Truth Seekers Newsletter
May 6, 2007: I'm Calling God, But He Doesn't Seem to Be Home!
[Truth Seekers Home]
Is Prayer for God or For Us?
Prayer is for God. He demonstrated all through time that He loves to talk with us! He has a love relationship with us, and love relationships are never just one way.
Prayer is for us. Sometimes when we lay our feelings and desires before God, things are clarified for us. Prayer is like laying out the pieces of a puzzle and God directing us how it all fits together. Sometimes He shows us a few pieces. Sometimes He shows us more. The more we put pieces together, the more we see how to fit the next ones.
Gimme ... Gimme ... Gimme!
What is the most frequent type of prayer prayed? Unfortunately, for me, it seems to be the "please give me" prayer. Have you ever noticed how many groups have times of prayer requests, where everyone throws in their wish list? Is it bad to ask God for things? No, that is fine. Just don't forget what comes first. Thanksgiving and Praise!
Pray About Everything!
Read Philippians 4:6. It tells us not to be anxious about anything, but "in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving" to let our requests be made known to God.
Do you pray about everything? Read 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18. Pray without ceasing! Many of us feel we can run some parts of our lives and we think of God as the boss or 911 operator. We don't want to bother Him or call upon Him unnecessarily. After all, He has a Universe to run. But in actuality, if we talked with God about everything, down to the smallest detail, we would have much less of those 911 events!
Should You Ask God More than Once?
I have heard teachings that say we should only ask God for something one time. These teachers seem to imply that if you ask more than once, it indicates a lack of faith. Those teachers use Mark 11:24 to try to back up their view.
However, Mark 11:24 does not put any prohibition on asking more than once. Read Luke 18:1-8. Jesus told this story, which clearly indicates the value of persistent asking. Luke says Jesus told this parable to show that we should always pray and not give up.
Is God Mean?
We think about the fact that we can ask God for something instantly, and that God has the power to make it happen. Therefore, when God does not act instantly on what we want, we might think He is mean in delaying His Answer.
Why Might God Delay Answering Prayers?
First of all, I don't believe that God delays answering prayers. I think His Answers may be "yes, right now", "yes, at another time", "let's change that a little" or "no".
Flexing Our Spiritual Muscles!
God may be allowing us to flex our spiritual muscles. Once there was a man who planted a tree in his front yard. Over time, the tree grew until it was blocking his front door. The man decided to chop it down.
He took the biggest ax he could find and set himself to the task. However, the tree did not budge. He then tried other cutting instruments, going back to the tree again and again over weeks and into years. Finally, totally frustrated, he cried out to God, "Why won't you remove this tree?"
God's answer? "This tree was not supposed to be moved. It was your gym to strengthen you. Look at your arms now and how you have grown in strength. You are now ready for the work, for which I have been preparing you."
Growing Up!
Sometimes a child will ask for something that we know he is not big enough to handle. A ten year old child may perceive that driving a car would really be fun, but are they ready to handle such a responsibility? Not likely! So, even though they may ask repeatedly and sincerely, we have to say no for now. One day their requests will be granted, but only when it is time. There may be things we want that we are not ready to handle. God's perceived lack of response is really an Answer of "Wait until you are a little older."
It Is Not Good for Us!
Have you ever been grateful that God did not give you everything for which you asked? I have! Sometimes I asked repeatedly and sincerely, based upon my limited knowledge of a situation. However, God, Who had a much broader and wiser view, knew that He could do so much better for me than what I was asking!
Repeated Prayers, an Opportunity for God and an Opportunity for Satan
How many times did Peter deny Jesus? Three times. How many times did Jesus later ask Peter if he loved Him? Also three times. Peter had as many opportunities to affirm his love for Jesus, as he had denied him. The more you repeat something, the more you know within yourself how true it is.
A person who repeatedly says he cannot do something likely will have difficulty doing it. But a person, who affirms on a regular basis that they can do the task, will do it. Prayer offers us the opportunity to regularly submit to the Lordship of God, to thank Him and to praise Him. Repeated prayers offer us the opportunity to come to the puzzle again and again and to get more and more direction. Sometimes it is through repeated prayer that we change what we asked for, in the first place. The more insights we gain, the more we realize we want to go another direction.
But the lack of an instant answer to prayer is also an opportunity for satan. How do you handle knowing that God heard you and has all Authority to make your dreams come true, but He seems to be ignoring you? This is when satan steps up to the plate and says, "God was never there to begin with" ... or ..."Yeah, He's there, but He doesn't care about you" ... or ... "Yeah, He hears you, but He doesn't want you to have good things. He's forsaken you."
Be alert to know that satan will try this tactic. Then defend yourself against his arrows. Read all the scriptures you can find about God's never changing love. Praise God for His love and faithfulness ... and wait!
Why Would God Want Us to Wait?
Besides having a time to train and flex our spiritual muscles, God knew from the beginning of time how important rest was. God certainly did not need to rest on the seventh day because He was tired! He rested to give us a clear picture of what we needed to do.
Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. Here are other scripture references that speak to waiting. When you are in a time of waiting for the Lord, read them and be confident that your answer will come!
- Psalms 27:14
- Psalms 37:7
- Psalms 130:5
- Lamentations 3:26
- Micah 7:7
Could God Be Waiting on Us To Act?
Jesus taught His Disciples by lecture, demonstration and near the end of His earthly ministry, He began to hang back and see how the disciples would do in carrying out the Mission.
Before children learn to walk, we don't mind carrying them. However, after they learn to walk, we want them to use those new found skills, and develop even more. We deliberately stop carrying them everywhere. We hang back and see how they will do.
But, just as Jesus did with His Disciples, if they get in trouble, we are quick to rescue. When Peter began to flounder with his water walking, Jesus was there to pick him up. When the disciples didn't know what to do with a man possessed by a demon or what to do in a heavy storm at sea, Jesus was there in an instant.
Sometimes, perhaps, as we are waiting on God to act, He is waiting on us! Read John 14:22, which says that "he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also." Sometimes when we go whining to God that we need something, perhaps what we think is a lack of response is really God saying, "You do it! I have given you Power and Authority in My Name. Now use it!"
Don't Lose Heart!
What do you do when you feel God has not answered your prayer? Luke 18:1 says we "always ought to pray and not lose heart." God knew that if we lost heart ... lost faith in Him ... satan would be waiting like a hungry lion.
Besides continuing to pray for what you need, also pray the prayer of Luke 22:40. "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Don't allow yourselves to give up and start saying bad things about God. Pray for yourself and others that you not give up and that you not enter into temptation.
When you continue to pray always, with thanksgiving and praise, know that Jesus is very near. When you don't know what to do, know that while Jesus' physical body is not in front of you, He is still present, inside of you in the form of the Holy Spirit. He is the Counselor, who has all the answers you will ever need!
|
