- According to Jeremiah 29:12, what does Jehovah promise to do?
Jehovah promises to listen to our prayers. But even though Jehovah listens to all our prayers, this does not mean that he will grant us all our requests. We may have to wait until the new world before we receive some of the things we ask for in our prayers.
- What do we try to avoid, and why?
We try to avoid comparing our situation with that of others. If we compare our situation to that of others, but we have a negative outcome while others have positive outcomes, that can make us feel bad.
The reason why we need to avoid that is the situation of a sister named Anna. She prayed that her husband, Matthew, might recover from cancer. At the same time, two elderly Christian sisters were also battling cancer. Anna prayed intensely for Matthew and for the sisters. The sisters recovered, but Matthew passed away. At first, Anna wondered if the sisters got well because Jehovah intervened. But then she also thought, why did Jehovah not answer her prayers that her husband get better?
- Why should we pray repeatedly about our concerns?
We do so because we know Jehovah expects us to pray repeatedly about our concerns. That’s what’s underscored in 1 Thess. 5:17. Through our lord Jesus we also know that some of our requests would not be granted right away. Of course, incessant prayers show Jehovah that our request is not just a temporary wish. Praying repeatedly also demonstrates our faith. - Why may we need to broaden our requests? (See also pictures.)
When we broaden our requests, we may be able to discern what Jehovah’s will is for us by making our request broader.
Example: A single sister prays about attending the School for Kingdom Evangelizers. She wants to attend the school so that she can serve where the need is greater.
In the meantime, she asks Jehovah to help her identify other opportunities to expand her ministry as she prepares to qualify for SKE. Part of that could be acting in harmony with that prayer by asking her circuit overseer if a nearby congregation has a need for more pioneers. Or she could write to a branch office to ask about where there is a need for more Kingdom publishers.
Review 2:
Jehovah expects us to trust in him. Jehovah expects us to act in harmony with our prayers. And he expects us to pray repeatedly about our concerns.