Serving God without seeing our prayers answered can become frustrating. Why? Because without really realizing it, we sometimes treat faith like an employment contract instead of an inspiring relationship.

We’ve all had this thought at some point. “I serve God every week, I give my tithe, I do my best not to sin… why hasn’t God given me what I’ve asked for yet?” Whether it’s a life partner, health, or the salvation of a loved one. Sometimes, we even add verses like Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints” (NASB). Or the even more popular verse: “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 NASB).

When we think this way, it’s because we’ve forgotten that God doesn’t give us blessings based on merit. In our physical world, we receive a salary according to our work, and sometimes we think it’s a bit the same with God. If we work for him, His blessings will be our pay. And when we don’t see His blessings arrive, we become angry with God, just as we would be angry if our boss didn’t give us our paycheck after our work week. Or worse: if our brother in Christ receives the blessing we’ve long sought from God, without him having made as much effort as we have to please God, we become jealous and even angrier. A bit like the prodigal son’s brother!

So it’s good to remember that God’s blessings are not something we’re entitled to. There is no magic formula for getting what we expect from God. We only need to read the story of Job to remember that even if we have a pure life, it won’t spare us pain and suffering. So why remain faithful to God and do what He asks if it doesn’t automatically give us what we desire?

We follow God’s precepts because it is the right way to go. God’s commandments are like an instruction manual for life. Our parents teach us the basics for surviving in this world. But God teaches us the essentials for enjoying this life and, often, for avoiding dangers we wouldn’t have seen coming. In Joshua 1:8, it is promised that we will succeed in our endeavors if we meditate on God’s Word. This doesn’t mean that by reading the Bible every day, we will avoid all failure. Rather, it means that when we take the time to read and study God’s Word, we develop wisdom that leads us to make the right decisions; good decisions that will then lead us to good results. Success, therefore, is not a reward for our efforts, but a consequence of our obedience.

Along the same lines, we can return to the verse quoted earlier and discern a very different interpretation. Psalm 37:4 does not mean that if we do all the right things, we will have everything our thoughts desire. Rather, this verse means that when we draw near to God, our hearts align with God’s desires, and therefore, our desires will eventually be fulfilled because that is also what God seeks. We have the same mindset as He does.

Moreover, don’t we say that salvation is an “unmerited gift” from God? The only salvation we truly deserve, according to our actions, is death (Romans 6:23). If we can hope for a different end, it is only by gift, by the grace of God. Single people, God does not owe you a husband or a wife because you have an impeccable life. You should have such a life because your heart is in love with Christ. Let us continue to follow His precepts not to gain something, but simply because we were created to follow Him. When we walk exactly on the path that has been prepared for us, we find peace, rest, and true satisfaction.