Ephesians 1:16-17 — I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
Do you remember how afternoons felt when you were a kid? They felt endless.
I’d skid into the driveway, ditch my backpack, and grab my bike. Sneakers half-tied. Sun still high. I’d pedal up and down the street, knocking on doors, gathering friends until the gang was assembled. Once we were together, we knew exactly where we were headed.
Mrs. Glenda’s house.
She lived right next door, which makes it feel more like visiting than trespassing. Her front door was always open. We’d knock on the screen door and wait.
“Mrs. Glenda, do you have any candy?” I’d say.
Of course she did. She always did. She’d smile like she had been hoping someone would ask, then reach for a bucket of candy like it was Halloween on a random Tuesday.
With suckers in hand, we’d ride off into the sunset, disappearing into whatever adventures our imaginations cooked up. And there she’d be, standing in the doorway, smiling and waving like she hadn’t just given away candy for the fifth time that week.
I remember being appreciative for the candy, but never really knowing just how special that was. Because the miracle wasn’t the candy—it was the consistency. We kept showing up, and she kept answering. I think about it now, and think “At what point do you become a nuisance.” Did she ever get tired of us kids stopping by?
I don’t think she did.
You don’t run into many people like that. And replaying those afternoons now, and that’s where those memories connect with me spiritually.
We’re told to pray. To ask. To knock. But if we’re honest, we sometimes hesitate. We wonder if God gets tired of us or if our prayers are too repetitive.
We worry we’re wearing God out, but really, He’s inviting us in.
God isn’t rationing His goodness or guarding the door. But I’m learning that His greatest answers to prayer aren’t always quick fixes. The sweetest gift is Him.
That’s why Paul’s prayer in Ephesians lands differently now. He writes: “I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.”
Paul doesn’t ask for fewer problems or easier circumstances. He asks for deeper knowing. He asks that their hearts would grow in wisdom and insight—not just to receive from God, but to truly know Him.
And notice the rhythm of his prayer. He doesn’t stop thanking. He’s constantly asking. Over and over. He’s not worried about bothering God—confident that God welcomes the asking.
So don’t worry, God isn’t annoyed by repeated prayers. Often, it’s through persistent prayer that He reveals more of Himself to us.
Keep showing up. Keep knocking. Keep riding right up to the door with whatever your carrying that day. Ask boldly for more wisdom and nearness. Ask for more of Him.
The door is already open, and you were never a bother.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- Do you ever hesitate to bring the same prayer to God more than once? Why?
- Are you praying mainly for circumstances to change, or for deeper wisdom and closeness with Him?
- What would it look like to approach God with childlike confidence instead of quiet reluctance?
- Where in your life is God inviting you to keep knocking instead of walking away?
- How might your faith grow if you believed you were never a burden to your Heavenly Father?