Once I walked out of my grandmother's house and she called after me, "I'm praying for your husband!" Rather than comfort I immediately thought, "God, I trust You to hand that." This was because over the years she and I had disagreed a number of times about what I needed to do and, frankly, her ideas did not always seem kindly to me.
This was a good day for me because it set me to thinking about my own prayers for my children and husband and family and friends. I'm so often tempted to pray things like, "Let Mary get into Harvard," or "Let Bob get the job he is interviewing for," or "Please let them accept our offer on the house we want." Sometimes I tack on, "according to Your will" but too often I don't even take a moment to consider if what I think is the best thing for me or those I love. I discount the fact that, as much as I may want something, God may have something I don't even have on my radar, something with blessings I can't even imagine from my limited perspective.
So I am especially grateful I can trust that God answers according to His knowledge and commitment to my highest good. God even pours out the Spirit of God to help us grow so that we long for the things that God knows are best for us. I believe it is perfectly OK to say, "God, you seem to be leading me to attend City College, but I really want to go to State College. Please give me a heart for Your plans for me. Send Your Spirit to help me discern what course to take, be it City College, State College or something I have not even thought of yet! Thank you that I can ask this of You with confident because I know You love me utterly. In Jesus Name. AMEN"
Just start talking. God is always listening and waiting for you to ask for help.
I can affirm with confidence and hope: I TRUST GOD WITH MY PRAYERS, NO MATTER WHAT.
1 John 5:14-15 We have such confidence in him that we are certain that he hears every request that is made in accord with his own plan. And since we know that he invariably gives his attention to our prayers, whatever they are about, we can be quite sure that our prayers will be answered.
This was a good day for me because it set me to thinking about my own prayers for my children and husband and family and friends. I'm so often tempted to pray things like, "Let Mary get into Harvard," or "Let Bob get the job he is interviewing for," or "Please let them accept our offer on the house we want." Sometimes I tack on, "according to Your will" but too often I don't even take a moment to consider if what I think is the best thing for me or those I love. I discount the fact that, as much as I may want something, God may have something I don't even have on my radar, something with blessings I can't even imagine from my limited perspective.
So I am especially grateful I can trust that God answers according to His knowledge and commitment to my highest good. God even pours out the Spirit of God to help us grow so that we long for the things that God knows are best for us. I believe it is perfectly OK to say, "God, you seem to be leading me to attend City College, but I really want to go to State College. Please give me a heart for Your plans for me. Send Your Spirit to help me discern what course to take, be it City College, State College or something I have not even thought of yet! Thank you that I can ask this of You with confident because I know You love me utterly. In Jesus Name. AMEN"
Just start talking. God is always listening and waiting for you to ask for help.
I can affirm with confidence and hope: I TRUST GOD WITH MY PRAYERS, NO MATTER WHAT.
1 John 5:14-15 We have such confidence in him that we are certain that he hears every request that is made in accord with his own plan. And since we know that he invariably gives his attention to our prayers, whatever they are about, we can be quite sure that our prayers will be answered.
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