How do you feel when you talk to God? Do you believe He hears you? I do. The Bible says that God heard the Israelites' prayer because they trusted in Him. When you pray, do you expect an answer? Do you expect to receive what you've asked? You should. We are told to pray expectantly, believing that God will hear and answer us. Do you look for the answers to your prayers? Or do you chalk it up to coincidence when the very thing you asked for in prayer comes? I've begun to make note in my journal of the things I've asked of God, so that when those things come, I will know they are from Him. I sometimes forget who God is, and that with Him, nothing is impossible. I foolishly don't pray for those things that are, to my limited view, impossible. I forget that God parted the Red Sea, and turned water into wine. I forget that He has done amazing things in my life, and in my friends' lives. This is why I write my prayers down--to have a written record of the faithfulness of God in my life.
Praying in faith, expecting an answer, praying boldly and confidently is certainly not easy. It would be much easier to do something visible . . . to work and sweat and toil for what I want. If walking 100 miles would make my friend's cancer go away, I would do it in a heartbeat. But it won't. Only God can heal my friends. He made their bodies, and only He can fix them. Science and medicine are God's slaves. He uses them for our benefit. We pray earnestly and boldly that He will employ His slaves to our immediate benefit, and we believe-we must believe-that He will.
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I have been a Christian for many years. When things are going well, it's easy to pray just little superficial prayers...you know... please do this or please don't do that or please help me with...or thank you for...you know what I mean. And that's ok...some people never find themselves in a position where they have to actually plead with God for anything. I've been that kind of Christian for most of my life. It's not until this year that I have begged and pleaded with God. I know he already knows the answer to my prayers. I believe in His sovereignty. How could I go on if I didn't? So, why do we beg and plead with God? Because we're told that He will give us the the desires of our heart. We have gone through trials this year like never before, and because of this I have never felt as close to God.
I've heard it said that the kind of Christians that are heros of the faith have all endured intense suffering. I am beginning to learn more and more that trials show us our dependance on God and when we are weak, He is strong! It is only when I feel like I can do NOTHING and I am helpless to change a situation, that the Lord is shown to be most powerful and gets all the glory He deserves. Thanks for the post, Jen.
I've been convicted recently and asked God for forgiveness for not praying with more compassion. It sometimes scares me to think of what the Lord may use to give me more compassion, or more of a dependence on Him. Why if He works all things for good? More often than not it's because I learn things though trials and suffering. Interesting how He uses these things that are so painful at times for our good. If we're honest, I think we can all say we've been just like that man who brought his son to Christ to be healed and said "...But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?'" All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."
Yes, amiga, I wrote that verse in my journal last night; "I believe. Help Thou my unbelief!" I'm finding it very difficult to have faith in prayer, faith that is sure of what it hopes for and certain of what we cannot see. It's hard to pray without allowing room for doubt. I have to remind myself that I'm praying to the same God who performed miracles for the multitudes, and to Jesus who says, "Ask anything in my name and I will do it."
Jen,
I was just thinking about this very thing today. God is stretching us, refining us, and making us long for heaven. This whole past year seems to be sum'd up in Resolved's theme this time round. Thank you for your post.
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