DO THE ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYERS LEAD TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

Have you considered that there are prayers that should not be prayed at all?

Psalm 106:13-15

They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel:

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

And he gave them their requests; but sent leanness into their soul.

God had redeemed Israel out of Egypt.

He had performed unimaginable miracles on behalf of his very own.

He had provided marvelously for them during their wanderings across the desert.

There was never a need in the camp that was not provided by his own hand.

The people made two grievous errors.

1. They forgot. “they soon forgot his works.”

2. They were impatient. “ they waited not for his counsel.”

God had provided for them a substance never seen before -manna- “the bread of heaven” which supplied every need for physical nourishment.

The people began to despise this gift of provision.

They yielded to an inordinate appetite, they began to demand meat instead.

In response to their demands, God in his goodness, sent quail into the camp.

Quail in numbers so immense that the children waded through the quail and the refuse they emitted in depths up to their knees.

Sickness followed, as the meat was not what was needed at the time, and the droppings and waste, became a breeding ground for disease, killing many. “He gave them their requests; but sent leanness into their soul.”

How often have you prayed, knowing that what was being petitioned was not of God but was a result of the lust of flesh, yet just like a spoiled child, you trusted that God in his love and mercy would allow you to have your desire?

How often have you prayed on behalf of others who either asked for prayer or you just decided to pray for them, asking for things that were either unscriptural or unrighteous?

And after praying, seeing those things requested, being allowed and then the recipient fall even further from the better position that God had ordained.

And then to ameliorate your conscience, pointing out a weakness or flaw in the life of the one who received the gift as a reason for their failure.

We need to learn from Israel’s fate and guard against these two related errors of forgetfulness and of impatience.

We too, can be tempted to despise Gods will and to become puffed up thinking that our plan is better and quicker.

Whenever such thoughts occur, repent.

In such a situation the worst thing that God can do for us is grant our request.

For when He does, it will produce a leanness or sickness in our soul.

Suggested prayer:

May I have the wisdom to look beyond my desire for the moment, and see the perfect will of a Holy and Righteous God.