Pray with Confidence

“Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.”—1 John 3:21–22 NLT

The Bible makes clear that prayer is to be central to the Christian life. We are to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6). The Bible reminds us that the effectiveness of our prayer life is impacted by our relationship with God. There also are impediments to effective prayer: attitudes and actions that can clog our relationship with God and provide distractions.

As we approach God in prayer, it can be easy to be conscious of reasons our prayers might not be answered: We let our minds wander, and we focus on ourselves and our weaknesses instead of on God and His promises. The size of the problems might seem too large. Our minds can be filled with thoughts that distract us. We can wonder if God will hear us. And we can be overwhelmed by guilt.

The Bible encourages us to pray with faith, put aside doubts, seek to be freed from guilt, and pray with “bold confidence.” But a lack of confidence can impede our prayers. We can be confident if we are clean in His sight, and if we are confident in our relationship with Him.

What issues do you face? As you pray about them, be sure you are not allowing anything to clog your heart and separate you from God. Remember, He is ready to cleanse you, give you the confidence to approach His presence with boldness, and make your prayers more effective.

Reflection Question: Compose your own prayer for boldness.