Lesson 11. God Answers Prayers for Love

Friends, if you could imagine how wonderful it is to love and abide in love, to live by it, give it, plead for it, respond with it, place it into every undertaking, and simply love at all times, you would probably make it the main goal of your life immediately and move confidently toward it.

But we live in an age of speed, and we want to receive everything immediately and in abundance. If we live in a civilized environment, all the benefits of the world and everything necessary for life are within easy reach. The Internet enables a person to learn everything quickly and remain informed about everything, and it is unique in that it belongs to no one. Each of us can become a blogger and gather like-minded people in order to share our revelations and opinions. All this and much more has taught us that we can very quickly become owners of many things and valuables with little expenditure of time and effort. The banking system is prepared to lend you any amount if you prove that you are able to repay it or can offer something as collateral. All these so-called benefits of civilization have taught us to receive the immediate satisfaction of all our needs.

Therefore, when I hear the message that God desires to give me love and teach me to use it, I become inspired by this idea and immediately run to Him, offering the most fervent prayers and believing that it will become mine as well. But the answer is silence—such silence that my ears begin to ring. I again listen to those who possess love and truly live in this condition, and again I go to God and ask, but He seems silent. I pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, yet nothing supernatural takes place in my life. I begin to wonder: what is the problem? Why does God not answer? Why do I not possess what the person speaking about it possesses? It is very difficult for me to understand this. I may even lose heart and become disappointed. But if I continue persistently asking God for what He has promised to give, my faith begins to grow, and I understand that God delays in nothing. If everything does not happen so quickly, it is because some things need time to mature and become visible.

God answers prayers for love. He hears all my requests and takes note of them. He is very wise and therefore makes no mistakes. From the beginning, God knows what will be at the end of this world and of my life. He does not always hurry to answer, but He always answers as He considers necessary. He is faithful to His promises, and His Word accomplishes what proceeded from His mouth.

When I ask for agape love, I receive an immediate answer. All Heaven is set in motion, and I begin to be prepared to receive the fullness of this gift of Heaven. I am given a seed of love that God will cultivate in my heart, and in time I will be able to bear much fruit if I carefully preserve this treasure and care for it. But I myself must plant this seed in my heart, while God causes it to grow.

There are prayers that receive an immediate answer: requests for the forgiveness of sins and for Jesus to take all my cares upon Himself. My faith in the fulfillment of these requests gives me the right to receive an immediate answer. This teaches me that God is swift in everything. Yet in the request for love, in practice, everything does not happen as quickly as I imagine. There are prayers to which God says “no,” “wait,” or “yes,” and there are requests concerning which He remains silent in order to test my faith and true motives.

A prayer for love, for the reception of this gift, corresponds to God’s dream for me. He probably waits for this prayer more than anything else in the world. To Him it sounds like this: “Lord, be my Husband.” And He wants to understand what lies behind these words.

If I desire to create a family, it is very important for me to understand the true motive of my chosen bride—to understand what she needs. Does she want me myself, my body, my possessions, my connections and influence? Perhaps she fears loneliness or desires to have children. I understand that our world is deceptive and that an improper goal may be concealed behind visible affection and attraction. Therefore, a desire arises to test everything and understand who is before you. Time spent in fellowship and shared activities reveals many aspects of a person’s soul and forms a firm understanding of that person’s true motives and goals. I see this and decide what to do. Sometimes goals that were selfish at first grow into true love and affection during the course of friendship, because I come to know the person more closely and open myself to that person.

God prepares my heart through various circumstances of life, then draws me to Jesus, sends me light and hope, grants me His grace and the gift of repentance, sees my desire to love, and gives me the seed of love. He asks me to plant this seed in my heart so that, when I do so, He may begin to cultivate it. How can I plant a seed in my heart? This happens when I understand that love has been planted in this place and that it will grow if I tenderly care for this plant. This is a conscious action that cannot happen accidentally or against my will. I understand what is growing within me, and I wait for the fruit.

God’s dream for me has been set in motion, and He will do everything on His part, while my part depends only upon me.

1. Please read Hebrews 11:6; Philippians 1:6; Matthew 7:16–20; 21:43; Mark 4:20; Luke 6:43–44; and 13:6–9 in the light of this lesson.

2. What did you understand from this lesson?

3. Is it worthwhile to ask God for something that you cannot immediately understand?

4. Is the comparison between the growth of love in the heart and the growth of plants in nature clear to you?

5. Will God answer your request for love?

6. Have you already prayed for this?

7. Is it worthwhile to believe that you will receive what you expect, even if at first you feel nothing?