Joyful Moments in Christ

We often approach God with a long list of requests, secretly wondering if he is reluctant to give us good things or if he prefers to answer us with a definitive denial. When our prayers do not get the answers we want in our own timing, it is incredibly easy to become discouraged and lose our focus. This prayer is grounded in the powerful truth of 2 Corinthians 1:20 and reminds us that the Father is not holding back his goodness from his children. In fact, every single one of his ancient promises has already been faithfully fulfilled and affirmed through the sacrifice of Christ! As we seek to follow Jesus through the ups and downs of life, we can find a true sense of joy and contentment by aligning our desires with his perfect will, knowing that his final answers are always designed for our ultimate good and his ultimate glory.

A Prayer

Dear Father,

You are an amazing Father who loves to say, “Yes.” You created a world with amazing creatures and features, showing your incredible creativity in the high mountain peaks, the vast ocean trenches, and unique creatures like the duck-billed platypus and the deep-sea narwhal. When you took on the task of creation, you didn’t limit yourself to just the stunningly beautiful, but also the functional and desperately needed, like the underground root systems that hold the soil together and the bees that pollinate our crops. I adore you because your wisdom is woven into every corner of the universe, and you have designed a pattern of life that sustains us day after day.

With all of the things that you have created, I am sorry that I take these things for granted and demand things that are not good for me. I confess that I frequently complain about my circumstances and ask for selfish gifts that would only pull me away from you. I seek my own immediate comfort, and I am truly sorry for the times I have questioned your goodness when you have told me no. You want to say yes, but at the same time, you are determined to stay true to your promises rather than giving in to my foolish requests.

I thank you for being a good Father, and I thank you for saying yes at exactly the right moments in my life. Thank you for the ultimate assurance we have in 2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV): “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” I am so grateful that because of Jesus, every promise of forgiveness, presence, and final redemption is fully secured for me, giving me a firm foundation that the world can never take away.

Help me to ask for only that which is good for me, good for the world, and stays true to your promises. Please give me a spirit of true joy as I rest in your perfect provisions, and help me to find my daily contentment in your will. Strengthen me to resist the temptation to wander, and teach me to follow Jesus with a whole heart. Help me to give all glory to you and say Amen to all of your decisions, trusting that your plans for me are filled with mercy.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Reflect

Consider the following reflection questions:

1. Which of God’s physical creations reminds you most clearly of his goodness and attention to detail?
2. When you look back at your past prayers, can you think of a time when God’s “no” was actually a hidden blessing?
3. How does knowing that all of God’s promises are already answered with a “Yes” in Christ change the way you pray today?
4. In what area of your life are you currently struggling to say a sincere “Amen” to God’s decisions?
5. How can you actively seek contentment in what God has already provided instead of constantly wishing for more?

Respond

Please pray a prayer about understanding the Father’s Yes.

If you aren’t sure where to begin, you can use the ACTS prayer method: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, and Supplication:

• Adoration: Praise God. Does this verse bring any specific characteristics of God to mind?
• Confession: Tell God that you are sorry for specific sins. Does this verse bring any specific sins to mind?
• Thankfulness: Show gratitude towards God. Does anything from this verse inspire gratitude?
• Supplication: Make requests for yourself and for others. Does anything from this verse inspire a prayer?

If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.

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English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.