Big Prayers
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. – Ephesians 3:20
Dr. Benjamin E. Mays once said, “It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is a sin."
How many of us are guilty of aiming too low, particularly when it comes to our expectation of what God can do in our lives? So often we are guilty of putting God in a box, praying small prayers, and maintaining low expectations with our hopes and dreams. But that’s not how God wants us to live at all! He wants us to pray big, bold prayers. He wants us to be courageous and expectant when we ask Him to work in our lives. And He wants us to believe that He will come through in ways that we never could have dreamt up on our own.
Is there a prayer or a dream you have that you’ve been too afraid or too skeptical to ask God about? If so, I hope that today will be the day you will bring that request before the Lord. Ask Him to rid you of any fear, doubt, or insecurity, and to instill within you a strong sense of hope, faith, and confident expectation in Him. Lay everything out on the table. Tell Him about the grandest desires of your heart. And believe that whatever happens, and however He decides to answer those big prayers, that He will do what’s best for you, and He will fulfill His promise to give you abundantly more than all you ask for or imagine.
Dr. Benjamin E. Mays once said, “It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is a sin."
How many of us are guilty of aiming too low, particularly when it comes to our expectation of what God can do in our lives? So often we are guilty of putting God in a box, praying small prayers, and maintaining low expectations with our hopes and dreams. But that’s not how God wants us to live at all! He wants us to pray big, bold prayers. He wants us to be courageous and expectant when we ask Him to work in our lives. And He wants us to believe that He will come through in ways that we never could have dreamt up on our own.
Is there a prayer or a dream you have that you’ve been too afraid or too skeptical to ask God about? If so, I hope that today will be the day you will bring that request before the Lord. Ask Him to rid you of any fear, doubt, or insecurity, and to instill within you a strong sense of hope, faith, and confident expectation in Him. Lay everything out on the table. Tell Him about the grandest desires of your heart. And believe that whatever happens, and however He decides to answer those big prayers, that He will do what’s best for you, and He will fulfill His promise to give you abundantly more than all you ask for or imagine.
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