Pray then like this…

Prayer is simply an honest, ongoing conversation with God.

Jesus tells us that God knows what we need (Matthew 6:8), but He still wants us to come and tell Him what’s on our minds. He is a good Father who cares for us (Matthew 7:11). He wants to speak into our circumstances, comfort our hearts, and shape our perspectives.

He loves giving good gifts to His children—gifts they want, long for, and ask for. But sometimes, what we want isn’t actually good for us.

When Jesus says in Matthew 7:8, “ask, and it will be given to you,” He isn’t saying that we will get everything we ask for.

God cannot—and will not—give us anything that contradicts His character. God will only give us what is good, and sometimes a “no” from God is the response we actually need. But He still wants us to bring Him all our desires, and if we ask for anything that aligns with His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14)

So how do we discover God’s will?

We spend time with Him.

The more we get to know God, the more we will understand His character. And it’s only when we understand His character that we will ask for things that align with His will.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 are a promise that when we ask for God, He gives us Himself. When we humbly seek God, He finds us. And when we come to Him as we are, He welcomes us with open arms.

When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. And when He draws near, He transforms the way we think, renews our minds, restores our souls, and leads us down paths that are for our good and His glory.