Mark 11:22-24

“Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea’, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and you will.” Mark 11:22-24

When you ask ‘in prayer’ you are asking properly – you are recognizing God as authority, God as loving, God as powerful. You are led to seek God’s will – and God’s way, because to ask ‘in prayer’ is to ask in the wisdom of the Spirit, and the hope of God’s promises.

It is one thing to demand a desire as a spoiled, petulant child, and another thing to request the granting of a desire in an attitude of a simple request to a loving Father, willing to accept His decision graciously, realizing that His experience gives Him better long-term judgment of what is best.

Mom’s prayer: Father, what I truly desire is the development of perception to know your will for me, and thus to know more accurately what desires I should develop.  Enable me to come into closer fellowship with you, that I may be more perceptive, wise and efficient as I serve you as a mature daughter thus being all I need to be for my family and also for my own fulfillment as I become comfortable in the performance of my tasks, and rejoice in the rewards of doing them well.

More than 30 years, later, I echo my mom’s prayer.