Pray With a Clear Target

Devotional Reading: “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives…” – James 4:2-3

Sometimes, we treat prayer like a vague wish list. “God, just bless me.” Bless you with what? Cake? Car? Calmness? Praying with clarity is crucial. James hits us with truth: we don’t receive because either we don’t ask or we ask with confused motives. Prayer is not about mumbling spiritual riddles but presenting a clear, honest, God-honoring request.

Look at blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10. Jesus asked him a simple question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Now, Jesus wasn’t confused; He wanted Bartimaeus to articulate it. And the man did: “I want to see!” That was clear. No riddles, no drama. Just a straight-up prayer that targeted the real need.

When you pray, ask with your heart fully engaged and your desires submitted to God’s will. Avoid praying to impress people or to manipulate God into your personal agenda. The goal isn’t to convince God—it’s to align with Him. Prayer is about talking to your loving Father, not trying to bribe a vending machine.

So here’s your homework today: write down what you’re asking God for. Be honest, be specific, and if you don’t know what to ask for, ask for wisdom first (James 1:5). Clarity breeds confidence in prayer. You’ll start recognizing answers faster when you actually know what you asked for in the first place!

Prayer and Confession: I pray with focus, not confusion. I ask boldly and clearly, and I receive by faith, in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Further Reading: Mark 10:46-52; Matthew 7:7-11