God Still Answers Prayer
I never doubt that God hears me when I pray, but I too often marvel at how quickly He answers my prayers. I have two examples of this that happened just this week.
After a couple busy weeks of traveling and activities, celebrating my birthday with various family members, things finally slowed down so that I was able to get back into a regular routine. On Monday, as I was thinking over my schedule and the things I needed to be working on, I decided to ask the Lord for more editing work. I don’t have another conference until October so it seemed like the perfect time to make my petition. Shortly after I opened my computer, I received a message from a friend letting me know that she was passing my contact information on to a friend of hers who was looking for an editor. Then the next morning, another friend emailed to let me know about a ministry that is looking for a part-time copy editor. Keep in mind that this is not something I posted on Facebook. I had just asked the Lord if He would provide this for me and, although I don’t know if these will come through immediately, it was the perfect way for Him to let me know that He heard my prayer.
As if that wasn’t enough, the next morning I was walking and crying, overwhelmed by the needs of several family members, feeling like I’m letting people down and yet reminding myself that I can only be one place at a time, and I’m where I believe God wants me at present. In the middle of this, I received a text from a friend to let me know that she was praying for me for “rest and provision, a joyful and pain-free day.” Talk about timing! I can’t say that I cheered up right away but God answered her prayers, and I have had a much better day today. I don’t think I even had pain last night which is a rare occurrence.
I don’t write this to brag as if I am someone special or super spiritual. Definitely not. I do, however, want to remind you that often we do not have because we do not ask. I can go months talking about how I would like more work or how my family needs help, but talk is cheap if not accompanied by prayer. Sure, God knows our thoughts, but He desires us to come to Him and make our requests known.
I can hear someone now sputtering, “That’s great that God does that for you but He doesn’t do that for me.” God is not a genie in a bottle who is waiting with a wand to grant every whim. There are many prayers that God has not yet answered in the way I would like Him to. But I keep praying until He makes it clear that it is not His will. When I am tempted to become frustrated with unanswered prayers, I quote Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” If my greatest desire is to serve Him, He will give me everything that I need. And if I’m honest, I admit that He also grants many of my wishes as well. Come to think of it, I feel spoiled. But I know that the love He has for me, He has for you as well. Luke 12:32 tells us, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” He has also promised in Matthew 6:30: “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
I was filling out an application today for a part-time job with a ministry, and one of the questions had to do with areas that I’ve grown in since walking with the Lord. I believe that one of those areas is trust. Only time will tell if I have mastered it, but the older I get and the more I look back at instances where God hadn’t left me even when it felt like He had, the more I can attest to His faithfulness.
This week, I encourage you to think about the situation that you’ve been complaining about, the person who has hurt you, your friend who needs a healing touch from the Lord. Then turn those concerns over to the Lord. Pray specifically for those needs and know that He hears you. If God has recently answered your prayers, I would love to hear about it in the comments. God bless you as you seek to draw closer to Him.
You’re right. I’m “sputtering”. I limit my prayers to things that I believe to be important and worthy of His attention. I don’t pray for wealth, power or fame. Never have, never will, even though others in my family have attained those very things. The most consistent prayer I’ve had is for peace. Forty years and still no help. No response. It’s a sad recognition in my family, that anything troubling that happens, happens to me. In fact, when I get to praying with extra intensity, things get worse. Every. Single. Time. There have been times that things were so predictable this way, that I often thought about praying for the opposite of what I was seeking because that’s what I always get. Evidently, peace isn’t part of God’s “plan” for me. God answers prayers that are in line with His will. Evidently, peace isn’t part of His will for me. And that’s a problem that can’t be reconciled as is. So, since he seems to be very attentive to your prayers, maybe you could remind Him of mine. You clearly have better luck than I do.
I have prayed for you at times and will continue to do so as God brings you to mind.