Read Matthew 7:7-11 and Philippians 4:6-8

A pastor once said, “Prayer is exchanging our broken perspective for God’s divine perspective.”

How many times have we prayed to God for strength or wisdom and this or that but failed to ask for the patience to wait for the answer?

Often, we tend to use God as a Heavenly ATM machine, making our requests known expecting the answer that we were looking for. Do you trust God’s perspective of your life…His divine perspective? How often do you allow your prayer life to become clouded due to your own emotions and misguided motives?

God is our LOVING father. He won’t give up on you but you may have given up on Him because you haven’t gotten the answer to prayer you wanted?

Maybe you need to examine your motives.

Are you asking for peace in your decisions, contentment in what you have, safety from your own mistakes, strength to face the hardships of life?

Are you praying for your team to win or for everyone to do their best?

Are you praying for fame and fortune or peace with what you have?

Does it fit in the list we find in Philippians 4:6-8? Is it true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy?

Remember God has promised to answer your prayers but He is not a “Heavenly ATM Machine” where you put your request in, say the right words and immediately you get what you asked for. God has promised to answer prayers but, we need to remember He might not always answer, “Yes!”  He might say “WAIT, it is not the right time.” “Wait, you aren’t ready to handle that!” “WAIT, think about it, do you really want that?”   “WAIT, I have a better plan!” And the one that is hard for us to take, “NO, it isn’t good for you.”

God is always listening, so keep on asking, but don’t be afraid to also ask, “Why?”  and then be patient, in the midst of all that is going on around about you to peacefully WAIT for an answer! In all of this, know that He has your best interest in mind and, if we exchange our broken perspective for His divine perspective, we can be used best for His glory!

Pat Arnold