Recently, I woke up with a heaviness in my heart, particularly inspired by James 4:2, which states, “You have not because you ask not.” The phrase stuck with me, and as I read through the surrounding verses, I felt God revealing something deeper.
In the verses leading up to this, James highlights how people often let their desires for worldly things, such as envy and jealousy, take control. They begin to covet what others have, leading them to imitate others’ behaviors instead of seeking God’s will. I was reminded of a devotional I partook in a few weeks ago on the YouVersion app entitled, “Content With Discontent:Killing Comparsion With Gratitude.” It focused on how comparing ourselves to others can be harmful. Although the devotional did not pinpoint the same scripture from James, it did highlight similar references in Psalms 73 which resonated deeply with me.
The Pitfalls of Comparison
The devotional also shared a personal example from the writer’s life. She had just gotten back into exercising and felt confident, not out of pride, but because she had finally made time to do something good for herself. Then, as she walked, a woman came by running, and her confidence deflated. She felt a sense of comparison that brought her down, which led her to feel discouraged.
That devotion really opened my eyes to how we can easily be swayed by comparison, which ultimately distracts us from focusing on our own progress and God’s purpose for us. This theme of asking, yet sometimes asking out of selfish desires, is exactly what James addresses. The scripture makes it clear that when we ask for things out of selfishness, we cannot expect to receive them. Our hearts and motives must align with God’s will.
The Importance of Heart Posture
I began to reflect on this: What is the posture of my heart when I ask for things from God? In the past, I’ve asked for certain things, but I didn’t always have the right intentions. I realized I was trying to harvest someone else’s crop, not putting in the work I needed for my own. I was looking at what others were doing and thinking I could just follow the same path, but that wasn’t how God wanted me to operate.
Oddly enough, I am reminded of my first vision board. It was a sweet, pure moment where I came before the Lord with honesty. I asked for a job, a better relationship with Him, and a car—something I had been unsure of for years. When 2017 arrived, I watched as everything on that board came to pass. God answered my prayers in ways I couldn’t have imagined. What was most important in that season was that I didn’t try to mimic anyone else’s vision for their life. I invited God into mine, and He led me step by step.
A Season of Doubt and Disconnect
However, as life moved forward, I experienced a disconnect with God. From 2018 onward, I went through periods of doubt, uncertainty, and confusion about my calling. I wasn’t seeing the same progress. Although I was doing things, it didn’t feel like I was moving with purpose. Looking back, I see now that I hadn’t fully grasped the lesson I had learned in creating that vision board. I was still seeking things out of my own desires rather than from a heart that was fully aligned with God’s will.
Living with the Mind of Christ
That brings me to the deeper understanding I’ve gained recently. When we ask God for things, it’s not enough just to say, “If it be Your will.” I believe that if our hearts are truly aligned with Christ, our thoughts and actions should naturally flow in harmony with His will. When Jesus was on earth, He didn’t second-guess His decisions. He acted with confidence and purpose because His mind and heart were perfectly aligned with God. That’s where I want to be. I want to live with that kind of confidence in God’s plan. I want to stop doubting, second-guessing, and waiting for a sign when I already know in my heart what God wants from me. If we allow the mind of Christ to dwell in us, we’ll begin to move in His will effortlessly.
A Call to Action: Seeking Clarity from God
If you’re feeling uncertain about where God is leading you, take a moment to sit with Him. Reflect on what He has spoken to your heart. He has spoken to you for a long time, but perhaps doubt has held you back. Even in the mess-ups and mistakes, God is still in control. He will not leave you.
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Moving forward, let’s keep our hearts postured toward God. Let’s seek Him first, and everything else will fall into place. Trust He is guiding you, even when it doesn’t feel like it because His will is already within you.
May you be blessed with peace, grace, and clarity as you move into all God has for you.
See you in the next post!