iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women

Persisting in Prayer with Bold Trust - iBelieve Truth - A Devotional for Women - July 1, 2026

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“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity, he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” Luke 11:5-8

I have many good qualities. I’m smart, caring, discerning, honest, and hard-working. I also am driven, and when I want something, I’m not afraid to go after it. This can be a strength, but also a weakness. Sometimes I have pushed opportunities away because I have pushed myself too hard or wanted to accomplish my agenda too eagerly. 

Recently, however, my perseverance has been a strength. I applied for a dream job in the writing world a couple of months ago. I had an initial conversation and filled out an application. I was informed I would not hear anything for a while because the boss would be traveling and involved in other activities for the next couple of weeks.

I waited.
One month went by. Silence.
Two months went by. Silence.

It was imperative that I receive an answer because I was trying to make plans for my future, and whether I would be hired was a big part of that puzzle. I emailed to gently ask about the status of the position. But I received no response. I emailed again a week later, and still nothing. Finally, I emailed a co-worker there whom I knew personally and had initially informed me about the open position. He passed my information along. A day later, I received a phone call from the boss. An hour later, and one additional meeting, I was hired. My point is this: when we are tempted to ignore or stop pursuing an opportunity because of fear of rejection, silence, or someone’s lack of due diligence, we need to follow this verse. If it were not for this man’s persistent knocking for what he needed, he never would have gotten the bread he desired.

While we don’t want to be too pushy or force our agenda on others, God also knows what we need. He knew the man needed bread. While the story parallels the Lord's approach to prayer, we are allowed to boldly approach God’s throne with our requests. God knows everything we want or need. Nothing surprises him. While he knows the will and future for our lives, we do not. We are to come to God and ask him boldly, submitting to his authority and trusting that his will is sufficient for our lives. Think about your prayer life. Do you approach God with boldness and persistence, asking him for even the most outrageous, seemingly impossible requests? Do you ask once sheepishly, slinking away and assuming God won’t move on your behalf? If I hadn’t been persistent and taken silence as rejection, I never would have landed my dream job. Even when my mind and insecurities told me to wait and walk away if the boss didn’t respond, I persisted. That persistence got me what I desired. 

Pray and ask God persistently. Come to him expectantly. Trust him wholeheartedly. God is not a cruel God. He wants to give you the desires of your heart, but only if they align with his will. We are not kept from asking God for anything, but we may not get everything we want in life. When our prayer comes back as no, we must trust that it is the correct answer. Allow God to order your steps. Pray for everything; be content with everything. Trust God with your future; walk with God daily in the present. Pray with shameless audacity.

Let's Pray ...

Father,
Let us be people who pray to you with boldness and confidence. Let us persist in prayer with you, especially for our unsaved loved ones. Let us pray and wait expectantly as we watch the incredible ways you work in our lives for our good. If the answer is no after we have prayed with perseverance, let us be content with your will and trust you with everything in our lives, even our greatest hopes, dreams, and desires.
Amen. 

What truth from today’s devotional is God using to encourage your heart? Share your reflection and join our conversation in the iBelieve Truth Devotional Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes 

Writer Michelle LazurekMichelle S. Lazurek is a multi-genre award-winning author, speaker, pastor's wife, and mother. She is a literary agent for Wordwise Media Services and host of The Spritual Reset Podcast. Her new children’s book Hall of Faith encourages kids to understand God can be trusted. When not working, she enjoys sipping a Starbucks latte, collecting 80s memorabilia, and spending time with her family and her crazy dog. For more info, please visit her website www.michellelazurek.com.

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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.

Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.

Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.

I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

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