A Prayer for God to Give Us What We Need
By: Maggie Meadows Cooper
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”- Isaiah 55:8-9
Not long ago, I was talking with a fellow baseball mom at a game. When my son made a good hit, I joked that I prayed for that one. And the truth is that I did… but not how one might think. As he walked to the plate, I prayed for favor and for the Lord to help my baby use the abilities he’s been given to help his team. I prayed for him to look to the Lord for his strength in that moment. But I also prayed for the Lord to give him what he needs. And there is nothing easy about that prayer, y’all.
Because what he needs at that moment may be to strike out. It may be losing. And it may mean that I must watch my baby feel hurt and work through hard things, which is never fun.
As mamas, any time we see our children hurt, we hurt. And many times, we want to save them and take that hurt away. But in His great mercy, the Lord has shown me that every “what they need” prayer is an opportunity for my children to grow one step closer to becoming who the Lord created them to be. And for that growth, for that stretching, to happen… it means going through uncomfortable, hard things at times.
Things that are necessary for them to grow closer to the heart of the One who loves them most. Things that must happen for them to learn to truly trust Him, despite bad circumstances. Things that provide an opportunity for the Lord to prove He is faithful and good, even during sadness or heartache.
This prayer is one of the most important ones we can pray for ourselves, our children, and those we love. Because in saying, “Lord, give them what they need in this moment,” we are releasing our control. We are laying down our agendas. We are choosing to trust that the Lord knows better than we do. We are acknowledging that we will not only trust Him with the easy things, but the hard things too.
So often, what we need is not even close to what we want. And somehow, our “wants” outweigh our “needs” over and over again. In the way we choose our meals. In the way we spend our money. In the relationships we devote time to. Even in prayer. But those “wants” are not what Jesus speaks of.
In Matthew 6, Jesus reminds us not once, but twice, that He knows our needs. And all we must do is come to Him with simple prayers and hearts that seek Him above all else:
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Matthew 6:7-8
My sweet friends, the Lord’s ways are higher than ours. His thoughts are higher than ours too. And He can be trusted. Pray for the Lord to give you, your babies, and those you love what they need to see and hear and feel the Lord’s presence so clearly in their lives, that they can’t help but be men and women after His own heart. In the end, that is the greatest desire of all.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for knowing what we need, even before we do. Help us to release control of our agendas, our wants, and the “needs” we think we need, to You. I pray that You would give me, my children, my family, and friends what we need, whatever that may be, to see You and feel Your presence more clearly in our lives. Help us to be men and women after Your own heart.
In Your Mighty Name,
Amen
Maggie Meadows Cooper is a wife, mom, educator, author, and blogger with a longing for women to grow a heart for Jesus and others. She is the author of the children’s book “Bumper” and blogs at The Little Moments about what the Lord is teaching her through her children and everyday life. She contributes to Blogs by Christian Women, Devotional Diva, She Disciples, and Connecting Ministries. An educator with an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University (War Eagle!), she has twenty years of experience working with young children. She loves all things chocolate, real Coca-Cola, and lives with her husband, three children, and two rambunctious dogs in Opelika, Alabama.
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Originally published Wednesday, 22 December 2021.
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