Devotion: Confidence in Asking God — Trusting His Heart and His Plan
“And this is the confidence
that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears
us.”
— 1 John 5:14 (ESV)
Foundations of Confidence in
Prayer
1. Eternal Assurance Anchors Us
(v. 13)
Before John speaks of confidence
in prayer, he reminds us of a deeper foundation: “that you may know that you
have eternal life.” (v.13)
This eternal assurance is not just about our future—it's the starting point of
boldness today. Because we belong to God forever, we come to Him not as
beggars but as beloved children. As Romans 8:15–16 reminds us, we have been
adopted, and the Spirit confirms we are His. This truth gives us the confidence
to approach Him freely and frequently.
2. Our Trust Should Be in God’s
Heart, Not Our Desires
Confidence in prayer is not about
how strongly we want something—it's about who we’re praying to. God is
not only powerful but deeply loving (1 John 4:8). He sees the full picture,
while our view is limited. That’s why Proverbs 3:5–6 calls us to trust in the
Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. Even when we
don’t receive what we ask, we trust that God is always working for our
eternal good (Romans 8:28).
3. God Answers According to His
Will—For Our Good
1 John 5:14 is careful to point
out: God doesn’t give us everything we ask, but He always gives us what
is according to His will. His will is perfect (Romans 12:2), and it’s
always aimed at our ultimate good—even when it’s not what we expect. Like a
wise parent, God says “no” or “not yet” to requests that might harm us in the
long run, and “yes” to what will truly build us up.
Paul’s prayer to remove his “thorn
in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7–9) was met with a “no,” but it came with a greater
gift: “My grace is sufficient for you.” That moment showed God’s
heart—He doesn’t always remove the struggle, but He always gives strength.
4. We Have What We Ask—When
It’s Aligned With His Will (v. 15)
Verse 15 reinforces the promise: “If
we know that he hears us… we know that we have the requests that we have asked
of him.” This is not a blank check, but a loving promise—when we ask
according to His will, it is as good as done. His "yes" is not just
possible; it's certain. And often, the more we align with Him, the more our
desires reflect His heart (Psalm 37:4).
In short: We can have
whatever we ask of God—when our requests are aligned with His will,
which is always for our eternal good.
Aligning Our Hearts With His
Will
- Seek His Word: His will is revealed in
Scripture. The more we read, the more we know what pleases Him (John
15:7).
- Invite the Spirit: When we don’t know how to
pray, the Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26–27).
- Surrender Like Jesus: In Gethsemane, Jesus
showed us the perfect model—“Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke
22:42)
Reflection Questions:
- How does knowing you have eternal life (v.13) shape
the way you pray?
- When have you seen God answer a prayer differently
than expected—and in hindsight, it was better?
- Are there desires you may need to surrender to
align more fully with God's will?
- How can you use Scripture to guide your prayers
this week?
A Prayer of Trust:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the confidence I have in You—not because of who I am, but because
of whose I am. Thank You for the eternal life You’ve given me through Jesus,
and for welcoming me into Your presence as a beloved child.
Help me to trust in Your perfect
will, even when it doesn’t match my expectations. Teach me to desire what You
desire, and to surrender my plans for Yours. Let my heart be shaped by Your
Word and my prayers be led by Your Spirit. I trust that what You give—or
withhold—is always for my good.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Let us then with confidence
draw near to the throne of grace,
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
— Hebrews 4:16
improve and complete the following devotion:
Confidence in Asking God
1 John 5:14 ESV
And this is the confidence that we have toward him,
that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
#1 v13 tells us we have eternal life
#2 Our trust should be in God
#3 God does not give anything we ask of Him. He only gives us those requests that are according to His will. i.e. good for us in the long-run.
#4 v15 confirm for us that we have the requests according to His will for us.
To rephrase, we can have whatever we ask of God that is according to His will for our good.
Application Questions
A Short prayer
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