prayer," declares Matthew 21:22. Many Christians are aware
of a type of prosperity Christianity that tells us if we
have enough faith, we can receive from God whatever we
desire. Such terms as "name it and claim it" depict that
all we have to do it express our desires to God and He is
just standing by to fulfill our every wimp and want.
God does want us to trust and put our faith in Him for
everything we need; however, it's just as important that
when we ask, we give God the room to answer our prayers in
the best way he sees fit. Often, in our limited
understanding, we may ask for things according to our flesh
and not the will of God for our lives. The Bibles says that
we may not receive from God because we are asking amiss or
out of our own lust. When God said he will give us the
desires of our heart, he is also saying that he will plant
the desires as well. The more in alignment we are with
God's spirit, the less we will ask for things contrary to
God's will for us. Have you ever asked God for something
and once you got it, you wished you hadn't- that job that
you hated or that boyfriend or girlfriend that broke your
heart? Waiting on God is more for our good and protection
and never God's way of punishing or torturing us.
When it comes to asking God to fulfill our desires it is
also important that we surrender these affections to the
Lord. Our motto should be, "if it's not good enough for
God, then it's not good enough for us." But in addition to
giving God freewill to bless us in his own way and timing,
it is equally as important that we leave the results to
Him.
Leaving the results to God means detaching from the outcome
of what we are requesting. That means once we ask, we let
go and let God. We don't try to make it happen. We don't
look for it under every nook and cranny. We don't help God
out or continue to pray and pray for its manifestation.
Instead, we detach from the outcome knowing that God is in
complete control and that we can trust him to do what is
best both now and in the future. It means waiting on God
with faith and expectancy knowing that God is working out
all things for your highest good.
But many Christians have a hard time letting go and
detaching from their desired outcome. Maybe you've had your
mind on something for a longtime and the thought of waiting
for it any longer is more than you can bear. I believe that
most of the worry, anxiety, and frustrations we experience,
come from our inability to live without immediate
expectation. When we expect something and it doesn't happen
it leaves us feeling empty, fearful, and depressed. But if
we look at it a little closer, what we have actually done
is created an idol out of the affection. We believe that
the desire will bring a source of fulfillment or happiness
to our lives. We believe this item, situation, or person,
will make us or our life more complete.
The problem with this type of thinking is that we've lost
our first love which is Christ. We've allowed deception or
seduction to enter our minds as well as our hearts and led
us away from the love of our Lord. We begin to believe that
something other than God can plug up the gaps or holes in
our life. Our attention has been pulled away from Christ
and within, to seeking solace, contentment, and peace from
the external or without.
When we can ask for something and leave the results to God
while we wait in expectancy on the Lord, we are following
Jesus's command, to "seek ye first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto
you." When the Lord is the object of our affection, nothing
outside of us can take the Lord's place and if God grants
us with such things, it is more like the icing on the cake,
an added blessing that God bestows upon us because he loves
us so.
When we make our request made known to God, and then detach
ourselves from the outcome, we can live in peace, joy, and
contentment while waiting on God to work all things out for
our highest good. When our thoughts begin to lead us
astray, we must continue to bring them under the authority
and word of God. We must continue to confess that we are
complete in Christ and that we have everything we need.
Christ-centered meditation or meditating on the scriptures
helps us to hide God's word in our heart and to continually
practice his presence. The Bible says that in God's
presence is fullness of joy. Isn't it wonderful that we
don't have to search for joy in people, places, or things?
We can find joy in the fullness of God and that fullness
resides within us, within our own hearts.
Whatever you are asking or believing God for today, believe
that you have received it and it will manifest as God's
best and you don't have to think about it a second longer.
----------------------------------------------------
Jesus said I will keep thee in perfect peace whose mind is
stayed on me. Learn how to eliminate worry, negative
thinking, and stress by meditating on the Lord. Visit
http://www.thechristianmeditator.com to listen to
Christ-Centered Meditation Cds that teach you how to
control your thoughts and bring them under the kingdom of
God.
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