We often pray to God, as we should, to care for us in our practical affairs, such as matters related to our financial needs, health, schooling, business, or family matters, etc. Surely it is good to cast all our care upon Him, for it matters to Him concerning us (1 Pet. 5:7), and our heavenly Father knows we need all these things (Matt. 6:32). And as we make our requests known before God, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our thoughts in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:5-6).

As we pray, however, we should be clear that all of God’s answers to our prayers will be “in Christ,” for as the verse above states, “whatever the promises of God are, in Him is the Yes.”

And that is one reason we often do not receive the answers to our prayers as we had hoped. For while we are focused on our needs, God is always focused on how to bring us into a deeper realization and experience of Himself in Christ. So, He will care for us, but He will never do so in a way that is apart from Christ; rather, He may give us what we have asked for, or He may not, but however He chooses to answer our prayers, it will always be with a view to helping us grow in our relationship with Himself.

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—  5 November 2025 —