In his New Testament letter, the Apostle James wrote: “You don’t get what you want because you don’t ask God” (James 4:2). However, James could have said, your prayers are answered because you have the faith to ask. James also wrote, “when you ask, you don’t receive anything, because the reason you ask is wrong. You only want to use it for your own pleasure” (James 4:3).
Selfish prayers do not go any higher than the ceiling. “God is against the proud, but he is kind to the humble,” James wrote in his letter. People who think they are strong do not like to ask anyone for anything. Compared to God, we are all weak. We need his help, his wisdom, his power and his grace. Only those with a humble spirit will ask God for whatever they need.
Hannah is a wonderful example of a person who was humble and not selfish at all in what she asked of God. She prayed that God would give her a son. God heard her prayer and the promise she made to dedicate her son to the Lord’s service. God gave her a son, and she named him Samuel.
When he became old enough to eat, his mother took him to live with the priest Eli, who served the Lord in God’s holy tent. To give up her little boy and have him live with someone else was a very hard thing for her to do—but she promised God she would. Hannah humbly asked, and she received. We should all follow Hannah’s example and pray humbly to God.
Think About This: God wants to answer your prayers.
Memorize This Truth: “You don’t get what you want because you don’t ask God” (James 4:2).