One Year Bible - January 12

Scriptures to read:

Luke 11:1-28; Genesis 19; Psalm 12

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I have a prayer that I’ve been praying for going on three years now. That may not seem like very long to you, but for me that’s been a very very long time. In fact, it’s probably the longest I’ve ever prayed for the same thing without it being directly answered.
Even though I’ve believed in and followed Jesus for a majority of my life, I still find prayer to be one of the most difficult and confusing disciplines of my spiritual journey. I know it’s crucially important and accomplishes amazing things, but that doesn’t make it any easier, especially in situations where God doesn’t answer in the way or timing I expect Him to.
What I’ve discovered over these years of praying the same prayer is that Jesus’ words in Luke 11 are not a formula. God wants us to keep approaching Him to ask for the things we need and want, but that’s not a guarantee things will work out the way we want them to. The promise in this passage is that God will always answer our prayers - by giving more of Himself (see verses 9-13). Even if we don’t get all the answers in the timeframe we were hoping for, God wants us to keep after Him. As our heavenly and perfect Father, He desires to give us good things, and the very best thing for us is more of Him.
If you’re like me, praying a prayer that continues to go seemingly unanswered, maybe together we can be reminded that Our Father does hear us and loves to give good things to His children. So let’s keep asking, seeking, and knocking, and in the process - no matter what the outcome - find more of Him.

To memorize: “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” - Luke 11:9

To pray: God we acknowledge that you are God and we are not. You are our Father and want good things for us. Help us to keep asking and seeking and knocking. Give us more of your Spirit. May Your will be done. Amen.