One of our greatest privileges as believers is prayer — and God wants us to bring all our requests and concerns to Him, no matter what they are. He loves us, and anything that concerns us is a concern to Him. The Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).

That’s why you shouldn’t be overly concerned if your prayers are in line with God’s will — because if they aren’t, He won’t grant them. Think of it this way: When your children were young, they brought all kinds of requests to you — some good, some not. Did you rebuke them for this? No, of course not. You loved them, and you wanted them to feel free to come to you — and you had the wisdom to know when to say no and when to say yes.

The same is true with God. God delights in our prayers, and He wants us to bring our concerns and requests to Him. But He loves us and knows what is best for us — and He can be trusted to give us only what is right. The Bible says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Don’t misunderstand me; we aren’t to pray foolishly or selfishly, or for anything God has forbidden in His Word. But the closer we get to Christ, the more sensitive we’ll become to His will.