Jesus repeatedly encouraged us to pray for the things that we need, with the promise, “everyone that asketh, receiveth” (Matthew 7:8, 3 Nephi 14:8, 3 Nephi 18:20, 3 Nephi 27:29, Moroni 7:26).
Amulek, following the lead of the prophet Zenos, encouraged us to pray about all aspects of our lives. (See Alma 34:17-27, Alma 33:4-11.)
Paul pointed out that our prayers are limited by our lack of understanding. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought,” he wrote. But he added encouragingly that the Spirit of the Lord can fill in the gaps, making “intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
James adds another caution: We must be mindful of our motives when we pray:
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James 4:3
The primary purpose of prayer is to align our will with the will of God, not merely to obtain needed blessings. When we approach prayer with that attitude, we might consider praying to know what we should pray for.
Bishop Keith B. McMullin gave the following counsel:
For prayers to be efficacious, they must be in harmony with the plan of heaven. The prayer of faith bears fruit when such harmony exists, and this harmony exists when prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit manifests what our petitions should be. Absent this inspired guidance, we are inclined to “ask amiss,” to seek only our will and not “Thy will.” It is as important to be guided by the Holy Spirit while praying as it is to be enlightened by that same Spirit while receiving an answer to prayer.
“Our Path of Duty,” General Conference, April 2010
We at least ought to be cognizant of our own limitations as we approach God with our petitions. Nephi expressed confidence in God, even as he was circumspect about his own motives: “I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss” (2 Nephi 4:35).
Today, I will watch my motives as I pray. I will seek to align my prayers with the will of God, knowing that He will answer my prayers if I “ask not amiss.”
Leave a Reply