What is it that you want? It’s a desire of your heart, not a need in your life. You don’t need it. You don’t absolutely have to have it. But, you want it. Have you talked to God about it?

This past weekend at our BIG Life Retreat in San Antonio, we each shared our stories. One story was a beautiful woman named Emily who had found herself in a position she never dreamed she would be. She was a young single mom of a little boy. She felt unwanted and unworthy. Who would ever want her? She then read a devotional which encouraged her to ask God for something she wanted. Not something she needed. Not something she had to have, but something she just wanted.

Questioning her right to ask God for what she would want, and totally uncertain of her worthiness to attract what she wanted, she eventually asked. God, I want Ben Briscoe. He is who I want. I want a father for my son. I want a man to share my life with. And actually, I want it to be this specific guy. I want Ben.

She brought this request to God, and she laid it at his feet. She asked him for what she wanted, and she surrendered this desire to his will. She said, God this is what I want, but I only want it if it’s your best. I only want it if it’s right. I don’t need it, I’m okay without it. But I’m asking you because it’s what I want.

Hearing her share this story, I grew in excitement, because I have the benefit of knowing her last name. I know she’s now a Briscoe! I know how this story ends.

Over 30 years later, this woman sat in a beautiful retreat house with us this weekend, and shared how God gave her precisely what she wanted. She married that single man she asked God for. Not because she had to have someone. Not because she was desperate. Not because she needed him. But, she simply asked God for what she wanted, and he graciously said yes. He not only said yes to that one request, but he gave her so much more. Ben became her husband, and he adopted her little boy. Then, they had two more boys, to make a total of three. Now, that has grown with 3 daughter in laws and 5 beautiful grand babies.

She asked God for what she wanted. God said yes … and so much more!

Can we do that? Can we ask God for a want when it’s not really a need? Can we ask God for a desire when it’s not a desperation?

Well, let me ask you, if you’re a mama, do you want your children to only ask you for what they absolutely need? Have you instructed them to only ask out of desperation, not out of desire? Don’t you want your children to talk to you about their desires? Wouldn’t you want them to tell you what they want, and aren’t you excited to make it happen if you can? Doesn’t it bring you great joy to give your children what they want? It’s your duty to give them what they need, but it’s your delight to give them what they want!

And wouldn’t it break your heart if your child felt they couldn’t come to you with what they want? Wouldn’t that feel like a lack of trust?

Sooooo, tell me again why you’re so hesitant to ask God for what you want.

Matthew 7:11, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

He is your Heavenly Father. He actually WANTS you to ask him for what you want. It brings him great delight to have a relationship with his girl grounded in this trust. Do you trust him enough to bring the desires of your heart to him?

Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” The original greek word used here says to present your aitemata. Aitemata’s direct translation is request. Your requests are not only your needs, but your requests are also your wants. God wants you to present your wants to him.

My sister, it’s okay to want something. It’s okay to have a desire within your heart for something you don’t actually have to have. And God is prompting you today to bring that request to him. Have you told God what it is that you want?

And will you trust God enough with these fragile desires of your heart, to then say, I only want it if it’s your best. I only want it in your way not my way. I want it, but I don’t want it without your blessings.

This is trust. This is faith. This is relationship. And this is what God, your Heavenly Father, desires of you. Just as we desire that trusting relationship with our own children. Just as we would ache thinking our children couldn’t talk to us about the desires of their heart, God aches when you aren’t willing to talk to him about yours.

Are you entitled to what you want? No. None of us are. We don’t ask because we deserve it. We ask because God invites us to ask. We ask because that’s what relationship looks like. We ask because our Father has it all, and he wants to share everything with us. We ask because alone we are unworthy, but through Jesus, we have been made righteous.

Today, think about what you want. Dig deep and allow yourself to desire something. Then present that desire to your Heavenly Father. You are not burdening him. You are not pressuring him. You’re coming to him as his daughter who trusts him. You’re seeking him in relationship. And you know if it is right, if it is best, and if it is time, God can and will do it. If it’s not, then he will say no, as a good parent who sees more than their child.

God never says no out of limitation. He is unlimited. He has everything and he can do anything.

He has time for you. You’re not a burden.

He has goodness for you. He hasn’t run out.

He has divine alignments for you. He’s not stuck.

He just wants you to come and ask him. Why wouldn’t you ask him?

The enemy wants to keep you from asking. He wants to cut you off right here, convince you you’re unworthy, get in your head with how selfish your request would be. You know why? Because he doesn’t want you to have that deep relationship with your Father. If you really start seeing yourself as the prized and precious daughter of the King, gosh, what breakthroughs might you have? If you really started understanding God is for you and not against you, what boldness might you show up with? If you really started believing goodness is in your future, what would you have the strength to do today?

Satan knows what would happen if you started believing God enough to not only ask him for what you need, but also for what you want. He knows the relationship that would grow out of this. He knows the doors that would open. The blessings that would rain down. The dreams that would come back to life. So, of course the enemy works overtime to convince you asking God for what you want is off limits.

But remember how a mother wants her children to ask her for what they really want. Remember how a good mother truly wants to give her children what they want. Remember how a loving mother says yes when she can and it brings her great delight in doing so. Then, remember, if we can be that good, just how much greater is our Heavenly Father. How much more can he do? How much more does he WANT to do. How much delight does he find in hearing of our desires and knowing we trust him with them?

David teaches us in Psalm that the Lord delights in us. He watches you with great delight in his eye. He lovingly plans good things for your future. And when you come and talk to him about what you want, he conspires to give you the desires of your heart.

God, here’s what I want. I don’t need it. I don’t have to have it. But I do want it, and I’m asking you as my loving Heavely Father for it. And God, if it’s not your best, if it’s not the time, then I release it to you and trust you completely.

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