way out.

God knows what He is doing even when we can't see it or understand it.

My wife wasn't saved when we met and all I had
of my faith was my assurance of salvation even though
I was living a selfish and broken life.

Meeting my future wife and struggling with her problems and mine caused
me to turn back to the only source of help I knew, God.

Long story short, she receive Christ and we married and we are
still seeking the only one who can ever really help us.

Alot of cool stuff happened from then till now but that
is a different subject.

So if God could bring a person into my messed up life, I am sure
that you are far better material to work with than I was....

Trust that God can bless even imperfect people with good gifts...

ps As far as finances and support...
When I met my wife I was pizza delivery guy.
When we were married I had bought my first house and was making enough to support us both.

God knows all that you need and He knows how to make it all come together...

 

[Strider1002]

I'm in a messed up situation as well. I pray it works out the way yours did

 

[Pal Handy]

I'm in a messed up situation as well. I pray it works out the way yours did

God has a way of turning our lead into Gold...

 

[Alifethatspeaks]

From James 4:2 we know that prayer causes things to happen that would normally not happen. But I do believe that our prayers must align with God's will and intended to further His kingdom.