Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 7:6-8 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
Okay - so if I ask for it I should receive it, right? Because the Bible says so, right? So why are my most deepest heart wrenching wishes not coming true? Why is God not granting me my requests, especially when I am sure that my prayer requests and needs line up with His will and His Word?
Its not like I am asking to win a million dollars or reverse my age by 15 years, for goodness sakes! I know that He would be glorified if my prayers were answered, and I would give Him all the praise, so why isnt He answering them?
That has been a question pricking at my heart for a very long time about a few issues in my life. I pray, and pray, and pray some more. I pray about them in my car, in my bed, in the shower, in church, and throughout my day - and nothing seems to change. But Gods Word says if I ask, I will receive, if I believe in Him? And I most definitely believe. So, why?
Over the past 3 days, the above verses have popped up - at church, in an email I received from someone, and even on someones Facebook page today. Ironic? I dont think so.
God at work? Most definitely.
I believe in my heart that nothing, and I mean nothing, is ironic. I know that God ordains "irony", and so much so, that it becomes impossible to write off ironic things as irony.
When I begin to see a pattern of God working, either by the same bible verse popping up over a period of time, or hearing the same opinions about a certain subject from various people, or coming across things in Gods Word that all seem to point to the same end result - I begin to take notice.
So today, I am taking notice. I am noticing how many times I have questioned God as to why He is not answering my prayer over a certain situation in my life. I am noticing how God is trying to tell me, that regardless of the current circumstances, frustrations, and heartache, that I must first continue to seek Him, and believe that His ways are not my ways. That His plan is bigger and better than I can imagine. That one day, I will get a glimpse of His plan, and that I need to trust in His timing.
Easy to do? No, I want my prayers answered now. I want my concerns to be remedied. I want to see God make a change in my circumstance as vividly as if I saw lightning flash across the sky. But God impressed upon my heart this morning, as I was praying, that I need to trust Him, even when it appears that He is not doing anything lightning-worthy in my life, of which my human eyes can see. The term "walking by faith" kept coming up in my mind. And if I am honest with myself, I think lately I have been trying to "see" God working, instead of focusing on my faith, and what God may be doing that I cannot see.
I know God is always at work. I love Him, and even though my faith often gets sidetracked as I focus on my feelings, doubts, insecurities and fears, I still believe that He is at work. Regardless of whether or not He answers my prayers right now or in the way I want, I commit to still love Him. I know that without Him I am nothing, and His word assures me that I am valuable, even when I am feeling of little value. I know that when I feel like I am lost and cant figure out which way to turn, that I can seek Him with my whole heart and He will guide me.
So today, I am seeking Him. I ask for His forgiveness for doubting that He is at work, that He hears my prayers, and that He really does want to bless me and do what is best for my life. I lay my burdens at His feet, because I know He cannot carry them for me, until I lay them down. I will continue to pray for that victory that I mentioned yesterday, and believe that through Him, all things are possible.
I ask for Gods peace today, and for Him to fill me with such a passionate spirit for Him, that I will not only see Him working in my life, but that I will patiently wait for His answers to prayers.
If you are struggling today with unanswered prayers, I also pray over these things for your life, and that you will seek God with your whole heart, believe that in someway, somehow, and someday, He will answer those prayers, and that you will then recognize that His answer was in fact, the right answer.
In His holy name, Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 7:6-8 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
Okay - so if I ask for it I should receive it, right? Because the Bible says so, right? So why are my most deepest heart wrenching wishes not coming true? Why is God not granting me my requests, especially when I am sure that my prayer requests and needs line up with His will and His Word?
Its not like I am asking to win a million dollars or reverse my age by 15 years, for goodness sakes! I know that He would be glorified if my prayers were answered, and I would give Him all the praise, so why isnt He answering them?
That has been a question pricking at my heart for a very long time about a few issues in my life. I pray, and pray, and pray some more. I pray about them in my car, in my bed, in the shower, in church, and throughout my day - and nothing seems to change. But Gods Word says if I ask, I will receive, if I believe in Him? And I most definitely believe. So, why?
Over the past 3 days, the above verses have popped up - at church, in an email I received from someone, and even on someones Facebook page today. Ironic? I dont think so.
God at work? Most definitely.
I believe in my heart that nothing, and I mean nothing, is ironic. I know that God ordains "irony", and so much so, that it becomes impossible to write off ironic things as irony.
When I begin to see a pattern of God working, either by the same bible verse popping up over a period of time, or hearing the same opinions about a certain subject from various people, or coming across things in Gods Word that all seem to point to the same end result - I begin to take notice.
So today, I am taking notice. I am noticing how many times I have questioned God as to why He is not answering my prayer over a certain situation in my life. I am noticing how God is trying to tell me, that regardless of the current circumstances, frustrations, and heartache, that I must first continue to seek Him, and believe that His ways are not my ways. That His plan is bigger and better than I can imagine. That one day, I will get a glimpse of His plan, and that I need to trust in His timing.
Easy to do? No, I want my prayers answered now. I want my concerns to be remedied. I want to see God make a change in my circumstance as vividly as if I saw lightning flash across the sky. But God impressed upon my heart this morning, as I was praying, that I need to trust Him, even when it appears that He is not doing anything lightning-worthy in my life, of which my human eyes can see. The term "walking by faith" kept coming up in my mind. And if I am honest with myself, I think lately I have been trying to "see" God working, instead of focusing on my faith, and what God may be doing that I cannot see.
I know God is always at work. I love Him, and even though my faith often gets sidetracked as I focus on my feelings, doubts, insecurities and fears, I still believe that He is at work. Regardless of whether or not He answers my prayers right now or in the way I want, I commit to still love Him. I know that without Him I am nothing, and His word assures me that I am valuable, even when I am feeling of little value. I know that when I feel like I am lost and cant figure out which way to turn, that I can seek Him with my whole heart and He will guide me.
So today, I am seeking Him. I ask for His forgiveness for doubting that He is at work, that He hears my prayers, and that He really does want to bless me and do what is best for my life. I lay my burdens at His feet, because I know He cannot carry them for me, until I lay them down. I will continue to pray for that victory that I mentioned yesterday, and believe that through Him, all things are possible.
I ask for Gods peace today, and for Him to fill me with such a passionate spirit for Him, that I will not only see Him working in my life, but that I will patiently wait for His answers to prayers.
If you are struggling today with unanswered prayers, I also pray over these things for your life, and that you will seek God with your whole heart, believe that in someway, somehow, and someday, He will answer those prayers, and that you will then recognize that His answer was in fact, the right answer.
In His holy name, Jesus. Amen.
5 comments:
Praying with you and for you Tracie. I am there at times, too. Wondering why? I have two friends going through heart-wrenching losses in their lives. One is mother inching toward death as her little ones cling to her side wanting more and more of their mommy. Another is a friend grieving the loss of her marriage and her future to heinous addictions and indescribable damages. Why would God allow this? We don't know.
Today I am seeking and searching for Him and thanking HIM for each day that I get to breathe, because that is a gift! My prayer is that the eyes of my heart and their hearts will see all that He has done - even when we don't understand why and what He hasn't done that we were praying and hoping He would.
Praying for you and yours today!
Love you!
Renee
You are so right on track for my heart. I have prayed about certain things over and over again only to see no change. Why does God allow me to go through the pain and heartache that I am?
I began a relationship and walk with God in February. You would think, how great..a relationship with God. Don't get me wrong...I am so thankful for the first time in my life, the relationship I am experiencing with God. But it has also become the hardest time in my life.
Satan has hid all my problems under his dark cloud. I didn't think things were hard because, I didn't have feelings for anything. God is causing me to deal with my problems, front and center. This is a slow process. A very slow process that I am unaccustomed to. When I see something that needs to be done, I'm on it and over it. Three months of dealing with the same issues has been wearing me down. So many times I have thought, just quit. It is easier not to feel anything than to feel all the hurt I have.
On Friday while reading a blog one statement jumped at me and made so much sense. I have spent too much time focusing on the one who seeks to destroy me and how he is trying to destroy me ,rather than focusing all my thoughts on Him, marching into his presence and allowing Him to be my strength.
So I stand with you knowing how defeated we can become but also knowing all His truths. He will carry us through these difficult times and cause us to praise His name.
At Renee's conference I got this verse that has brought such comfort to me.
Isaiah 51:3
"The Lord will surely comfort [you] and will look with compassion on all [your] ruins; He will make [your] deserts like Eden, [your] wastelands like the garden of the Lord."
You are in my prayers today!
Angie
Tracie, I have asked that question so many times. I think it's OK to ask it, as long as we keep on trusting Him. I for one certainly don't understand His ways. I don't get why some journey's take "40 years of wilderness wandering" when the destination could have been reached so much sooner. I know it all has a purpose, but it's still hard.
Just 2 weeks ago, I wrote a post about not understanding why God wasn't answering my prayer. (http://ponderinginhispresence.blogspot.com/2009/04/blessing-of-gods-no.html)
As a friend commented to me at that time, "On the front side of our prayers, we often cannot see how God is working it out...How thankful I am for His wisdom that exceeds my grasp at understanding."
Praying for you too Tracie.
Hugs,
Joy
Hi Tracie, I met you through your Proverbs 31 articles and I occassionally browse your blog. I wanted to let you know how your messages resonate with me. You always speak right to me! Today I read your message on "why is God not giving me what I want" - it was exactly what I needed to hear today.
Thank you for your thoughtful, inspiring messages.
Blessings to you.
Vanessa
Sister Tracie
I really truly believe that the Lord allows you to endure these things and trials so that you can help people like me. For years and years I have been praying to the Lord about certain situations, and have not seen anything, or heard anything. I just told my husband the other day that it seemed as if when I pray to the Lord about something about him cleansing me or helping me spiritually, oh he does it! Almost immediately. But when I ask him for something naturally or financially. I hear nothing! lol
I try so hard not to put my hands in things and situations because I know that I must trust him with ALL of my heart. But sometimes, while looking over at my neighbors just flying in front of me, I get impatient, and start mumbling to the Lord. Thank you for allowing the Lord to remind me that he hears, and he already knows the things that I need before I even ask, and that David said, that he has been young, and old, yet he has never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. Thank you so much for all that you do, in Jesus precious name, Amen
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