Childlike Prayers

When I was five, I wanted more than anything else to be a doctor. I liked our family doctor, Dr. Mortenson, and wanted to be just like him. I even asked him if I could come into the office after kindergarten class each day and have him teach me how to be a doctor. You know what? He did not go for it (really!). At the time I had no idea why. I was sure he just did not understand how much I wanted it, and how hard I was willing to work to learn doctor stuff. I was upset for a very, very, long time; about a full week. Then I decided I wanted to be an astronaut.

There are times when we pray for something that we are convinced is right for us or someone we love. We pray fervently and frequently; and yet, God does not answer our prayer. We think that it makes no sense why He is not responding to our request. We should, at those times, think about the story above. Sometimes our prayers are asking for things that we are not ready for, and could not yet handle (even though we think otherwise). Our childish (not childlike, which is a good thing, but childish!) minds cannot understand God's choices.

At other times our prayers are something like a five year old asking his dad for a grenade launcher for Christmas. We think what we are asking for will be enjoyable, but God knows that we will only hurt ourselves and others if He were to answer the prayer the way that we are asking. When He says "no" it is not because He does not love us, but because He does!

We need to consider our prayers and what we ask for as a little child requesting from His parent (because that is what is actually happening, after all). This helps us to find that "childlike" heart that prays with full humility; acknowledging that God knows what is best even when we can only see one way to do things. Our minds are much more limited than we like to imagine. We see one piece of a bazillion piece puzzle; God sees all of the pieces at the same time. Let us learn to trust Him when we ask for something in prayer.