Some things hinder our fellowship with Father that really shouldn’t or wouldn't, not if we really understood. The country crooner enjoins us to consider the benefits of unanswered prayers. Let me hum a few bars to jog your memory. HUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. That help? My singing it would be just about as effective. In his case he realized at a high school football game that he would have ended up with the wrong girl if God had actually answered his childhood prayer. I’ll bet that happens a lot. I was just thinking (more directly asking the father to do incredibly wonderful things for a house for Heidi, Shauna an a job, Susie and her real family needs. I was dreaming of what I could do if I won the lottery…(I plan on finding the winning ticket, the odds of buying it and finding it are about the same). I was wish/thinking, just like you do, of what I could do with a ton of lottery money and for a moment wondering (somewhat judgmentally) why Father has not fixed everything already. He certainly could and does, but why not on a grand scale? Boy! (as in gee wiz or wow, not gender specific, don’t want to upset the PC police) what glory that would give Him to heal Jacob, give Heidi a home of her own, or financial security for Shauna. Father whispered in my ear, they love you and you have not done any of those things…they just love you and you feel so special because of it. OK, I get it. IF I were able to do all my heart would like to do I’ll bet I would have zillions of people who really love me…In China a century ago they were called rice Christians. Worship whatever god is giving the rice today. Father will certainly take care of every thing in a way that will not distort our, or anyone else’s love for him. Remind me to tell you what God does with “unanswered” prayer sometime. When you understand, you will want to have a few go unanswered. It is amazing. Father whispered it to me a while back and I am really lousy about keeping secrets.
Are we really trusting God or just giving Him our daily instructions?
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Our Homeschool Journey
7 years ago
9 comments:
Thank you Papa Z. You have me in tears (happy tears) that you care so much about us. Even me who you have never met. My favorite unanswered prayers names are Tyler and Lauren. I prayed for years for a baby, not understanding why God would give my the disire for children and then not give me the ability to get pregnant. Then He told my why in 2002 - when he gave me 2 of my children in the form of frozen embryos. I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. (God also blessed me with my oldest daughter who we adopted through foster care) Perhaps I will spend my life learning to trust in God... even if it takes that long- it is worth it. God is good, and He reminds me of that in His little small voice, in strangers that show me His love, in my children's faces, and in answered and unanswered prayers. By the way, my husbands last Sun. at church was 2 days ago and we have already had 2 churches call him (never before have we had churches contact us for positions). Praying now for God to show us clearly which way he wants us to go. And I am praying for Heidi a house and for little Jacob too. Thank you Papa Z!!!
Shauna
Hmmmm. In regards to your last question...
Our pastor did a sermon a while back where he pointed out that when the wedding ran out of wine Mary went to Jesus and said, "they are out of wine" and left it at that. She didn't give him her ideas of how he could fix the problem or her best, logical solution and expect him to follow it.
That hit home with me in a big, big way. How often I give him my solutions to my problems and really want him to do it my way... I now try to remember to simply bring the situation to God and not give him my options for his solution. I call them No Option Prayers. I find it liberating to bring the problem/situation before him and not feel responsible for coming up with the best or most desired solution to present to him.
Although, I catch myself still giving him daily directions. I need to stop that:)
papa z - do NOT leave us in suspense long!!! ok, it might be a week or two before i can get back online after today - but no longer than that! :)
oh - and i'm glad my name for you is sticking with others... why do i get the feeling you are in the process of adopting more and more kids into your heart right now? :) :) :) welcome to the z family shauna. :)
jana - i LOVE what you shared. i think i'm going to adopt your phrase of 'no option prayers' - SO good. you know what's funny about that and my move? i started out with specific requests - i don't think that's all bad... but i did not get mad at God for not answering specifically - a little stressed at times, well SURE! but the more i pray about what's next for our family, the less specifically i pray. about the sum of my prayers on this one is PLEASE SHOW THE WAY! (well, i must admit that's not totally true - i'm often adding SOOON! to the end of it as of late. :) ) even still... i look forward to seeing the purpose for this waiting. i hope i see it in this lifetime so it makes more sense, but if i don't, i'll trust in the One I do not say but KNOW is near.
ps - thank you PapaZ for loving us so - for having a fatherly heart towards me for so many years, and towards your currently extending blog family too. your fatherly love is healing for the soul. i'm thankful for it.
I find myself pausing in prayer all the time trying to figure that out. :) Sometimes, when I stop giving orders there is little left to say except "Your will be done". :)
amen doni!
(oh - i meant to say the God i do not SEE but know is near - not the God i SAY... big difference. :) )
I think some of our most treasured 'things' on Earth are 'unanswered prayers'. Its completely true that we pray whole heartedly for specifics in a situation but sometimes we just need to sit back and pray for the peace to allow God to do HIS will not ours. Thats probably the hardest thing to do and one of the surest ways to show your TRUST in HIM. We don't always get it right as we struggle through life but hopefully we remember this more often!
Pastor D: I won't expose your answer to 'Unanswered Prayers' but I am with you on that I can't wait..... :)
I like how you said "Are we really trusting God or just giving Him our daily instructions?" Brilliant. Simply brilliant. :)
I wrote a somewhat similar article, "Unanswered Prayer". It's more like my thoughts on why God doesn't answer, but feel free to take a look.
I'm probably going to quote you in a blog post, hope you don't mind!
Hadassah
I am new to this blog thing. I would love to read what you wrote but I don't know how to find you.
she could include the link directly to that post to help - BUT i found hadassah simply by clicking her name on the comments page of your blog. takes you to her profile page. there you click the link to her blog. once there, look at the left of her page to view her writing categories - you'll find one for unanswered prayers. she quotes you. :)
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