Jesus and the Father have so much that they want to give us. We just need to ask.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
We do not ask to be perfectly entertained or comfortable. But neither do we only ask for things which are for others only and of no interest to us. We ask for things that lead to complete joy. It is by making requests like this that Paul sustains what is humanly speaking a very difficult ministry.
Paul left and traveled in orderly sequence
through the Galatian country and Phrygia,
bringing strength to all the disciples.
He knows the joy of brothers and sisters being gathered into the Kingdom of God. We often ask the Father wrongly, to spend his blessings on our passions. But Paul asks for things that bring true joy. He is like Jesus, pressing on to the joy set before him even though he faces suffering and opposition for a while.
A good start is to realize what will bring us true joy. If we still believe we need something other than God to be happy our prayer life is always going to be a little off. It will never be quite as miraculous as when we learn to desire the things that God desires for us. This is not limiting and should not be disappointing. The joy he has in store for us is greater than any we can seek apart from him.
All you peoples, clap your hands;
shout to God with cries of gladness.
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
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