I have prayed, but nothing has changed - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

The Good Seed - Sunday, April 3, 2017
by GBV Dillenburg GmbH

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I have prayed, but nothing has changed

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Psalm 27:4; Matthew 7:7-8

I have prayed, but nothing has changed
Valentine, the son of a friend of mine, has breakfast in my house once a week. One day on the way to school he told me that he was getting bad marks and felt discouraged. I advised him to ask the Lord Jesus for help. "All right," he replied, without much conviction.
The following week Valentine shook his head despondently in response to my questions: "I haven't got better results" Shortly after his mother informed me that he always found a good excuse for not doing his homework and was never obedient.
Is it surprising then that, despite his prayers, his results showed no improvement? Praying and doing only what one wants do not go together!
Sometimes we resemble Valentine. We pray without much conviction. Then we wait passively, and nothing happens. We are surprised and deduce that praying is not worthwhile. Now prayer is not a convenient way of simplifying our life. Nor can it be compared with a recipe that succeeds of fails without our knowing why.
We can pray, but must not neglect our own responsibility. God does not need our help to perform miracles. But He does expect us to seek what we have asked for, playing our part with the right attitude and state of mind.
Today's reading: 1 Samuel 14:1-32

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