God is not a Genie

By - Eric Shulman, National Capital Bible Church

God is not a genie. 

We, as Christians, may even bristle at the idea when nonbelievers make the comparison. And yet, many of us treat Him more like a genie than we may realize. Do we get frustrated when God doesn’t immediately (or ever) give us the things we want? Do we expect life to be nothing but sunshine and rainbows upon accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior? 

We may not intentionally do this, but if we are honest with ourselves, it’s an easy thought process to fall victim to. Especially considering we actually face more trials as a Christian than before (though we will save that topic for a later blog post). Two of the verses often used to perpetuate this idea are Mark 11:24 and Matt 7:7.

“Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)

The notion that we can ask for what we want, and it will be ours, does seem to point to God giving us whatever we ask for, right?

In fact, this is a misunderstanding of the verses. When we pray for a million dollars or a pony, it rarely happens. Why then does God not always give us what we want? There are a few reasons to consider:

• Our request may not be in His will. (Romans 12:2)

• Our request may not actually bring us the happiness we expect. (Proverbs 16:16,19;
  1 John 2:15-17)

• We may be asking for the wrong reasons. (James 4:2,3)

Does this mean God does not work in the way Mark claims He does? Again, no. Instead, we must understand this description in a wider sense of who God is and how He works. 

Let’s take a step back and consider what happiness is in the context of Christianity. Is it having a large bank account? A beautiful home? The latest model of a Tesla? Great vacations

Romans 12:2 shows us that when we become Christians, our idea of happiness is meant to shift away from the items above, sometimes referred to as the details of life.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

Do the details of life bring us lasting happiness? Typically, no. Instead, they seem to provide more of a stimulation, a bump up in our attitude that rarely lingers for too long. So, if these items don’t bring us happiness and we are told to “renew our minds,” what should we look to for lasting contentment?

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

The above verse indicates that we can find contentment simply in the fact that God has created the day for us and that we are alive to take part in it. We are not told to be happy because the day will be good, or because good things will come our way. Instead, we are told to be happy simply because God has created it. Examine Philippians 3:1 next:

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.”

And 1 Peter 1:6-9:

“6) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8) whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9) receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.”

Between these two passages, we can see that our simple faith in God is meant to bring us more happiness and contentment than the details of life.

Circling back to the idea that God is not a genie — what should we be praying for, if not the details of life? With the notion that our focus and happiness should be based on God, we should pray for God’s will for our lives. God knows what will make us happy, and, as Mark 11:24 states, can and will provide it to us when we are in His plan. Shifting to this focus allows us to move from considering God similar to a genie to us as followers of Him, interested in serving His purpose for our lives. 

If you have any questions on this topic or on how to make the information above real in your life, we highly encourage you to reach out to us at National Capital Bible Church. Our pastor, Freddy Cortez, would be happy to discuss it with you.

This post was written by Eric Shulman of National Capital Bible Church. If you have questions about this post or Christianity in general, please contact us today!