COULD YOUR PRAYERS BE INSULTING TO GOD?
If you were a world-renowned chef, would you be insulted if someone only asked you to make grilled-cheese sandwiches? What if you were a classically trained musician and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” was the only song request you ever received? Eventually, you’d begin to believe that the people around you didn’t understand or trust in the vastness of your skill and ability. You would question if they even knew you all. Could this be how God perceives our small prayers—when we ask for band-aids to our situations instead of transforming miracles?
Instead, we express courageous faith and trust in who God is by praying for big miracles from God. Courageous faith asks God for big things, not simply seeking miracles, but because we understand who God is. Courageous faith believes in God’s greatness and his goodness. God may not give us everything we ask for, but we miss the opportunity to express bold faith in him when we refuse to ask.
The Bible provides some inspiring examples of people who had courageous faith and asked God for big things. Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still and God did it (Joshua 10:1-15). Elijah prayed to God and asked him to rain fire down from heaven and God did it (1 Kings 18). In the New Testament, James makes sure to remind us that Elijah wasn’t a super-human with special powers of prayer, but “a human being, even as we are (James 5:17).” In our modern history, we’ve seen God show up big for people who asked God for big things. Consider the fact that Christians who walked with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to protest segregation saw a black man become the president of our nation within their lifetime.
Begin asking yourself these questions to discover where you can show courageous faith by asking for big things from God:
Who do I need to ask big for?
Is there someone in your life for whom you have trouble believing God could ever transform him or her? Ask for God’s transforming power to work in this person’s life. Do you hesitate to invite someone to church because you don’t think he or she would ever be interested? People who knew the Apostle Paul before his Damascus road conversion probably thought the same thing about him. God has always been in the business of changing hearts—even ones that seemed far from him. Begin to ask big for that person today.
When do I need to ask big?
Is there a certain circumstance that you have trouble facing with courageous faith? Maybe it’s a situation you’re experiencing now, due to a recent job loss or financial difficulty. Are you overcome by fear of future instead of expectation for what God may have for you? Asking God to remove your worry is a small request. Instead, ask God to show up in a big way in the future so that you won’t be able to deny God’s provision.
Where do I need to ask big?
Are you discouraged by your situation at work? What if God wants to transform your workplace and he wants to do it through you? Do you believe that a situation at home is hopeless? Is there a need in your community that you’re passionate about God transforming? Ask God to show up big through you wherever you go today, especially in those places you lack hope or faith that he can transform it.