You Can’t Manipulate God

Working from a home office has some advantages, but it also has some challenges. For example, the other day as I was preparing mailings to send out, my boys came in with their Legos asking me to build them an airplane. Occasionally I will take the time to do that, but there were 3 little boys standing there- each expecting me to build them something- and I had a lot of work to get done so I had to tell them, “not today.”
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What would have happened if the boys had whined and cried until I built them their airplanes? If you know me, you would understand that would not work. We decided that as soon as they were old enough to communicate without crying that we would not reward such behavior.
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Some children, however, have conditioned their parents to give them whatever they want, simply by throwing a tantrum. We are trying to teach our children that when they ask for something we will decide whether or not to give it to them based on what is best at the time. Sometimes we will give them what they ask for, other times we will tell them no, and sometimes we will tell them to wait.
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What about when we ask God for something? Do we expect to get what we want by figuring out how to push the right buttons with Him, or do we simply trust His wisdom to either tell us yes, no, or wait?
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When Jesus ministered here on earth, He was asked how we should pray. Consider this portion of the Lord‘s Prayer- “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) As we pray, we must trust God enough to say, “’Thy’ will be done, rather than ‘my’ will be done.”
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As we bring our petitions to God, we must consider the role of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:27 says, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (NKJV) Notice that this passage says that the Holy Spirit makes intercession in our prayers according to God, not according to what we want. It is a great comfort for me to know that I cannot manipulate God with my prayers. As I go to prayer I can always trust Him.
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Imagine if I wanted the rain to stay away because I did not want to have to mow my grass, but the Christian farmer was praying for rain for his crops. God does not answer our prayers based on who can cry the loudest, throw the biggest temper tantrum, or give Him the most money. God cannot be bought off or manipulated. Instead He answers according to His will. That is also a comfort to me even as I pray for the sick. For example a year ago I was praying for a friend. My desire was that she get well and stay alive, but instead God healed her by letting her die so she could be with Him (she was and is a believer). As we grow closer to God, His desires should become our desires.
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I fear that too many Christians have the view that being filled with the Holy Spirit involves being able to get the Spirit to do what you want Him to do. Instead we should learn that being filled with the Holy Spirit means that we are ready to do and accept whatever He wants rather than what we want. I believe that explains 1 John 5:14, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (NKJV)
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As Christians, instead of trying to get God to do what we want Him to do, let us strive to do what He wants us to do.