How do you approach God in prayer? Do you come with a list of requests or with an open heart of surrender? Are your prayers more about seeking His will or fulfilling your own desires?
When we think of prayer, we often ask, “Lord, what can You do for me?” It sounds reasonable, even biblical—after all, we’re encouraged to bring our requests before Him. But upon deeper reflection, we might ask ourselves: Has communication with the Creator become a transaction? Are we treating God like a divine vending machine, only approaching Him to serve our needs rather than seeking to serve Him?
Throughout Scripture, we see a different posture from those who walked closely with God. The great men and women of faith didn’t approach Him with a consumer mindset, seeking to fulfill their own desires. Instead, they came with a heart of surrender, seeking His will above their own. Yet somewhere along the way, Christianity has drifted. Instead of looking upward and asking for His will, many have been taught to focus inward, seeking answers to their own desires and needs. We’ve become consumed with a self-centered mentality.
This shift in mindset has deeply affected the church today. Many sermons revolve around what we can gain from God—how He will bless, prosper, and increase us—while the call to obedience, sacrifice, and service is increasingly rare. We’ve subtly begun to treat God as though He exists to make our lives more comfortable. But when did the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ become about us? When did following Christ become about pursuing comfort rather than answering the call to surrender?
When the Prophet Isaiah was confronted with God’s glory, he didn’t make demands or bring a list of requests. He didn’t ask, “What can God do for me?” Instead, in awe of God’s presence, Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me! for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5). His immediate response was one of surrender—“Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). That is the heart posture of a true servant of God.
I can’t help but think of the way Saul (later Paul) responded when Jesus confronted him. Saul didn’t demand anything or start listing his desires. Instead, he humbled himself before the Lord and asked, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). That was the heart posture God desires—one of humility, submission, and willingness to trust and follow wherever He leads. This is the response of a true disciple.
The issue runs deeper than we often realize. This entitlement mentality stems from a misunderstanding of who God is. Many see God as only their problem-solver rather than their sovereign King. Yes, He is our Father and lovingly delights being involved in our lives. Nonetheless, He is still the Almighty, the Captain of the hosts, the Lord of all creation. As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” Yet how often do we approach God with long-winded prayers, filled with requests but lacking reverence? It’s as if we’ve forgotten that He is the Creator, and we are the dusts of His creation.
We live in a world that thrives on instant gratification. Society tells us that we deserve whatever we want, whenever we want it. Tragically, this mindset has infiltrated the church. Instead of approaching God with humility, many now come with a list of demands, as if He is obligated to grant their wishes. Prayer has shifted from aligning our hearts with His will to becoming a means to get what we desire. But that is not the faith Jesus called us to. He didn’t say, “Come, and I will make your life easy.” He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). He didn’t promise earthly wealth, but He did promise trials and tribulations. He never told us to seek our own interests first, but instead to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
Yet, many churches hesitate to preach these hard truths. They tickle the ears of their congregations with entertainment, fearing that calling people to true discipleship—self-denial and unwavering obedience—might cost them their audience. And likely, it will. But Jesus never softened His message to make it more palatable. When the rich young ruler came to Him, eager but unwilling to part with his possessions, Jesus didn’t adjust His words to keep him in the fold—He let him walk away. The call to follow Christ has never been about convenience. It has always been about surrender.
So, how should we approach God? The answer is simple, yet it demands a radical shift in our thinking. We must come before Him with reverence and awe, understanding that He is not our equal but the sovereign LORD. As Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” God is the Creator; we are His creation. He is infinitely above us in holiness and majesty, and our approach to Him must reflect the profound respect He deserves.
We must approach prayer with humility, recognizing that God owes us nothing. He is not obligated to fulfill our every desire; in fact, His wisdom protects us by not granting every request. In His mercy, He faithfully provides for our every need and, thankfully, does not give us everything we ask for. As James 1:19 reminds us, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Our words in prayer should reflect a reverent and thoughtful heart—not a hurried, flippant request or an impatient, angry response to unanswered prayers. Prayer is not about long-winded monologues or emotional pleas but it is about sincerely seeking God’s will and aligning our hearts with His purpose.
Most importantly, we must stop asking, “God, what can You do for me?” and start asking, “Lord, how can I serve You?”
What if every Christian began their day with that question? What if our prayers were no longer self-centered but surrendered to His will? What if the church returned to a gospel that wasn’t about personal gain but about glorifying Christ in all things?
The Lord is faithful, and He provides for His children. But we must remember—our primary purpose is not to seek His blessings but to honor Him with our lives. It’s time to realign our hearts with the right mindset. It’s time to echo the words of Isaiah: “Here am I; send me.”
So, I ask you—are you asking the right question?
RETURN TO ALL BLOGS
When we think of prayer, we often ask, “Lord, what can You do for me?” It sounds reasonable, even biblical—after all, we’re encouraged to bring our requests before Him. But upon deeper reflection, we might ask ourselves: Has communication with the Creator become a transaction? Are we treating God like a divine vending machine, only approaching Him to serve our needs rather than seeking to serve Him?
Throughout Scripture, we see a different posture from those who walked closely with God. The great men and women of faith didn’t approach Him with a consumer mindset, seeking to fulfill their own desires. Instead, they came with a heart of surrender, seeking His will above their own. Yet somewhere along the way, Christianity has drifted. Instead of looking upward and asking for His will, many have been taught to focus inward, seeking answers to their own desires and needs. We’ve become consumed with a self-centered mentality.
This shift in mindset has deeply affected the church today. Many sermons revolve around what we can gain from God—how He will bless, prosper, and increase us—while the call to obedience, sacrifice, and service is increasingly rare. We’ve subtly begun to treat God as though He exists to make our lives more comfortable. But when did the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ become about us? When did following Christ become about pursuing comfort rather than answering the call to surrender?
When the Prophet Isaiah was confronted with God’s glory, he didn’t make demands or bring a list of requests. He didn’t ask, “What can God do for me?” Instead, in awe of God’s presence, Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me! for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5). His immediate response was one of surrender—“Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). That is the heart posture of a true servant of God.
I can’t help but think of the way Saul (later Paul) responded when Jesus confronted him. Saul didn’t demand anything or start listing his desires. Instead, he humbled himself before the Lord and asked, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). That was the heart posture God desires—one of humility, submission, and willingness to trust and follow wherever He leads. This is the response of a true disciple.
The issue runs deeper than we often realize. This entitlement mentality stems from a misunderstanding of who God is. Many see God as only their problem-solver rather than their sovereign King. Yes, He is our Father and lovingly delights being involved in our lives. Nonetheless, He is still the Almighty, the Captain of the hosts, the Lord of all creation. As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” Yet how often do we approach God with long-winded prayers, filled with requests but lacking reverence? It’s as if we’ve forgotten that He is the Creator, and we are the dusts of His creation.
We live in a world that thrives on instant gratification. Society tells us that we deserve whatever we want, whenever we want it. Tragically, this mindset has infiltrated the church. Instead of approaching God with humility, many now come with a list of demands, as if He is obligated to grant their wishes. Prayer has shifted from aligning our hearts with His will to becoming a means to get what we desire. But that is not the faith Jesus called us to. He didn’t say, “Come, and I will make your life easy.” He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). He didn’t promise earthly wealth, but He did promise trials and tribulations. He never told us to seek our own interests first, but instead to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
Yet, many churches hesitate to preach these hard truths. They tickle the ears of their congregations with entertainment, fearing that calling people to true discipleship—self-denial and unwavering obedience—might cost them their audience. And likely, it will. But Jesus never softened His message to make it more palatable. When the rich young ruler came to Him, eager but unwilling to part with his possessions, Jesus didn’t adjust His words to keep him in the fold—He let him walk away. The call to follow Christ has never been about convenience. It has always been about surrender.
So, how should we approach God? The answer is simple, yet it demands a radical shift in our thinking. We must come before Him with reverence and awe, understanding that He is not our equal but the sovereign LORD. As Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” God is the Creator; we are His creation. He is infinitely above us in holiness and majesty, and our approach to Him must reflect the profound respect He deserves.
We must approach prayer with humility, recognizing that God owes us nothing. He is not obligated to fulfill our every desire; in fact, His wisdom protects us by not granting every request. In His mercy, He faithfully provides for our every need and, thankfully, does not give us everything we ask for. As James 1:19 reminds us, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Our words in prayer should reflect a reverent and thoughtful heart—not a hurried, flippant request or an impatient, angry response to unanswered prayers. Prayer is not about long-winded monologues or emotional pleas but it is about sincerely seeking God’s will and aligning our hearts with His purpose.
Most importantly, we must stop asking, “God, what can You do for me?” and start asking, “Lord, how can I serve You?”
What if every Christian began their day with that question? What if our prayers were no longer self-centered but surrendered to His will? What if the church returned to a gospel that wasn’t about personal gain but about glorifying Christ in all things?
The Lord is faithful, and He provides for His children. But we must remember—our primary purpose is not to seek His blessings but to honor Him with our lives. It’s time to realign our hearts with the right mindset. It’s time to echo the words of Isaiah: “Here am I; send me.”
So, I ask you—are you asking the right question?
RETURN TO ALL BLOGS
