What is it about asking God for help with something big in our lives that makes us just . . . oh, I don't know . . . a little nervous maybe?  We approach Him guardedly, even when we have a strong relationship with Him and know that He truly does want to give us the things we desire.           

We pray something like this:  " If you could maybe just give me a little direction on where I should be going. . ." or "I'm so worried about what is going on with my child.  If you could just help them through this situation . . ."  or even "I really need help.  I just want enough money to . . . "

So, what's wrong with these?  Well.  Let's take a look at the word "just".  While Webster's Dictionary has several definitions for the word, the one that is most common is the following:

Just:  by a narrow margin; barely; only or merely.

Did you get that? Joyce Meyers has spoken on this and a friend of mine recently pointed it out to me.  By using the word "just" in our prayers, we are essentially asking God to barely do what we ask.  To do it by a narrow margin.  To only provide the least of what we want.  And, though He knows what we need without our asking Him, when we seek Him out in prayer to specifically ask for His help, He has said that He will give us what we ask for:

Matthew 21:22 says:
"Jesus said, 'If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.'"

I believe that with everything that is in me.  But, when I pray, am I doing myself a disservice by saying "just", or am I showing my true, deep down, lack of pure faith?  Am I giving God wiggle room in my prayer so that if He doesn't answer it like I want, I can convince myself that I didn't really want it either?

Sometimes I find myself doing this with my own children. Even if I know of something that they want, if they instead ask me for a smaller portion of it, I'll give them what they ask for, not what I know they truly wanted.  I don't do this out of meanness, I do it out of love.  I want them to understand about wants and needs.  I want them to be clear in their own mind of what it is that they desire.  And sometimes, I want them to see that they could have had more if they had been clearer and understood exactly what they wanted instead of jumping the gun and asking me hurriedly so that they could have immediate gratification.   

I don't know about you, but when I am actually setting time aside with God to approach Him with a problem, I don't want the bare minimum answer.  I want Him to step in and give me the answer to my prayer in God-sized-proportions that only He can provide. I want to know without a doubt that the answer came from Him.  I want to be perfectly clear in my approach and in my prayer so that we both understand exactly what it is that I seek.

I've got some work to do.  Since my friend pointed this out to me, I've noticed the word "just" seeping in through every corner of my life.  It's in my conversations.  It's in my writing.  And, it's in my prayer life.  It's probably nerve-racking just to carry on a conversation with me.  See what I mean?!

No more!  Let's approach God in confidence.  Knowing not only exactly what we are asking for from Him, but also knowing wholeheartedly that He is going to provide it for us.  The whole shebang.  The big answer.  The complete package.  Then, when He shows up with it, we'll not only have our needs met completely, but our faith will grow as well.  And with growth, comes the weeding of things we no longer need.  Like, just a small word.