Hope in the God of Limitless Abundance: Why You're Praying Too Small
Hope in the God of Limitless Abundance: Why You're Praying Too Small
Be honest: When was the last time you prayed a truly unreasonable prayer?
Most of us don't. We measure God's capabilities by the limits of our past experiences. We pray within the boundaries of what feels safe, logical, or "doable." We ask for healing from a flu, when we should be asking for the spiritual resurrection of a relationship. We pray for patience to get through the day, instead of praying for the kind of Christ-like love that changes our entire perspective.
Why? Because we have a small view of God’s limitless character and power.
The Apostle Paul is about to give us the remedy for small thinking. It’s a promise that fundamentally shifts our perspective from scarcity to limitless abundance.
The Immeasurably Exceeding Promise
Let’s read one of the most powerful benedictions in the New Testament:
"Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worked in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” — Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)
Paul doesn't just promise "more." He piles on the superlatives with deliberate intent. Let's break down that central phrase:
Above all that we ask: God's plan is greater than the specific petitions we currently make in prayer. If you ask for a raise, He might be planning a career change that multiplies your influence.
Above all that we think: This is the real game-changer. God’s plan is greater than your wildest imagination, your best-case scenario, or the constraints of human logic. It operates beyond what your mind can even conceive.
This isn't just a promise of "more of the same." It is a promise of immeasurably exceeding abundance that humbles the mind and invigorates the soul. God’s plan for you is greater than your biggest request and your most ambitious dream.
From Vague Requests to Intentional Prayer
When we truly grasp this limit-breaking nature of God, it should transform the way we talk to Him. Why do we approach the God of the Universe with generic, vague requests?
The problem is we often get distracted, forget what we prayed for, or simply give up before the answer takes shape. Since we are addressing the God who is able to do "exceedingly abundantly above all," our prayers should reflect a confident, expectant faith.
Vague Request
Intentional, Expectant Prayer
"God, help me feel peace."
"Father, keep my mind steadfast on Your unchanging character and guard my heart with the perfect peace (Shalom Shalom) that surpasses my understanding."
"Lord, help me witness to someone."
"God, place a person in my path today who needs You. Allow Your Spirit to give me clear recognition and the exact words to convey Your great love and power."
We should pray with such specific boldness that when the answer arrives, the only conclusion is that the God of Limitless Abundance stepped in.
Finding God in the Silence
What happens when you pray that bold, intentional prayer and... silence.
We often assume that God’s silence is His absence, but it’s more often His preparation. He may be waiting until the situation is humanly impossible so that when the answer finally comes, the only logical conclusion is that He has done the exceedingly abundantly above all.
Think of the story of Lazarus (John 11). Jesus loved him, Mary, and Martha, yet He deliberately tarried until Lazarus was dead for four days—past the point of any human hope. He waited for the impossible. Why? So that the resurrection would bring Him the greatest glory.
The discomfort of the wait can be the very path He uses to compel us into a deeper relationship.
If God is Silent, I must:
Why?
Seek Him More.
His silence forces us to find the answers in His Word, not just in an immediate miracle.
Trust Him Deeper.
It moves our dependence from what He does (His hand) to who He is (His unchanging character).
Desire Him More.
The discomfort compels us to rely entirely on His presence, not our comfort.
In the silence, we stop relying on our own strength or timeline. We realize that we are nothing without Him, and in that realization, we find He is everything.
Conclusion and Commitment
Your true hope lies not in the answer you expect, but in the certainty of the One who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or even imagine.
Closing Challenge:
Identify one area of your life where you have been praying a small, vague prayer. This week, rewrite that prayer, making it so big, bold, and intentional that only God's limitless abundance could bring it to pass.
Then, when the inevitable silence comes, commit to seeking His face, not just His hand.