Check Your Motive for Asking

“And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures.” (James 4:3 GNT)

Many times, believers say things like, “I pray often, but I get little or no results.” Why do they feel this way? Because they assume that simply praying should guarantee an answer. But prayer doesn’t work that way. There are principles that must be followed if you want to see results. One of these is having the right motive. When your motives are wrong, it doesn’t matter how long you pray—you won’t see results because impure motives corrupt everything.

Our opening text makes this clear: “When you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures.” (James 4:3 GNT). Did you see that? You might think this isn’t important, but while people focus on outward appearances, God looks at the heart. He examines our motives and intentions.

So, before you bring a request to God in prayer, take a moment to check your motives. Are they aligned with His will, or are they driven by selfish desires? As the Bible says, “You ask for things to use for your own pleasures.” (James 4:3 GNT). This is an example of a selfish motive, and prayers like these will not be answered because the intent behind them is wrong.

I encourage you today to reflect on this and work on your motives. The best way to ensure your prayers align with God’s will is to surrender your desires to Him. When your motives are right, your prayers will be powerful and effective. Hallelujah!

Today’s Rhema

If you want your prayers to be answered, you must check your motives.

Confession for the Day

Father, I thank You for teaching me Your Word. From today, I choose to check my motives before I pray. As I align my heart with Your will, I declare that my prayers shall always be answered, in Jesus’ name. Amen!