 How long should I pray for something? I want something or you want something and you pray and you pray but nothing seems to happen. How will I know what the answer is? Do I know that the Lord by me not having it at this moment? Is this the Lord saying no, you cannot have it? Is this the Lord just wanting to see if I want to keep praying? How long do I continue to pray? Well, what is clear in the Bible is that God is not as concerned as we are about the things that we want or even the things that we need at least to the degree that we are. Does that mean that God is not concerned about what we do want or need? No, it's not to say that but the point is though what God wants you to get more than anything else is Him. And so the beauty of in praying for something even if you feel like it hasn't come yet and you're desperate is to keep praying. Why? Because by praying to Him by going to Him you recognize who the giver is and your focus will instead of being on the gift will be on the giver and you'll end up taking comfort in Him. Remember when Paul had this thorn in the flesh? Paul prays to him three times. This is Paul who has his closest with the Lord, is led by the Spirit, full of the Spirit and he prays three times. And what does the Lord say? He says my grace is sufficient. I've been given this thorn and he says my grace is sufficient. So what is Paul doing? Now he's going to start boasting in his weakness and in the sufficiency of the Lord. He also makes a statement because Paul has gone through all these things. He says that in Philippians 4 he says be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be known to the Lord. So you ought to do so. But notice what he says about that as he continues. He says finally brethren whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure. He says think on these things. Things I have learned and received and heard and seen me practice. Practice these things. Do this. Why? Because his focus is to be on him, not the circumstances, not the things. He says but I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me. Indeed you were concerned before but lack nothing. Here it is. But not that I speak from want for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in. And so that's the key. Before you worry about getting what you want to get or how long you ought to be praying. Make sure that you pray that you can be content in whatever the answer is. That whether it's a yes or no or if the time for getting it or receiving it is off in the future that you be content. That you have peace through it all. That's the most important thing. So your prayer should be Lord pray help me Lord to receive peace in whatever is I'm looking for whether I get it or I don't get it. Now how long should you pray? Because that's the question because still I hear what you're saying Corey, but I've got needs. I've got something that needs to be addressed and should I just move on from it? Let it go or keep praying. Well, Jesus actually addresses this in Luke 11.5. He says suppose one has a friend and goes him at midnight and says him friend. Lend me three loaves for a friend of mine has come in from a journey and I have nothing to say before him. And from inside he answers and says do not bother me. The door has already been shut and my children are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything. I tell you even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is a friend yet because of his persistence. That's the key. He will get up and give him as much as he needs. So what does Jesus say? So I say to you asking it will be given seek and you will find knock and the door will be open. So we've heard this passage before seeking you shall find. But now we see the context. He just says to be persistent. Keep doing it. Keep doing it. Keep doing it. How long until you actually know definitively keep doing it? If you've been praying for the same thing for five years and nothing has happened. Keep praying. If it takes another five years, maybe another five weeks, maybe five minutes after that first five years it's going to happen. You never know, but keep praying. What's going to happen though as you get closer to God and asking for these prayers and submitting yourself before the Lord. You are also giving reverence to him because he is the one that can answer prayers. And even if he doesn't, as the Hebrew boy said, even if he doesn't, we know he can, but even still I'll rejoice because I've got him. That's why he can make this statement to Paul and Paul can understand that my grace is sufficient. The fact that I'm with you is more than enough. And if I do bless you, I will bless you in some ways, maybe not the way that you want, but the fact that you're with me is blessing enough. Amen.