"If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us ...we know that in whatever we ask, we have the requests which we have asked from him" (1John 5:14-15).
God doesn't immediately grant every and any request we make.
If he did, we could all ask God for a million dollars and immediately go and find it in our bank accounts.
Prayer and providence don't work like that. However we can sometimes be blown away by a "coincidence" that meets a genuine need.
John assures us that God grants anything we ask that is "according to his will".
Of course, if our requests are not according to God's will, then they won't be granted.
We know that it is God's will to provide us with our genuine needs.
Therefore we pray, for example, "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11).
What if we are not sure about God's will?
We can always make our request and say, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).
Of course we ourselves must always be willing to do God's will in all things.
Whatever God does then, it will be for the best, because God cares for us.
Prayer changes things
Attitudes in prayer
More about Amen
The Meaning of Amen
Life too hard to bear?
You've made God angry?
Six steps to God's grace
Sure of Salvation
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