What does it mean to have all your needs met? To trust in the words, "Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be open unto you"​? Does this mean that God will give us anything and everything we ask for? Just because we want it? Like He is some cosmic vending machine waiting for us to deposit our prayers like coins in the slot?

I think the answer to this is 'yes', and 'no'. I believe God wants us to be happy. Endlessly, joyously, happy. And He is willing to grant us anything we ask for that provides us with this enduring state of grace. Which is why some of our prayers don't get answered in the way we think they should. When we pray for something that will only provide us with temporary happiness, God answers, but not like we want. He knows that temporary happiness just leads to future despair and sadness. Why would He give us that? If he desires our joy, why would he give us anything that will lead us to sorrow?

​This is why He isn't the one who provides us with the material things that we pray for. Sure, we might pray for a new house, or a new car, and, we might get what we pray for. But it didn't come from God. It just looks that way. Again, as I talked about in yesterday's blog, it's just a perspective that we chose to believe. Trust me, God does not grant wishes.

​So, what does he grant? Let's look at it this way. Say you pray for a new car. You know exactly which one you want, what features, etc. Let's say it's a new Mercedes, or an SUV, or whatever would make you happy. God hears your prayer, and he wants you to be happy. But, God doesn't care about the difference between a Mercedes, an SUV, or a beat up junker. All He knows is we desire to find happiness, and He wants to grant it.

​And, so, He provides for us, not material things, and not the things of this world, but only that which brings us to the ​'peace that passes all understanding'. ​God knows that our ultimate happiness lies not in the accumulation of things, or wealth, or status, or power. All of those are temporary, impermanent. They can be taken from us at any time. Rather, our ultimate source of happiness lies in our total surrender to what is, and in non-attachment. It comes from having a central core of acceptance in all things.

​Yes, we may have possessions, wealth, status, or power, but we are not attached to them. They don't define us. They exist for however long they do, and when they are gone, we move on. We are no better for having them. We are no worse for not.

​Remember the story of the Rich Young Man in the bible? He asked Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to follow the commandments, which the man said he already was doing. Jesus then told him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, and the man walked away in sorrow.

​Jesus knew the young man was attached​ to his possessions and status. He knew the man could not give them up because the man had made the mistake of thinking these things defined who he is. This false understanding left him a prisoner of his own creation. He defined the walls that prevented him from being truly free. We all do.

​So, when we pray to God for a new Mercedes, what God hears is, "Teach me how to have eternal life". He knows the only road that leads there is through the narrow gate, the passageway that is only wide enough for us to squeeze through. We can bring nothing with us.

​So, yes, pray to God for what you want in life. Just don't be surprised when what He gives you is nothing like you wanted. But - it will be exactly what you need.

​Be well my friends
Michael Chrobak