Why Do You Want What You Want?

• Can you share a time when you asked God for something, but he did not give it to you?

• What are some reasons why God might not give you what you ask for?

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:3

Sometimes God does not give us what we ask for. According to this verse from James, this may happen because we are not asking for the right reasons. Have you ever stopped to think about why you want what you want? God is interested in the “whys” behind our requests.

When our motives are purely selfish, meaning that we only want something for our own pleasure, God may not give us what we want. He wants us to be concerned with things bigger than our own desires, such as how what we are asking for might affect other people, whether it is something that will help us love God more, or if it might come between God and ourselves.

The next time you ask God for something think about why you want it. And if necessary, ask God to change your motives so that they honor him.

PRAYER
Dear God, please forgive us for our selfish motives. Please help us care about what matters to you. Amen.