Perhaps you have heard it said, that God may answer our prayers in three ways: Yes, No, or Not Now.
I heard today that there is a fourth possibility: God can answer more than we asked.
My prayers are according to what I think would be the best outcome. But is what I imagine to be the best really the best? What if something better can happen that I didn’t think of and therefore didn’t pray for? Maybe I should have prayed another way.
Romans 8:26 expresses my thoughts exactly: We do not know what we ought to pray for. BUT the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. The Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
God tells us to pray. He wants us to bring Him our concerns. He also knows that our human understanding is limited. We cannot know what is best in a situation. We do not know what His will is for a particular situation. So His Spirit is praying for us according to God’s will.
So even when we do not pray exactly right, just as long as we pray, God’s Spirit will help us so that God will accomplish more than we can ask or imagine.
Ephesians 3:20 says exactly this: God is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…to him be the glory throughout all generations.
I am inadequate, even when I do something as worthy as prayer. But God has it covered. He will answer more than I ask. All I have to do is ask.