Is it okay to wish for something?
Yes, it is okay to wish for, or desire, something. Jesus wished for things for Himself and for us. We can wish for good things for ourselves and for others (3 John 2, KJV). To wish is to be human. However, as with anything else, it can get out of hand. There are certain things we should wish for and certain things we shouldn't. The Bible can serve as our guideline on this.The Bible commands us to wish for or desire certain things: wisdom (Proverbs 24:14), salvation of others (Romans 10:1), spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1), the revelation of who are God's children (Romans 8:19), and the Day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:11–12). Jesus wished for us to be either hot or cold in our love for Him (Revelation 3:15). When He was about to be crucified, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, wishing that there was a way that this cup could pass from Him, but ultimately wanting God's will above all (Matthew 26:39).
It doesn't take a lot for any of us to realize that wishes can get misdirected. If our wishes are based in discontentment with what God has given us, they are not healthy. Wishes that are covetous or rooted in greed are not in alignment with God's Word (Exodus 20:17; Luke 12:15; Hebrews 13:5). Also, wishing for sinful things, such as wishing for another person's spouse or wishing to be extremely wealthy, are misdirected desires that are not in line with God's will (Deuteronomy 5:21; 1 Timothy 6:9–10).
We should make sure that our first priority is to delight ourselves in the Lord: "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). Not only will God fulfill our desires. As we delight ourselves in Him, He will first help to cultivate the right desires in us, desires that are in line with His will for our lives. We can trust that God, our heavenly Father, desires to bless us when we wish for and ask Him for things: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11).
Our goal should be to be in tune with God so that we ask for things that are in line with His desires for us and others. When we have the right heart motive, our perspectives and wishes are pure in their intentions: "And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him" (1 John 5:15).
How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God?
Why pray? What is the purpose of prayer?
What types of prayer are mentioned in the Bible?
What does the Bible teach about hope?
How can I seek first the kingdom of God?
Truth about the Christian Life
