I was taught two important lessons as a child. Well, perhaps I learned more than that.
One lesson was, God answers prayer. The second was, God's answer can be different than we want. Of course, though, there is another lesson that I have learned since...
God's perfect timing is part of his answer.
He may say yes, or no, or you decide. He may want us to do something to yield different results, or He may bless in spite of our ignorance. Regardless, His timing is perfect.
And because his timing is not my timing or your timing we are often concerned:
Did God hear me? Does God care? Will God?
Then, if we allow those questions to stay in us, we turn into commenting:
God must not care, he must not hear me, he probably will not.
And, of course, tainted comments can become accusatory:
God, you don't care; you're not able; you probably never existed.
Finally, we can buy the lie:
There is no god.
"why bother?"
i'm invictus
i am god
i am
Me
.
But God does answer, and I must remember that. He has, He does, and He will.
The other day, I prayed for God to show me an item along my walk. I found what i call the Angel Girl (a toy with girl with a broken leg, which was found off the side of the road). I prayed for God help me find a marker, and I believe He did. I found it seconds later. I prayed for a woman to find tape, and she did. I prayed for a woman to get healed, and she was-- and came to church to worship God. I prayed for sign... a literal sign, so I might receive direction in my life. Nothing, nothing, nothing... In fact, I was so desperate to find a sign that I prayed "God, before I get back from my walk, I want the answer." Well, when i did not find a sign of any kind, as i approached the door to my apartment there was a receipt as someone's left over litter. I scoured it for an answer... NOTHING. Then within the hour, let's say, I my roomy came in with a sandwich and fries and... you guessed it... a SIGN! In fact, it was a sign I created and had forgotten about. I won't go into details, but God used that sign to answer my heart's cry.
Praise the Lord, He always answers.
"But what about when we don't see results?"
Well, this is where faith and submission to God is vital.
Did God want this or that to happen, did God care about thr kid's troubles?
Where was He in the violence? Where was He in the flood, fire, earthquake, those cold stares from those parents?
I submit to this lesson, whether right or wrong...
1) God answers prayer
2) God answers may be different than we are seeking to receive
3) God's timing is not our timing
Prayer: Lord, I pray right now for myself, and people around the world, Christian and non. I ask that you will keep answering prayers. There are many whose lives are in shambles. There are those who have a close one who is dying and does not accept what You provide through the cross. There are those who need you more than they know how to pray. I fit each description... and I ask that you will hear this prayer and reply so that people will know that You do care. Rid us of unbelief as You pour in your Spirit and make us a better different while on this planet. Not our will be done, not in our timing or way, but Yours. In Jesus' Name, amen.
Disclaimer:
The video below may frustrate someone experiencing grief due to a seemingly unanswered prayer. Please forgive me.
It is called "An Answered Prayer"[video=youtube;4B-BFm5-fR4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B-BFm5-fR4[/video][h=1][/h]
One lesson was, God answers prayer. The second was, God's answer can be different than we want. Of course, though, there is another lesson that I have learned since...
God's perfect timing is part of his answer.
He may say yes, or no, or you decide. He may want us to do something to yield different results, or He may bless in spite of our ignorance. Regardless, His timing is perfect.
And because his timing is not my timing or your timing we are often concerned:
Did God hear me? Does God care? Will God?
Then, if we allow those questions to stay in us, we turn into commenting:
God must not care, he must not hear me, he probably will not.
And, of course, tainted comments can become accusatory:
God, you don't care; you're not able; you probably never existed.
Finally, we can buy the lie:
There is no god.
"why bother?"
i'm invictus
i am god
i am
Me
.
But God does answer, and I must remember that. He has, He does, and He will.
The other day, I prayed for God to show me an item along my walk. I found what i call the Angel Girl (a toy with girl with a broken leg, which was found off the side of the road). I prayed for God help me find a marker, and I believe He did. I found it seconds later. I prayed for a woman to find tape, and she did. I prayed for a woman to get healed, and she was-- and came to church to worship God. I prayed for sign... a literal sign, so I might receive direction in my life. Nothing, nothing, nothing... In fact, I was so desperate to find a sign that I prayed "God, before I get back from my walk, I want the answer." Well, when i did not find a sign of any kind, as i approached the door to my apartment there was a receipt as someone's left over litter. I scoured it for an answer... NOTHING. Then within the hour, let's say, I my roomy came in with a sandwich and fries and... you guessed it... a SIGN! In fact, it was a sign I created and had forgotten about. I won't go into details, but God used that sign to answer my heart's cry.
Praise the Lord, He always answers.
"But what about when we don't see results?"
Well, this is where faith and submission to God is vital.
Did God want this or that to happen, did God care about thr kid's troubles?
Where was He in the violence? Where was He in the flood, fire, earthquake, those cold stares from those parents?
I submit to this lesson, whether right or wrong...
1) God answers prayer
2) God answers may be different than we are seeking to receive
3) God's timing is not our timing
Prayer: Lord, I pray right now for myself, and people around the world, Christian and non. I ask that you will keep answering prayers. There are many whose lives are in shambles. There are those who have a close one who is dying and does not accept what You provide through the cross. There are those who need you more than they know how to pray. I fit each description... and I ask that you will hear this prayer and reply so that people will know that You do care. Rid us of unbelief as You pour in your Spirit and make us a better different while on this planet. Not our will be done, not in our timing or way, but Yours. In Jesus' Name, amen.
Disclaimer:
The video below may frustrate someone experiencing grief due to a seemingly unanswered prayer. Please forgive me.
It is called "An Answered Prayer"[video=youtube;4B-BFm5-fR4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B-BFm5-fR4[/video][h=1][/h]