“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

– Matthew 7:7

Have you ever found yourself returning to the same prayer over and over again, heart aching, hoping that this time – this time – God will finally give you what you’re asking for?

Maybe it’s a prayer for healing. A relationship. A breakthrough in your vocation, your work, or your mental health. Whatever it is, it lodges itself in your heart like a thorn and becomes the center of your conversations with God. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve sometimes wondered: Is He even listening?

Recently, I listened to a beautiful reflection on Hallow about praying with persistence. The reflection was centered on the idea that persistent prayer – the kind that wrestles, pleads, waits, and clings – is heard. And more than that, it’s answered. But not always in the way we expect.

The reflection emphasized tenacity in prayer. Not a shallow repetition, but a deep and sustained willingness to remain with God in prayer even when the answers aren’t immediate. Even when we don’t understand.

But what struck me most – what moved something deep in my spirit – was the idea that persistent prayer doesn’t necessarily get us what we want. It gets us what we need.

Not My Will, But Yours Be Done

It’s hard to admit sometimes, but often what I want isn’t what’s truly good for me. I can pray fervently for something – a certain opportunity, relationship, or outcome – believing with my whole heart that it’s what I need. But God, who sees from eternity, who knows the depths of my soul, knows better.

Persistent prayer is not a vending machine. It’s a relationship. It’s how we allow the Lord to shape our hearts and teach us to desire rightly. When we return again and again to the Lord in prayer, especially when we’re not getting the answer we desire, something begins to shift. Not always the situation – but us. Our hearts, little by little, become more aligned with His.

Think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed three times: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” He prayed with tears and blood and agony. And yet, His prayer ends not with “give me what I want,” but “not my will, but yours be done.” (Matthew 26:39)

That’s the heart of persistent prayer.

The Mother Who Knows Our Needs

Our Blessed Mother models this, too. At the wedding at Cana, she doesn’t demand a miracle. She simply brings the need to Jesus and trusts Him: “They have no wine.” Her persistent intercession is quiet but powerful, and she leaves the outcome entirely in His hands.

In our Marian devotion, especially as women trying to grow in trust, Our Lady teaches us not to storm heaven like entitled daughters – but to pray boldly, yet humbly, knowing that what we receive will be good, even if it is not exactly what we asked for.

What Happens When We Don’t Give Up

When we persist in prayer – when we return again and again to the feet of Jesus—we are not being annoying. We are not being childish or needy. We are being faithful. We are saying, “I trust You enough to keep asking, even if I don’t understand.”

And in return, God promises to give us what we need:

• Peace when the storm rages on
• Clarity when the answer is “not yet”
• Grace when the cross is heavy
• Strength when we feel we can’t go on
  

Persistent prayer draws us into communion with the Lord. It stretches our souls. And while we may not always get the “yes” we long for, we will always receive a Father’s love – tailored, intentional, and exactly what we need.

A Challenge for the Week

This week, return to that one prayer you’ve nearly given up on – the one that feels unanswered, or maybe even unnoticed. The one that’s been gathering dust in the back of your heart. Instead of demanding an outcome or pleading for a specific answer, shift your focus. Ask simply for the guidance and intercession of the Holy Spirit throughout the week. Let Him lead your prayer. Invite Him into your restlessness and your waiting.

Don’t force an answer – just bring it to the Lord again. Speak it aloud if you need to. Light a candle. Journal it. Sit with Him in Adoration.

As you pray, ask not just for the outcome, but for the grace to receive what you truly need. Persistence in prayer doesn’t just change our circumstances – it changes us.

Whether your words come easily or you sit in silence, the Holy Spirit is there, shaping your heart, drawing you closer to the Father, and reminding you that you are not alone.

His silence is never indifference – it is preparation. And you can trust: He will give you exactly what you need. He will never leave you empty.