“Confidence in the Connection”

May 8, 2026 Daily Devotional: “Confidence in the Connection”1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."  ​We often treat prayer as a gamble; a "shot in the dark" where we hope God is listening and feeling generous. ​This isn't a shaky confidence based on our own goodness or the eloquence of our words. It is a legal and relational boldness. Because of Christ, we aren't "intruders" in the throne room; we are children in our Father’s house. The phrase "according to His will" isn't a roadblock designed to limit our prayers; it’s a guardraildesigned to protect them. Think of it this way: A good father doesn’t give a child a sharp knife just because the child asks for it. He gives what is beneficial. When we align our prayers with God’s character and His Word, we are no longer praying against the grain of the universe. We are praying in sync with the heart of the One who runs it. ​How do we know His will? The anatomy of confidence is through Scripture and Spirit. God’s revealed will is already written down. As we ask the Holy Spirit to refine our desires until they match God's. ​A beautiful, logical progression in verse 15 isn't just auditory perception. In it's holistic thought, for God to "hear" is for God to "heed" or "attend to."  This is a radical statement. It says that if we are in alignment with God, the request is as good as done. The manifestation might take time, but the "yes" has already been issued in the heavenly realm. When you look back at prayers that seemed "unanswered," can you see now how God might have been redirecting you toward something more aligned with His better will for you? Instead of just listing your worries, find a promise in the Bible that addresses your situation. Praying back God’s own words is the surest way to pray "according to His will." ​Check the motive and ask yourself, "Is what I'm asking for intended to bring God glory, or just to make my life more comfortable?" Rest in the "Yes"! If you are praying for things God loves—like peace, wisdom, or the salvation of a loved one—you can walk away from your prayer closet with the "knowledge" that the answer is already in motion. 1 John 5:14-15 is about the security and certainty of a believer’s relationship with God. It moves prayer from a place of hoping for the best to a place of knowing the outcome. These verses teach that prayer is not a mechanism to change God’s mind, but a way for us to join in His work with the absolute certainty that He listens and responds.