Realizing that even Camille occasionally needed encouragement, Lynn sat down beside her friend. “What’s up?” she asked.

“Jake came home from football practice last night saying some of the coaches were using foul language again. I just thought that after all the time we spent last spring praying for a Christian coach, things would be different this year.”

“We’re not through praying,” Lynn said. “We’re going to keep asking God to build a strong, Christian influence in that coaching staff.”

“You’re right,” Camille said. “And in God’s perfect time He’ll answer.”

After Jesus supplied His disciples with a model prayer (Luke 11:2–4), He told them how to pray: with persistence or, more specifically, with shamelessness. While you might consider it rude to ask a friend for the same favor over and over, Jesus encourages His disciples, including us, to come before God’s throne with the same requests as often as needed and without any embarrassment. He delights in our asking, and He promises to answer in His perfect timing.

Why do some prayers require persistence? Because sometimes He wants to accomplish even more in the meantime. He might change your heart and your requests, grow you in Christlikeness, teach someone else through your faith, or answer in a way you hadn’t expected. Have you been praying about something for a long time? Keep praying and watch for God’s hand in the meantime.