The Pursuit of Happiness (Part II)

I was sitting at my grandson’s baseball game with my daughter, Charese. My other grandson, Braydon, who had been playing with his friends, ran up to his mother and said, “Mommy, Mommy, could I have a sugar stix?” Now, these are long paper tubes filled with colored sugar. Charese told Braydon that he could not have one. “…But,” he continued, “Mommy, they are fwee.” She began to question him, “Free?” He said, “Yes, they are only fwee quarters,” which meant 75 cents. Again, she told him “no.” He ran back to his friends but in minutes, he was back with a sugar stix in his hand. Braydon smiled real big and said, “My friend gave his sugar stix to me.” My daughter looked closer and part of the candy was missing, the end was clogged with slobber and sugar. His friend had tried the sugar stix first. Again, she said “no” and told him to take the candy back to his friend.

Sometimes, we as children of God can want something so badly. It looks good, maybe tastes good, feels good, and we think, “If I could only have that, I would be so happy.” It’s easy to take the Scripture in Mark 11:24, in which Jesus says, “Therefore, I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” So, if I want it, I should have it! We need to look at verse 23. Jesus also said, “Have faith in God” or have the “faith of God”. What is the “faith of God” and how do I get it?

We read in Hebrews 11:3, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God…” God had an inward vision of the “worlds.” For example, before He said, “Let there be light”, He was confident in His heart of what He desired, He spoke it, and His Word had the creative power to bring light. We have been given God’s Word, the Holy Bible. It still has the power to create. I am not talking about worlds or light.

I remembered my great desire to have braces put on my son’s teeth. We did not have the money for this, but I had God’s Word. I spoke certain Scriptures daily with thanksgiving to God. The Lord provided the way. How did I get the faith? …By hearing and hearing by the Word (Rom. 10:17). I knew in my heart that it was not only my desire, but the will of the Lord.

Jesus said in John 15:7, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Are our lives right with God? Do we faithfully read the Word? Then, I believe that we will desire what God desires for us. Braydon, a little child who loves sugar desired a sugar stix. Besides, his friend had one, and he wanted one too. He did not need the candy at 8:30 p.m. If you remember, the Children of Israel wanted a King. Samuel told them what the consequences of a King would be, but they still desired a King. Well, they got their King. Having their King became the curse that Samuel said it would be.

God’s “no” to your prayers can be for your good. You may decide, “…But, I want it.” Be cautious, you may get a lot worse than a candy stix with slobber and sugar stuck in the end of it.