Do you think God cares about your desires and hopes for the future? Does your heart REALLY believe that’s true?

Or do you secretly worry that He’ll ask you to marry someone you don’t want to marry, take a job that sounds terrible, or move to a faraway country to be a missionary—completely disregarding what’s in your heart?

The heart of God is bigger than we think it is, and all His ways are beautiful. Romans 12:2 says His will is good, pleasing, and perfect. This doesn’t mean He will never ask us to do something hard—but His way is always the best way, and we can trust Him more than we trust ourselves. He is kind toward us, and we really can trust Him with our hearts.

Think about the following verses. What do they say about you and your hopes? What do they say about your heavenly Father and the good future He has for you? Write down anything the Holy Spirit shows you.

God Is Gentle with You

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. (Isa. 40:11 NIV)

Why would God want to hold you close to His heart? Why does the Bible use those words? Is it possible you matter THAT MUCH to Him?

Pray about the following ideas:

You mean the world to your heavenly Father.
He is gentle and tender with you.
His arms are your home.
You are very special to Him.
He wants to take care of you in all things.

Here’s a simple prayer when you feel like your hopes and dreams don’t matter: Father, please help me to see how much I mean to You. Help me to trust You with all my heart.

When You Ask Anything According to His Will, He Hears You

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. (1 John 5:14–15 NASB)

From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.” (Acts 17:26–28 NLT)

When you know what your loving heavenly Father wants to do in your life, you can ask for big things without fear. You can even ask for impossible things, and He will respond with joy.

Pray about the following ideas:

The sound of your voice is important to your Father.
When your heart is lined up with His heart, nothing is out of reach for you. (If you’re concerned your heart might not be lined up with His, ask Him to show you what’s real and to fill you up with His heart.)
He is not far away from you.
He set up your life so you can find Him.
You live and move and exist in His love.
You were made to feel His love!

Here’s a simple prayer when you feel like nothing in your life is working out: Father, would You open my eyes so I can see what You’re doing in my life?

You Can Trust Him to Care About You in All Things

Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 TPT)

Is it easy for you to trust the Lord with the things that are important to you? Why or why not? What has He been teaching you about trust lately?

Pray about the following ideas:

You don’t have to carry your worries all by yourself. They are not up to you to solve alone—you can trust Him to help you.
God wants to carry even the things that are causing you stress. You can leave them with Him.
The Lord always tenderly cares for you—so logically speaking, your desires must matter to Him. Why? Because they’re a part of who you are.

Here’s a simple prayer when you’re trying to trust the Lord with your dreams: Father, please show my heart who You are. I want to learn to trust You at a deeper level.

If You’re Struggling Right Now…

God made you a certain way on purpose. He cares for you and loves your details, and you can take your requests to Him in confidence.

You matter to us, and we want you to have a deep awareness of how much God really loves you and your heart. How can we pray for you?

Need Prayer?

Interested in reading more about dating, relationships, and your walk with God? Here are a few articles on related topics:

For more information on sex, marriage, and finding the person who is right for you, get a copy of Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.

God’s Heart & Your Desires for the Future (Prayers & Declarations)