Monday, August 8, 2011

Keep Listening and Praying

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.

-- Luke 18:1

Giving up is an easy thing to do. We ask God for something. It could be healing. It could be a new job, a relationship to be restored or to take away 40 lbs. or so of extra weight that we’re carrying around.

Then we wait. And wait. We pray again. Maybe God didn’t hear us the first time because surely He would have answered if He had. God always answers, doesn’t He? Does silence mean He said no?

Then we throw in the towel. We quit asking. We assume God did say no. We struggle not to be bitter. It’s not like we asked for the world. He said He’d give us whatever we asked for, didn’t He? Instead, it seems like God is just ignoring us.

But He isn’t. Because God does always answer our prayers. We have to remember that God’s timing and our own are not the same. What might seem like forever to us is merely a moment to Him. The Bible is full of people who waited for the LORD. And He always answered just like He’ll always answer us.

The thing is sometimes what we “want” really isn’t what we want. Several years ago country singer Garth Brooks had a song “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers.” That about sums it up sometimes. We beg for something only to realize later that having it would have been a disaster for us. God, in His wisdom, realized that and didn’t let us have what we thought we wanted.

Other times the timing just isn’t right. David waited years to become king. During that time he went from being a boy, to becoming a man, a leader, a commander. He grew closer to God, was challenged and yet remained true to his LORD. As hard as it might be to wait, sometimes waiting lets us value things more when they finally come our way.

Of course, God does say no to His children just like parents sometimes say no to theirs. It might be because the request is selfish. It could be that the request isn’t necessary. Or that it won’t draw us closer to God or bring Him glory. Or it could be that God doesn’t provide healing and instead walks with us through the pain.

Sometimes God lets us suffer for our own mistakes. Painful, isn’t it? We want Him to step in and save us but if He did that every time, how would we ever learn to trust Him and seek His advice before we mess up? It’s never too late to do that. God always forgives His wayward children and He has an amazing ability to turn bad into good.

Prayer is how we talk to God and, frankly, how we listen to Him. Prayer is not a one-way conversation with us telling God what we want Him to do for us. It’s also about listening to Him tell us what He wants us to do for Him. Just like any other conversation, it’s a two-way exchange. Didn’t realize that? Maybe that’s why you think He never answered you. We have to listen before we can hear.

So if you don’t hear God’s voice the first time you ask, ask again. Then listen. Wait as long as it takes. Because God did hear you and He will answer you in His own time and in His own way. And rest assured that His answer will be the perfect one for you.