Faith Without Works…

Often, we approach God as if He were a genie, making requests in prayer and expecting Him to fulfill them as if it were His duty. We mistake prayer for mere wishing, forgetting the truth behind the scripture, “faith without works is dead.” I know this first-hand, especially in this season where I’ve cried out to God, pleading for help: “God, please do this for me,” or “Jesus, I need this or want that.” But once I send those prayers His way, what do I do? I sit and wait, arms crossed, feeling frustrated when I don’t see immediate results. Instead of seeking Him more, I pull back, neglecting my Bible, avoiding prayer, and distancing myself from God. In those moments, it becomes clear that perhaps what I’m asking for isn’t truly important to me.

We must demonstrate to God that we genuinely desire the things we pray for. While it’s true that God can perform amazing miracles, please know that this isn’t His primary method of operation. He wants to see evidence of our desires in our actions. When we show Him that our prayers matter deeply, He responds abundantly. Yes, there are times when He might act quickly, but we must never assume He is obligated to do so. God is telling us that unless He guides us otherwise through the Holy Spirit, we must work hard to achieve what we desire.

We might say, “I don’t earn enough money,” or “I need this urgently,” yet we hesitate to reach out for help from family members because of pride or embarrassment. We might desire a new job, but stay stagnant due to comfort or fear of change. We crave financial freedom but struggle to tithe into the Kingdom of God or help others in need. We dream of starting or expanding a business, but the fear of failure holds us back. We want husbands, wives, and loyal friends, yet we look in all the wrong places, often failing to love ourselves first. We may desire to improve our marriages, but we resist investing the necessary time and energy. We want healing from illness, but refuse to follow medical advice. We hope for our loved ones to change, yet we find it hard to love them through their flaws when we, too, make mistakes. We seek forgiveness from others but can’t seem to forgive others.

All God hears is “give me, give me, give me,” and He’s ready to say, “No more.” If we don’t take action, God won’t either—our prayers will lead us nowhere.

Instead, our prayers should be a plea for guidance: “Lord, I need these things, so I will work hard to achieve them. I’m not sure what direction to take, so please make it clear. Help me with what I cannot do on my own. Guide my steps and give me strength. When you bless me, keep me humble. In Jesus’ name.”

It’s in those moments when we pray with intention that He steps in and says, “I’ve got this.” God loves genuine prayers. As we work diligently toward our goals, He will begin to move and open doors for us.

James 2:14-16 – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have the works? Can faith save him?