Do You Desire ALL Things?
- AJ SADLER
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
“…throw yourself into this work for Christ….When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did…” II Timothy 2:1-7 MSG
When we pray in Jesus’ name, what are we really asking for? Many of us say, “Lord, I want everything You have for me.” We sing about surrender. We pray for His will. We ask Him to use us. We declare that we want all He has planned for our lives.
But do we truly mean all?
Because “all” includes the mountaintops and the valleys. It includes open doors and closed ones. It includes celebration and sacrifice. It includes seasons of abundance and seasons that teach us dependence.
Paul understood this. He encouraged Timothy to throw himself completely into the work of the Gospel. He didn’t paint a picture of an easy life. He reminded him that when life became difficult, he wasn’t alone. Every faithful believer would experience hardship. Soldiers endure. Athletes discipline themselves. Farmers patiently work long before they enjoy the harvest.
None of them see the process as punishment.
They see it as preparation.
That’s the perspective God wants us to have.
Every blessing carries responsibility because God trusts us with what He gives. Responsibility creates opportunities to grow. Growth develops maturity. Maturity prepares us for greater influence. What feels heavy today may actually be God strengthening you for what you’ve been praying for tomorrow.
Sometimes we ask God for more, never realizing that “more” requires us to become more.
More patience.
More faith.
More humility.
More endurance.
More dependence on Him.
That’s not God making life harder. That’s God making you stronger.
The beautiful part is that God never calls us to walk a road He hasn’t already walked Himself. Jesus experienced rejection, betrayal, suffering, sacrifice, and ultimately victory. If we belong to Him, we shouldn’t be surprised that our journey contains the same pattern. We don’t merely share in His blessings, we share in His life. And because we share in His life, we also share in His victory.
So don’t become discouraged when following Jesus costs you something. It doesn’t mean you’ve stepped outside His will. Often it’s evidence that you’re walking right through it. The same God who gives peace in the storm also gives strength to endure it. The same God who calls you into responsibility also provides the grace to carry it.
Keep saying yes.
Keep trusting.
Keep serving.
Keep believing.
Because every season is accomplishing something eternal, even when you can’t yet see it.
If you desire all that Christ has for you, don’t fear every difficult season. Some of God’s greatest gifts arrive wrapped in challenges that shape you into the person He’s called you to become.
Here’s the blunt truth: Don’t just desire God’s blessings. Desire the journey that makes you ready to carry them.
Do You Desire ALL Things?
1. Am I only thanking God for the blessings, or am I trusting Him through the seasons that are shaping me?
2. What challenge in my life might actually be preparing me for the answer to a prayer I’ve been praying?
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