When we’re praying for things that aren’t specifically promised in the Bible, we should say, ‘If it’s Your will.’ The Bible says, ‘When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.’ Sometimes we can find it difficult to accept this truth because we’re sure we know what’s best and our requests are justified. But we can’t see the bigger picture, so we might be praying for things that actually wouldn’t turn out to be good for us or for God’s kingdom. The Message says: ‘We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist’ (1 Corinthians 13:12 MSG). Only God understands the complete picture. So we need to pray with hearts that are full of God and with our will fully in line with His. John said: ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears – whatever we ask – we know…we have what we asked of him’ (1 John 5:14-15 NIV). When we’re not sure if the thing we’re praying for is aligned with God’s will, we should pray, ‘If it’s Your will,’ and then accept that God might not give us exactly what we want. This doesn’t mean our faith is weak. Instead, it shows that we love and trust God enough to say, ‘Lord, I want this thing, but only if it’s Your will, fits in with Your plan, is Your best for me, and it’s in Your timing.’ So let’s pray in faith, and trust God for the right results.

What Now?

Divide a piece of paper into two columns. In one column, write a list of things you’re praying for. In the other, write ‘If it’s Your will’ next to each prayer point. Use your list when you pray to remind yourself to accept God’s will.