"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 hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him"
I John 5: 14-15
Sometimes we can ask God for things that are out of His will. I know that I have done this many times. I have wanted and desired for things that were not good for me. In many of these instances I did not get what I asked for. I'm so thankful. Prayers went unanswered and at the time of the asking I didn't know why, but the LORD showed it to me by and by. That's why it's so important when we pray and ask for anything, we must do it according to the Father's will. Sometimes that may not be easy to do, but it is a necessity.
As a child I did not always get everything from my parents that I asked them for. They were my parents and they knew what I needed and could handle much better than I did. Though I pouted and wanted to have things my way, my cries and tantrums didn't work. It's the same with our Heavenly Father. He always knows what's best for us. He is an omnipotent, sovereign God.
"Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways"
Psalm 139: 2-3
If God formed us then surely He knows everything there is to know about us. Sometimes though we think we know more than God and try to rationalize in our minds why we deserve something when we really have no idea why we want certain things. For many years I felt isolated and that God didn't want me to be as happy as my friends because they all had families and stable careers. I started to crave marriage because I wasn't getting any younger and felt I should be married by a certain age. Even though I did eventually marry later in life, there were many years prior to that when I can remember having feelings of envy against people I knew who had loving spouses and nice homes. The LORD knew that I wasn't ready for marriage and that it was only one of my many lusts of the flesh. I can see clearly now why my prayers for a mate were not immediately answered. God knows our future and He always knows what's best for us. That's why it's so important to pray, "Lord, let thine will be done in my life. You know best what I need. Help me not to walk in the lust of my own flesh, but according to what You will."
