Bottom Line

The practice of prayer fuels a dependency on God that leads to love-filled submission.

Prayer shifts us from self-sufficiency to God-dependency.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:7-11‍

"The only way to move beyond ‘self-centered prayer’ (if indeed we ever do) is by going through it — not by making a detour around it. God delights in our asking. He is pleased at our asking. His heart is warmed by our asking. Asking remains primary throughout our lives because we are forever dependent upon God. It is something we never really “get beyond,” nor should we even want to."
— Richard Foster

Prayer shifts us from personal ambition to love-filled submission.

He withdrew about a stone’s throw, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Luke 22:41-42

Action Steps

• Where in your life are you living independently from God?
• Where are you trying to get God to get on board with your agenda?
• How does God delighting in your asking, seeking, and knocking encourage you?
• At least once each day this week pause and name any concerns in your life to God declaring your dependency on God and surrendering to God in trust.