Asking God

I heard something this morning on my (icy) drive home this morning that triggered a thought.

Actually it was more like a light bulb of clarity went off.

All those verses in the Bible that talk about God giving you the desires of your heart, seek and ye shall find, etc.

(I should look them up for you, but I just had a long night at work and just can't find the energy to look them up...so go for it :-)

Anyhow, there was a discussion on what those verses really meant.

Because God isn't a genie in a bottle.

We don't just ask and POOF, there it is.

So what does He mean by giving us our desires?

At that moment it became so clear to me.

God can't break a promise.

And He first promised to take care of all our needs.  To give us what is best for us.  Anything less would be breaking that promise.

So when we pray for things we think we need or things that could be classified as wants, if those things wouldn't be good for us (even though we can think they would be good for us) then wouldn't that cancel out the first promise of taking care of us?

I'm most likely confusing you.

I'll try again.

Its my job (promise?) to take care of my children.  To keep them healthy, well-nourished, and cared for.

So if they beg and beg for candy (desires of their heart) and if I let them have all the candy they want, the end result would be bad things for them.

I can't give them those desires of their heart because it would counteract my duty as a mom to care for them.

Just because they asked doesn't mean I have to give it.

Candy in moderation is okay.  A treat now and then is good for them.

Isn't that how it is with God?

The extra things He provides just makes everything seem so much sweeter. When He gives us something we want, and not just because we need it, but just because He wants to give us something good.

Doesn't that taste sweet to us?

And just like candy...

If we had every desire handed to us, it wouldn't be as sweet.

I'm learning that sometimes God tells me no.  Not because He doesn't want good for me, and not because He isn't listening, but because He can't break His original promise He gave to me to take care of me.  Because the end result of what I'm asking for would be bad for me.

There's something about knowing that God will not give me anything that doesn't revolve around that promise.

It makes me thankful for some of my unanswered prayers.