Some time ago, I was told a story about someone who was facing challenges and was told to pray and petition God. "It's no use praying" was the response, coupled with a look of resignation and despair. Is prayer really useless? Is it right not to even ask and petition God?
James, the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, wrote that “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). James was addressing the need for a faithful man to ask God for wisdom. Truly, all of us need wisdom. To have knowledge is a good thing but equally important is the application of this knowledge and this is where wisdom comes into play. In the connected world which we live in today, it is easy for one to obtain knowledge as long as one has the desire to and wants to. Knowledge of the Bible is also easily obtained (especially when electronic versions are widely available today in our country), as long as one is willing to flip open the Bible and pore over the pages of God's inspired word. We can ask God for wisdom and God will give it liberally or bountifully to those who ask Him for it. We definitely need wisdom to handle all the trials and tribulations we face in our lives and so we need to ask that of God.
We thus see the need to go to God in prayer and ASK. Although God is omniscient and knows what we need, it is still necessary that we go to Him and ASK. Jesus went down on His knees in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying that He could be spared the cross. Although He had set His mind on what would happen at Jerusalem (Luke 9:53), He still asked God. Sometimes, we may make the mistake of believing in ourselves and leave God out by not asking. This was what I did before in times past. And it is really a conscious effort on my part to remind myself of the need to ask God and not take things for granted.
Besides God wanting us to go to Him in prayer to ask, we need to ask in faith. James wrote “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6). Believing in prayer is so important. It also reflects our faith and relationship with God. When we ask in prayer, we have to do it in faith and not be doubtful or waver. James painted a great picture for us of a doubtful man praying when he has no control and is tossed about by the wind. Such a man will not be able to stand firm, have little faith and shall not have his prayers answered even if he prays (James 1:7-8).
Thus, for a faithful child of God who prays in faith and asks God for wisdom, God will answer the prayer. Jesus said “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Mat 7:7). “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him” (Mat 7:11)?
Indeed, God is willing to give us wisdom in abundance and what we ask of Him, only if we ask in faith and in accordance to His will. In order to walk in a way that is pleasing to God, we need to have a close relationship with Him and have our faith strengthened, always going to Him in prayer full of belief. How wonderful it is for us to be able to speak with God anytime we want and pour out our soul to Him! Let us treasure this blessing in Christ Jesus we have.