If you want to succeed in life, you need to work harder.

At some level, I think we all believe this to be true.

So, it can be quite a disappointment when you are “working” as hard as possible to achieve a goal and seemingly going nowhere.

And maybe, here in lies the problem.

“Working harder” is no different than chasing after the wind.

And no, I am not about to unleash a perfectly structured 12 step plan guaranteed to overcome life’s challenges.

That too, in my humble opinion, is chasing after the wind.

At the risk of sounding “Church-y”, the answer is prayer.

In Jesus’ words…. “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. Matthew 7:7-8

But even this verse can become a problem…….

“Work harder” is replaced with the “Christian version”………“pray harder”.

For those of us who have been there, you know what I mean.

And this is where doubt can start to mess with your mind….

“Maybe I am not good enough”

“Maybe I don’t deserve it”

Or worse…

“Maybe God isn’t who He says He is”.

And now the opposition has you right where he wants you. In a stronghold choking the life out of you.  

Because faith and doubt can’t co-exist, doubt will win the battle and for some, unfortunately the war; A life of unbelief.

If you believe God is who he says he is and that Jesus is the son of God, you must also believe in the miracles documented throughout the bible.

Jesus came to this earth in human form to perform miracles. And because of this, many who witnessed it, believed. John 20:30-31

But for some, even that wasn’t enough. A man in the bible, often referred to as doubting Thomas (after Jesus’ resurrection), needed to see the nail marks in Jesus’ hands before he would believe. John 20: 24-29

So, do you not have what you want because you don’t “believe enough”?

Possibly.

Or…..

Maybe it is just because you don’t pray enough. It is not about “higher intensity”, it is about higher frequency. 

Because we must pray without ceasing.

Now, on the matter of unbelief….

I think it is possible to believe in God and his Son and the miracles beautifully illustrated throughout the bible….

And

NOT fully believe/understand God’s covenant.

Many know the story of Noah and how God flooded the earth. The most powerful part of the story is when God made an unconditional covenant with Noah; and with all the creatures to ever walk the face of the earth. Including you and me.

God’s covenant is unconditional. It is not even in the same ballpark as the love we might receive from our earthly parents.

And so, he means what he says…… “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:13-14

That said, our ways are not God’s ways. And the things of this world will never be fully understood until the day we meet our creator.

And here is a somewhat difficult truth…..

You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4: 2-3

Now, before you go down the rabbit hole of self-deprecation……

I don’t think this is “personal”.  It is easier to appreciate the aforementioned “wrong motives” when we zoom out. 

Last week I shared the story of Noland Arbaugh. Noland is the first patient to receive the neuralink device and shares that for a long time after his injury he prayed that he would walk again. And he believed that God would answer his prayer. And he is still sitting in a wheelchair paralyzed from the neck down.

So, is God a liar? Did Noland not “believe” enough? Did he not pray enough? Did he have “false motives”?  

I am not God. I don’t know.

But here is what I know. Noland is participating in a study that has the potential to give new life to millions of people who are paralyzed. More than that, he is going on some of the biggest podcasts in the world and sharing God’s spirit in him with the world.

And here in lies another problem as I see it.

We don’t pray, because we are afraid of the answer. God’s ways are not our ways.

And this is the most unfortunate and deceptive work of the devil.

Without praying, we will not see God’s miracles here on earth. Nor will anybody around us. And it is the miracles that we see around us that grow our faith. And faith can literally move mountains.

Here is the truth. God is good. You are good because you were created in God’s image. You don’t have to be a “believer” for that to be true.

God wants to give humanity the good things of this world. And he will use ALL of humanity to work for the good of those who love him.

But he gives us free will. We can choose to believe or not believe. If you believe, you can rest in his promises. That he IS who he says he is. And he has good things in store for you far greater than you could ever hope or imagine.

So, all of this is to say, you must work. That is a non negotiable. This I believe, is what the bible means where it says “faith without action is dead“. 

But “deeds” are meaningless without faith. 

So, you and I must pray. And in so doing, we will see the miracles that prove that God is who he says he is, and that you and I are deserving of his love. 

What do you want God to do but are afraid to ask for?

What have you prayed for that needs a higher frequency of prayer?  

What areas are you doubting the promises of God? God can and will heal your unbelief. Just ask.