If you are a parent, you know how kids can ask for just about anything and everything. They have no regard or understanding as to whether it is good for them or if it is within the family budget. They just ask, sometimes out of selfish motives, for things they want … I mean “need.” Kids need to have ice cream right before bed. Kids need the most expensive toy in the store catalog. Kids need the vacation to a theme park and a cruise as well. Imagine if a parent said yes to every request of their child.
On the other hand, as a father myself, I love to hear the heart of my child. I love it when they ask for something I can give them, if it is within budget, will not spoil them and they will be excited about receiving. I also love to surprise my kids with small items that I bring home that they didn’t even ask for, if they were good of course. I prefer when they ask and do not demand something, as well as when they accept that no is no when the time is not right.
This correlation with our heavenly Father to an earthly father is not a precise one-to-one comparison. God has unlimited resources and fully knows our hearts. He can see the past and future as easily as the present. He delights in giving good gifts to His children. God will also not give things He knows will be wrong for us, even if it feels right to us.
Jesus told the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8 to reinforce that we should pray and not stop praying.
How awesome that we have a God who hears our prayers and who knows what is best for us even when we may not on this side of eternity. We can trust God with our life and our decisions if we focus on Him and His purposes. God also loves it when we share our hearts and desires with Him. He wants to hear that our desires and will align with His.
In this week’s episode of Everyday Discernment on the Charisma Podcast Network, John Eldredge explains the importance of waiting to hear from God. Sometimes the best decision from a human perspective is not the decision God wants you to pursue. How do you hear from God in the big decisions? You need to start with the small so that you can recognize His voice. Talk to God throughout the day and ask for wisdom in even the smallest details. Take the drama out of decision making. The urgency that comes from needing to make a decision immediately often leads us into making a poor choice. Get quiet before God. Put technology in its proper place. Eldredge says that “the human soul was not meant to move at the speed of technology.” {eoa}
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