As the tears welled up in my eyes and my heart struggled to beat in a calm rhythm, I reread my prayer concern that I had just written down in my Tracking God journal.
And…
I felt hopeless.
And…
fearful.
Silently, I prayed, “Lord, just this ONE time will you do this for me? — My way? And… like, NOW?
Please.
Please.
PLEASE.
Begging God is never a pretty look, but it’s just what comes pouring out of me when I feel so desperate for an answer.
Desperate for change.
Desperate for hope.
I know, I know, I KNOW I’m not supposed to want anything other than His will in the situation, but—I really do think I have THE answer, and God can do me a solid by granting my prayer wish!
Just. This. Once.
::
Have you been there?
💗 Think back to a moment where you found yourself pleading with God to answer your prayer.
You’re asking with the very best of intentions, trying so hard to surrender it, but the emotional relief just isn’t coming.
➡️ It can be SO hard to trust that God has the answer AND is working it out in His way and His timing when you’re struggling through the messy middle.
It was about this same time that I was studying the book of James for a message I was preparing for a ladies’ Bible study.
At one point I Googled, “What is the main message of James 4?”
Here’s what came up:
Humble yourself by quitting your life’s work of getting what you want, and trust God to exalt you far above anything you could have done for yourself. (James 4:7–10)
The commentary went on to say that James 4 is all about humility and faith. You know… the two things I ALWAYS seem to need a refresher course on, almost daily!
(Perhaps you do, too?)
James 4 says convicting things such as:
… the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. (4:2b-3 TLB)
And,
… your passions are at war within you? … You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (4:1 & 3 ESV)
Or from The Message:
… you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. (4:1 MSG)
Ouch.
All these verses capture the internal struggle of wanting to trust God while pleading for God to trust ME.
Well, the good news is James 4 goes on to give the solution of how to turn this around so our prayer attitude aligns with the heart of God.
“So give yourselves to God… Come close to God and He will come close to you. “ (James 4:7-8 NLV)
In other words (to remind us all):
Humble yourself by quitting your life’s work of getting what you want, and trust God to exalt you far above anything you could have done for yourself. (James 4:7–10)
::
So, back to that moment when I was begging God
Please.
Please.
PLEASE.
To do things MY WAY … just this once.
As I re- read my prayer request on my Tracking God page, I could feel overwhelming emotions bubbling up within me. I knew I needed to pause and redirect my thoughts so that anxiety wouldn’t hijack my day.
So,
Taking out my favorite purple gel pen, I framed the request by adding this sentence:
Lord, please do THIS, or do something better.
And there it was:my acknowledgment of feeling helpless to change the situation, AND releasing it to God (without any more begging!).
This powerful concept — “Lord, please do THIS, or do something better” — comes from Priscilla Shirer’s book, God is Able, on how to pray Ephesians 3:20-21. You know the phrase “to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, BEYOND what we ask…”
Well, Lord, please do this… or do something better is the BEYOND.
BEYOND anything we can ask.
BEYOND anything we can think.
BEYOND anything we can imagine.
It’s the perfect blend of humility and faith … with a “surrender cherry” on top!
All throughout my Tracking God journal you’ll find this powerful phrase — “Lord, please do THIS, or do something better” — written up, down, and all around the things I’m praying about.
➡️ When I write “Lord, please do this, or do something better” it feels like it’s okay to pray for a certain outcome AND at the same time it affirms my trust in God.
It’s faith and humility.
It’s James 4 in action.
💗 Friend, I invite you to try praying this powerful phrase this upcoming week.
- When you’re praying for that tough situation that you just want to BEG God to answer…
Lord, please do this, or do something better.
- When anxiety is threatening to hijack your thoughts…
Lord, please do this, or do something better.
- After you pour your heart out to God…
Lord, please do this, or do something better.
May God bless you BEYOND all that you ask or think.
Exceedingly.
Abundantly.
BEYOND.
