Russ Campbell limped through an injury-filled 1988 season as a tight end at Kansas State University. The Wildcats had gone 0-10-1 and 0-11 in consecutive years, and a new coach wanted to shift Russ to the defensive line.

“I wanted to quit. I hated life,” Russ said. But before he quit, he called brother-in-law Doug Peake, a minister in Wichita, who encouraged him to pray. So, Doug prayed. He asked for the tenacity of a weed! “Weeds have such a tenacity. They’re always coming back, and coming back and always growing,” explains Russ. “That’s what I prayed for . . . the tenacity of a weed.”

Matthew 7 – God’s Promise to Provide

Tenacity in prayer is the means of obtaining what we need from God, according to Matthew 7:7-11. What do we really need? We need to do the will of God with all our hearts. We need food, shelter, and clothing. Jesus said to “ask,” to “seek,” and to “knock” on the door of Heaven with our requests. Like a beggar seeking bread or a traveler asking for directions, we simply approach God with our requests. God’s promise is to provide.

Seeking means “asking plus effort” to obtain. We are first to seek God as we would seek valued treasure. Then, we are to seek the answer to our requests. We must trust God and work hard to achieve what we seek. God promises we will find what we seek.

God answered Russ Campbell’s prayer. He came back and caught more passes (35) than any Big Eight tight end in the next two seasons. He was second-team All-Big Eight and K-State’s top football scholar-athlete. How do you pray? Is it with persistence and with active seeking as you wait for God’s answers? Hang in there with God, and you will not be disappointed.

 The Kingdom Coach and Athlete are persistent in their prayers while seeking the things He wants for them, humbly surrendering their own wills to His.

Journaling helps you understand and respond to the Bible. As you journal, use the acronym HEAR to Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond to what you have read in the reading plan.

Bible Memory Verse – Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38

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