What Should We Really Be Praying For?

Written by Stuart McDonald on Elev8.com

Too often we find ourselves praying for the wrong things. We pray for stuff; physical, material things. Instead, we should pray for the ability, character, and integrity to be able to properly handle those physical blessings.

We pray, “Dear God, I need a new job. I need more money. I need a new car. I need a spouse. I need this. I need that. I need. I need. I need!”

Do you really? Would you know what you would do if God dropped those things in your lap tomorrow? Would you be prepared to handle the incredible wealth, the dream job, and the new spouse that you so naturally ask God for?

Before you answer think about this: Is there a reason God hasn’t given you those things just yet? Maybe He hasn’t given you what you ask for because you’re not ready. Maybe you’re asking for the wrong thing.

Instead of asking God for physical things we think we need, we should have the response of King Solomon. Solomon was faced with a situation most of us would only dream of. We find this story in 2 Chronicles 1:7, 10-12:

God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Solomon replied to God, “…Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead properly…”

God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people — I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!“

Solomon had the chance to get absolutely anything he could think of, given by God Himself. Yet, what did He ask for? It wasn’t the car, the house, the job or the spouse. No. He asked for wisdom and knowledge. Why? He understood that if he had wisdom and knowledge, he could get everything else he would ever want.

Asking God for wisdom and knowledge, in spite of all the other choices he had, took incredible wisdom in and of itself. It showed God that Solomon could be trusted with, not only the wisdom and knowledge, but wealth, riches, and fame that God bestowed upon him.

I would venture to say that most of us wouldn’t have the same response. We would have gone for the money, the spouse, the job… the physical things. Let’s not ask God for tangible, physical things. Instead ask Him, like Solomon did, to give you knowledge and wisdom and let everything else fall into place.

What do you think? Should we be praying for wisdom and knowledge or something else? Have you prayed for wisdom and knowledge and seen it’s fruit?