Are You Using This Verse the Wrong Way in Prayer?

I think it is safe to say your motives are more important. If you are asking from a greedy motive, a covetous motive, or some other kind of selfish motive, then you shouldn’t expect to receive anything from God because he does not answer those types of prayers.

How do we flush out our motives in prayer?

One way to get to what is really in your heart is to engage in worship as part of prayer. One of the roles of worship is to flush out your motives so they are pure before God. When you worship, you enter God’s presence and when that happens God has a way of exposing what is really in your heart. Knowing this will help you make sure that your motives in prayer are pure. Without pure motives, you position yourself to not have your prayers answered, whether you ask or not.

Because motives matter so much in prayer, let me give you some things to consider when you go to prayer.

What are you asking for?

Why are you asking for it?

Whose glory are you concerned about if you get it?

Sometimes the only way to discover the truth is to ask the right questions. Therefore, it is proper to examine your heart, especially when you are going before God in prayer. In fact, what is even better is to ask God to examine your heart.

Should God reveal anything in your heart, make sure you are ready to deal with it. The next time you pray or get ready to say you have not because you ask not, recognize that may only tell part of the story.

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Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a dynamic speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club, dedicated to helping people live with purpose and clarity. In addition to his ministry work, Clarence has spent the last 13 years as a trusted financial educator, guiding thousands of people across the country—including employees at many Fortune 500 companies—toward lasting financial wellness. His unique ability to blend practical wisdom with spiritual insight equips people to thrive in every area of life.

He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.