How often have your prayed for something and did not get what you asked for? I’ve heard people say, “God didn’t answer my prayer!” What they mean is that God did not answer it the way they wanted Him to answer it.

How often have you asked God for something and He gave you even more than what your requested?

Paul prayed “three times” for God to take away the thorn in his flesh. But it stayed. And God did something even better. Paul received God’s grace and power, which enabled him to be a mighty messenger and apostle, spreading the message of Jesus as Lord and Savior throughout the world.

I heard a story years ago of a man whose brother was dying of cancer. The entire family prayed for his recovery, but death came all too soon. When speaking of it, the man refused to believe that God had not heard their prayers. He simply said that his brother “took a better offer.”

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

This confidence belongs to those who know that Jesus lived and died and rose again to give us victory over death, new life here and now, and eternity with Him in heaven. We need to remember that when we pray, boldly approaching God with our petitions and listening for His loving response.

Ephesians 3:20–21 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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.