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Are You Getting A Raw Deal From God? (Impact Hard Devotional: Day 61)

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The Lost Art of Prayer

Are You Getting A Raw Deal From God?

“So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Matthew 7:11

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?”

Matthew 7:9-10

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If your son (or daughter) walked into the room right now and asked you for a hug, would you hit him with the back of your hand? Would you say, “Not now, I am doing something important”? Of course not! There is nothing a father wants more than to share a tender moment with his beloved child.

When it comes to taking care of your children, would you intentionally give your daughter (or son) a brick when she asked for a blanket? That would be ridiculous, and cruel! Bread and stones, fish and snakes, hugs and slaps, or blankets and bricks are all clearly discernible contrasts between the gifts of a loving father, and the tricks of a cruel one. Yet, sometimes, the loving things our heavenly father does are not as easily discerned by His children.

Is it loving for a father to withhold the fruit of a tree from his own children? When God commanded Adam (and Eve) not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was His prohibition rooted in cruelty or love? The wicked and wily serpent used that very question to create doubt and disobedience in God’s children, and Satan has been doing it ever since.

When you pray, and ask God for good and wonderful things, what happens in your soul when those prayers seemingly go unanswered? Do you assume that God is giving you a serpent when all you asked for was a fish? Do you question the love of your heavenly Father when your prayers are not delivered as quickly as an Amazon Prime package? Is it possible that your wise, good, and loving Father in heaven loves YOU more than you could possibly imagine and that whatever He is doing (or not doing) is a part of His perfect plan to make you into the man He has created you to be?

One final thought… if you EVER start to think that you are getting a raw deal from God, remember that every single good and perfect thing that has ever come your way is a gift directly from God.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

Reflection: (Don’t skip this!)

What do I need to know?
How do I need to grow?
Where does this need to show up in my life?

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To Equip & Encourage

Are You Getting A Raw Deal From God? (Impact Hard Devotional: Day 61)

Are You Getting A Raw Deal From God?

IMPACT HARD | 75 Day Devotional for Men | © 2026

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