I notice that when we have aches and pains, we have an expectation that it can be treated and cured.
We go to the doctor to get a diagnosis and expect the problem to be solved with meds or surgery or therapy or something. When no diagnosis is found – “we don’t know what is causing your pain”, we feel hopeless. It feels scary that we can’t grasp it and solve it.
That’s the way we approach life. We think all problems should be solved.
That’s the way we approach God. We expect him to solve problems. Whenever prayer requests are shared, it’s always a problem to be solved.
How about asking for prayer to endure instead of healing? How about praying for opportunities to do more good works instead of making it easy? How about asking for our character to be built, asking to know God more, or asking for our faults to be revealed so we can repent?