Sometimes, there is a subtle selfishness in our prayers.
When we don’t receive an answer right away, or when we don’t feel God’s presence, our thoughts turn inward.
What’s wrong with me?
Why do You ignore me?
Why am I not hearing, not seeing, not rising like others seem to?
But we forget something.
There is something greater, something foundational, that we often overlook.
We are called to love Him before He gives.
To love Him in the absence of His giving.
To love Him even when we do not feel Him or hear His voice.
We are called to love Him unconditionally.
To worship without needing proof.
To trust His presence even when it feels hidden.
To know that He is there, whether or not our senses confirm it.
This understanding must come before our requests.
Before our prayers for miracles.
Before our demands for answers.
Consider the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us:
Praise comes first.
Then submission to God’s will.
Only then do requests follow, and the prayer closes in thanksgiving.
There is a reason for this order.
Power and authority are activated through God’s love, but only within relationship and fellowship is that love given room to manifest.
When we seek His face, we must be as selfless as possible.
Clear your mind of demands, even briefly.
Remember that He already knows your heart.
Love Him first.
Love Him without conditions.
Love Him without attaching requirements to what He is willing to do for you.
Often, this isn’t intentional when we do this, don’t feel like I’m calling you out for conscious rebellion. I catch myself doing this, too. We simply long to feel something, to hear Him, to know beyond doubt that He is there.
But if you knew without question, you would not need faith.
Our love for God cannot be banked on proof.
And neither can our prayers nor our fellowship with Him.
So stop demanding. Set that aside.
Speak with Him freely, even if you don’t hear a response.
Remain present, even in the silence. It is not about you yet.
First, make it about Him, without strings attached.
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