Praying for things you want
Can you pray selfishly?
We all have things we want, but the key is recognizing that prayer isn’t our letter to Santa.
To want isn’t wrong.
To want, to desire…these are all things we get from God actually.
In The Lord’s Prayer, we say, “May your will be done.”
And that word “will” is actually deeply connected with the word for “desire” and “want.”
If we are saying that God’s will should be done, then we are praying for God’s desires and wants to come to fruition. (Though, we also acknowledge that God has the ability to ensure those wants and desires, especially when compared to us)
All this means that, if you think about it, we have wants and desires and wills…
…because God first had wants and desires and wills…
And to see our life and the world around us and be able to see how things could be better (from our perspective), is actually a beautiful gift.
And to see that “better” and want it…is a natural, God-given, imago dei gift.
When we ask God for things we want because we truly believe they will make us, others, or our world better, moving the Kingdom forward, then God smiles upon those prayers.
My prayer for today
Our Father, help me to realize that wanting something isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it could be your Spirit leading me to that “thing.” Either way, align my wants and desires with your wants and desires. Amen.
Remember
It’s okay to “pray selfishly” when your heart is set on building the Kingdom. Go ahead and ask God for something…even if you keep telling yourself that it isn’t worth asking. You never know.