Have you ever prayed for something and it didn't happen? At least, it didn't happen the way you wanted it to. It didn't happen WHEN you wanted it to. Or it didn't happen AT ALL. How do you feel about those times? Did you earnestly seek God's favor and answer when you prayed for your request? Or was it just a 'God will you do this?' prayer?
Sometimes it is in the seeking God that our answer is given. Sometimes the subject of our prayer isn't answered because the timing isn't right. Or perhaps it is just because we didn't really pray the prayer, it was more like 'I wish this would happen'. It becomes a longing of our heart and of our own wants, and it hasn't really been a prayer at all. In our own selfishness, it is something that we WANT, or perhaps even something that we NEED, and God is just waiting for us to truly ASK Him for it, longing to answer our request, but we never really put it into a sincere prayer.
Does that make sense to you?
And when God doesn't answer that request the way we want Him to, because we really haven't prayed about it; we really haven't sought Him for His answer to our request, we just 'put it out there', we get upset with God. After all, doesn't His Word say that "He will give us the desires of our heart"? We desired this, we TOLD God we wanted it, why didn't He give us the desire of our heart?
We get angry with Him. We shut Him out of our lives because He didn't answer our request. Dare we even list it as a prayer? A sincere prayer? Yes, we may have sincerely prayed for someone to be healed; but did we see His hand in the situation at all if it wasn't answered? Perhaps the healing not happening brought someone closer to God because of one's constant battering of Heaven's door for God to hear them. Perhaps the death of someone we wanted to live was for someone else's benefit, that they would come to know Jesus through the life of the one departed?
Many good men and women have died, even though numerous prayers were offered on their behalf. We all are going to die at some point (and some of us will be raised to life again in Christ) whether from old age or disease. It always hurts to lose someone you love, regardless of the reason. Lives taken too soon hurt deeply. But it is all in God's Plan - we just don't see the bigger picture as He sees it.
Do you trust God for the right answer?
I have a question for you. If you should die today, what effect would it have on those who love you most? Would they be heartbroken? Did they have time to prepare? Would they be relieved? What would those we believe love us most - feel at that time? Would they be grateful that you knew the Lord and that they have that opportunity to see you once again in Heaven? Or would they be grieved that you would not be where they want you to be? Where they hope you will be.
These thoughts come to me this morning because the reality is that death is close to each of us. As I have aged, and friends close to me pass away from various things; accidents, disease, old age... that I think of where I am going when I die, and I wonder if those I love the most will be happy it's finally over or that they will miss making memories with me. Sometimes memories are the things that get us through life.
I remember a week I spent with my mother the year before she died. We made memories that week that I am grateful for. Those memories have carried me through all these years when I think of her. True, our lives together were not always the best; we were not always close. But that year changed everything. I got to see my mother in a new way as she shared things with me.
Funerals are occasions that I try to avoid if I can. They rip my heart out, even when I am only an acquaintance of the person. When they are a friend, it is so hard to tell them goodbye, even when I know I will see them again. A funeral isn't for the dead; it is for those left behind. An opportunity to say 'so long' or 'until we meet again'. My tears at these 'events' are the cries of my heart. Sometimes I have no control of my tears and even now, thinking about them, I find tears wanting to fall down my cheeks. My heart is in anguish.
I know beyond a doubt that God still answers prayers. Not just my prayers, but yours as well. We may pray for a loved one to live; to find Jesus; to have provided for them the things we cannot provide. We seek God for answers to our own questions. Many times we feel there are no responses to our many requests. Time goes by and we see no changes. In fact, many times they may get worse.
But God still asnwers prayers. The answer may be 'Yes'... it may be 'No'.... or it may be 'Not Now'. Could the death of my mother influence one of my grandchildren who would remember her? It's possible. The death of my father, whom I barely knew before he passed, has influenced me greatly. As I have asked questions about his life from my siblings and they have shared their memories, I want to make my daddy proud of me. I found out this last trip back 'home' that daddy had a radio station and shared God's Word on it. I didn't know that before.
Which reminds me. Just a side note. My mother was never one to lavish praise on me. She never made me feel she was proud of me. When I received my license to be a minister, that my desire was to serve God in a church and be devoted totally to Him; she never said a word. But when I was asked to be secretary (as we still called them at that time) of the state association of our non-denomination churches, she told me she was proud of me. The irony of it all. It still hurts that she was more proud of me serving as a secretary, then she was of my desire to serve God with all that I am.
I feel that has played a large part in my journey to serve. I have other conflicts that haven't helped in the journey too, but I'm not dwelling on them. It all comes down to one thing. It all has been my choice. I could have fought against the things that prevented me from going on staff at a church and got what I desired.... but would that have been right? Believe me, I prayed earnestly and sincerely and passionately for what I truly believed God wanted for me. I don't know why God didn't give me the answer I wanted. My life would have been totally different than it is now, that is for sure. But His direction is the only one that I need. The only one that I want. I may not have received my greatest desire or dream, but God knows my heart. He knows what I desired. He chose not to give it to me so that....... I don't know. Perhaps I have influenced someone to find Jesus in a way I couldn't have if I had been on staff somewhere. I don't know.
But I know that God still answers prayers.
I'm doing a new Bible study - actually a couple of them - right now and it is on the Proverbs 31 woman. Verse 10 states: "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Verse 11 goes on to say "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." I want to be that woman.
But it also applies to men. Think of it... "A man of noble character who can find? He is worth far more than diamonds. His wife has full confidence in him and lacks nothing of value." I pray you want to be that man.
Take some time now to think about where you are in your life. Are you believing that God still answers prayers - even when they are not the answers you seek? It's not about you; it is not even about me; but I know that I know that I know....
In His time... He makes all things beautiful. Lord, please show me every day, that in every way, You are still hearing and answering prayers.... in Your time.
Blessings.
