Is it good to beg God?

During the Christmas season, parents share a common struggle with the reality of begging children. Our children set their hearts on a particular gift they MUST have for Christmas, and go about the task of convincing their parents that they just don’t love their children enough if that gift doesn’t make its’ way under the Christmas Tree. EVERY parent understands this painful responsibility between wanting our children to be happy and knowing what really would make our children happy. EVERY parents understands that our children don’t fully understand the different between needs and wants. EVERY parents understands the pain of denying children something that, as parents, they know the children don’t need, or worse is dangerous for them to have.

Any now place yourself in the position of the child begging for something YOU have set your heart on this year. Have you asked God for something that, as of yet, He hasn’t given you? Do you continue to insist that God give you a particular blessing by begging Him in your daily prayers? Do you sometimes feel that God must not love you JUST because He hasn’t given you exactly what you want? Do you sometimes think YOU know better than God? Aren’t you really just behaving like a spoiled child during Christmas?

I must admit, I struggle with just how much is enough when it comes to praying “for” something we believe we need. It may be a new job, better health, nicer/kinder neighbors. During our daily prayers, we often find ourselves listing a number of “demands” from God. And then.....huff when He has decided that answer to our prayer is “no” or maybe “not yet” which makes us even more frustrated. Do we believe that if we just ask God enough, He will eventually “give in” to our demands? Worse is being taught that “just believe, and prayer with faith, and God will provide.”

Isn’t that what we learned as children? If either as parents who give in to children, or mentors who teach others to “name it and claim it” in our prayers, haven’t we just taught our children to beg God until He give in? And when He, in His wisdom and love for us, responds with “no” do we get angry or trust that He knows better what we need?

Next time you find yourself begging God after praying numerous times, ask yourself this: “Don’t I trust that God knows better?” And then finish your prayer with, “If it is God’s will.” If those final words are included with EVERY request, God will ALLWAYS “give us” what we seek because we seek His will.