“But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.” Psalm 66:19
If you’ve read some of my previous blogs, you know that prayer is an area in which I have struggled, and that God has shown me that the root of my “prayer troubles” has been my reluctance to totally trust Him. Since that eye-opening revelation, I have been learning to trust Him more, and my prayer life has been much more real and honest. I know that God will answer my prayers, and if He choses to answer in a way that differs from my expectations, I realize that is because He is doing what is best for me and for those for whom I pray. Trusting Him for the outcome has become so liberating for me. I can truly say I am learning to “cast all my cares upon Him” (1 Peter 5:7) and not pick them up again in my own attempts to control the issues at hand.
Case in point: My husband has had some serious health issues lately, and we have been waiting for certain blood test results. I have been praying for a positive outcome and trusting God for good results. Have I had perfect peace about this? Not completely. I still had worries, but in my “trust journey,” I have been able to pray with a different kind of peace in my heart. I know that whatever the results, God is handling it. He is doing what is best. No longer do I pray holding back my heart’s desire in fear that God will not answer. This time I was able to pray without reservation or fear. I prayed boldly for a drop in my husband’s numbers.
Yesterday, we got the blood test back, and I think you can guess the results. The numbers had decreased! Praise the Lord!
Trusting God is something I’m still learning, but I know that He is faithful. He will always listen to my prayers, and He will always answer them according to His will, which will always be what is best.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
(from “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Scriven)
“Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.” Psalm 66:20
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Prayer touches the heart of God.