Praying: Requesting, Listening, and Accepting

2 Samuel 12:13-23

"Then David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' Nathan replied, 'The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.' After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, 'While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.' David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. 'Is the child dead?' he asked. 'Yes,' they replied, 'he is dead.' Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, 'Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!' He answered, 'While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.'"

There may be times when we may pray and request our Father for certain things to which He may answer differently than what we expect. In these situation, we often believe that either the Father did not answer or that we did not pray hard enough. However, we need to tune our ears to Him. This is one of the many reasons why we must learn to listen than to just talk. We must be better listeners. We must also examine our prayers and request very carefully. It is true that we are taught that we often do not receive because we have not asked. However, our Father is not a suggestion box, where we just simply ask whatever we want and walk away hoping it would be answered. Our request may be answered differently because our request may be focused on the wrong needs. Also, we must learn to accept our Father's answer regardless of how feel about it at that time. After all, if we truly believe that God knows our needs, and will provide the best for us, then how can we question it? By doing so, we are becoming selfish and faithless. This is no different from a parent saying no to certain requests from a child for their sake. The child may not understand at that time, but it is for their own benefit.

Let us therefore continue to ask, but examine what we are asking for. Let us learn to better listeners, and always ask with hope and faith that the answer from our Father is always the best for our sake.