“Let your cares drive you to God. I shall not mind if you have many of them if each one leads you to prayer. If every fret makes you lean more on the Beloved, it will be a benefit.” – Charles Spurgeon

Do you find it hard to ask for help? A lot of us do. We want to think we can figure things out on our own, we can tackle any problem. And we don’t want to be a bother to anyone else.

That independent attitude might be admired by some, but not by God.

He wants us to express our needs to him. He wants us to look at every life situation as an invitation to turn to him. In fact, James tells us that sometimes he is just waiting for us to ask: “You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:2b). So, I have been asking, and he welcomes my requests every single time.

I’ve figured something else out, too. It has become clear to me that God uses our requests as ways to respond to us at the point of our deepest needs. Do we need patience? He might make us wait a while before he answers. Do we need humility? He might remind us to submit to his will. Do we need comfort? That’s the Holy Spirit’s specialty, and prayer opens our hearts to receive.

Do you understand? God’s greatest desire is to be connected to us, to provide for us, to comfort and lead us. Praying, asking, and just talking to him opens the doors for his love to flow back to us. Just ask. That’s the way he wants it.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6