A New Beginning: Starting Fresh 預覽

New Focus

You have a problem, where do you go? In today’s world, Google takes top priority. But there are things Google CAN’T do: Google CAN’T get you a job. Google CAN’T restore your marriage. Google CAN’T help you in a financial pinch. Google CAN’T help us in the most desperate moments of our lives. 

What if going to God in prayer became second nature for all the things that Google can’t help us with -- and honestly maybe a few things we still go to Google for? God desires to be the one who meets our needs. For that to happen, we need to pray!

In the parable of the Persistent Widow, we see God’s desire to be the one who meets our needs -- powerfully! And as we embark on a new beginning, we have the opportunity to see God work in our lives like never before. But if we are going to see that reality, we will have to engage in prayer.

In Philippians 4:6, God tells us to not be anxious about anything; just bring everything to Him. Reflect on that for a moment. God says don’t be anxious about ANYTHING. We are invited by our Savior to pray about everything. Literally, there’s no prayer too small, and there’s no prayer too big that God can’t handle. 

Prayer shouldn’t be seen as a burden or obligation but an opportunity to see God work in your life. The invitation is there; God wants to answer your prayers. 

Understanding God’s goodness is connected to our willingness to ask Him for what we need. Could it be that we often DON’T ask our Heavenly Father for what we need because we have a diminished view of His goodness? If we really believed how good God is and we really understood His great love for us, then it would motivate us to go to Him for whatever we need. Why? Because, as Jesus said, He would, “give good gifts to those who ask Him.”

But what about when it seems like God isn’t answering your prayer? God may not answer your prayer at first, or even after a few requests. But if you have the same persistent spirit that the widow in our Scripture passage had, you will see God answers even the biggest requests! It’s all about NOT giving up when you pray. Powerful prayer isn’t in the 30-second-said-once prayers. It’s in the every-morning-and-every-evening continually putting your requests before the Father. It is over and over again telling God that you need something to the point where you feel like you’re getting annoying, but you’re not going to let go. You’re not going to give up. You keep praying and praying until you get an answer. 

If you’re a child of God, you have the authority and the position of royalty. How do you view yourself? Are you a dearly loved child of the King or someone who the King doesn’t really think about much? If you view yourself as the latter, you probably won’t ask for much. It’s important to have a right understanding of our position with God. We can come to God boldly because we are His children! 

Here’s the key to making prayer work: understand that God is good and gracious; He wants to answer your prayers! Be persistent in your prayers. Don’t give up after the first few times asking. Keep asking. Keep going to your heavenly Father. Then understand you’re coming from a place of authority. You have the position of royalty! You’re a child of God if you know Jesus, so use that to fuel your prayer life and watch God work in incredible ways.

Reflection Questions:  

1. God wants us to be persistent in our prayers. Has there been a prayer you gave up on because it wasn’t answered in your timing?  
2. How has your prayer life been recently? What are some things you can do to improve?  
3. Some people see God as unjust. How do you view God’s goodness and why?
4.