I've spent a tremendous amount of time the last few weeks, days and hours praying to God for his healing touch to be upon one of the dearest people in my life, my Mom. As I've been praying, I've been thinking a lot about the way the Lord chooses to answer our prayers. Without a doubt, I have seen the power of the Lord in my own life and in the lives of others over the years. There are times when I know that what I have witnessed is truly an answered prayer. Other times, even though prayers are lifted up by myself and other believing "prayer warriors" as I call them, there is a resounding NO from Heaven above. Why is that? I've been praying for healing from my MS for years, but that has not come to fruition yet either. Why Lord?
Coincidentally, a sweet friend of mine, Joan, recorded a beautiful soundtrack of a wonderful song called Blessings by Laura Story. I don't really believe in coincidences though, I believe in God-incidences, so my writing about this subject just happened to be right about the time that Joan released her music to benefit CCSVI research. Hmm. Sounds like a God-Thing to me. Below is Laura's original and powerful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ
So, why do you think the answer to one prayer can be yes, and the answer to another be no? Do you sometimes feel like you can pray and pray and no one is listening? Do you cry out to the Lord and it feels like He's a million miles away? Have you laid awake at night, searching for an answer to your problems, feeling like there is no one out there to help you? Where are you when I need you, God? Ever asked that question? Ever doubted God? I'm ashamed to say I have, but I shouldn't have, because I know deep in my heart that He's always there.
Lean on God's eternal promises
I believe the answer to why God answers or doesn't answer is rooted in the foundation of His plan for our Universe. He's there and He hears every single prayer. He just always doesn't answer them the way we want or in the time we want. He's looking at the big picture. Little ole us are just one tiny grain of sand in the master plan of the Universe and God's plan for it. I remember talking to a dear friend of mine Bette, who prayed and prayed for her husband's salvation for years and years. She continued and on his death bed, he accepted Jesus as his Savior. God answered her prayer in His time, not hers.
God Almighty formed us. He formed the planet and filled it with human life and everything we would need to survive on this earth. It all belongs to him, and every person born belongs to him. Jeremiah 1:5 tell us "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Only the Sovereign of the Universe knows how the pieces of the master puzzle called your life, my life and everyone else's fit together. He knows everything about you and me. He knows every thought in your head, all your likes and dislikes, every heartache you will endure, every triumph you will see, every tragedy that will occur, and all your loves,doubts, hurts, betrayals, and every victory you will celebrate. Big and little, He knows them all: past, present and future.
When you stop to think about that, isn't that a great comfort? It sure is for me. He knows what is going to happen to me, even before I do. He knows all my trials and disappointments. He wants to help me through all of them, if I will let him. The Lord doesn't want us to suffer along by ourselves on our journey of life. God came to earth, born of the virgin Mary, to live as a baby, boy and then man, so He could relate to every thought and feeling we ever have. He knows what we go through, sometimes I think it's easy for all of us to forget that he lived here on earth as a man, just like us.
So why does He answer some of our prayers with a resounding NO? We won't know until we meet Him in Heaven, but I think it's because in the trials of life, we reach out to Him and want to be closer. If everything just went along our own way, wouldn't we just go through life thinking we didn't need Him for anything? He wants to be close to us. He wants to comfort us in our time of doubt and trials, His Word says so in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We all suffer during our journey on this earth. There is no way around it. It doesn't matter how much money you have, how "good" you think you have been, how prestigious you might think yourself to be. You can't avoid it because in this world, we will have trouble. You may think that others have it better than you and don't have their problems, but it's just not true. John 16:33 tells us “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Besides, Jesus suffered greatly. Why should we be spared?
Jesus died for you.
1 Peter 4"1-2 says "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
So, if you are going through a time of suffering, which all of us with MS do pretty much each and every day and you feel as if the storm clouds are looming over your life and you're having a time of tears and sleepless nights, just remember that the Lord is near. One of God's many promises is in Hebrew 13:5 where He says "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."
Believe that promise and look for the Lord's great mercies in the midst of your trials, because he's right there with you. There will be a new sunrise tomorrow with plenty of the Lord's goodness. Believe God and His promises. He'll never let you down.
How can you doubt God, when you see a sunrise like this?
My verses for today are above in Red.
My prayer for today:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to rest in your arms, knowing that you hold the Universe in your Hands. Help me not to fear, not to doubt and live with confidence that you will abide by your promises to never leave me or forsake me. Watch over my Mom as she goes through these health trials. I am believing that you are there with her.Lord, I pray that this blog will touch the hearts of those that are suffering. Help them to know you are there with them and surround them with your peace that surpasses all understanding.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
Coincidentally, a sweet friend of mine, Joan, recorded a beautiful soundtrack of a wonderful song called Blessings by Laura Story. I don't really believe in coincidences though, I believe in God-incidences, so my writing about this subject just happened to be right about the time that Joan released her music to benefit CCSVI research. Hmm. Sounds like a God-Thing to me. Below is Laura's original and powerful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ
So, why do you think the answer to one prayer can be yes, and the answer to another be no? Do you sometimes feel like you can pray and pray and no one is listening? Do you cry out to the Lord and it feels like He's a million miles away? Have you laid awake at night, searching for an answer to your problems, feeling like there is no one out there to help you? Where are you when I need you, God? Ever asked that question? Ever doubted God? I'm ashamed to say I have, but I shouldn't have, because I know deep in my heart that He's always there.
I believe the answer to why God answers or doesn't answer is rooted in the foundation of His plan for our Universe. He's there and He hears every single prayer. He just always doesn't answer them the way we want or in the time we want. He's looking at the big picture. Little ole us are just one tiny grain of sand in the master plan of the Universe and God's plan for it. I remember talking to a dear friend of mine Bette, who prayed and prayed for her husband's salvation for years and years. She continued and on his death bed, he accepted Jesus as his Savior. God answered her prayer in His time, not hers.
God Almighty formed us. He formed the planet and filled it with human life and everything we would need to survive on this earth. It all belongs to him, and every person born belongs to him. Jeremiah 1:5 tell us "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Only the Sovereign of the Universe knows how the pieces of the master puzzle called your life, my life and everyone else's fit together. He knows everything about you and me. He knows every thought in your head, all your likes and dislikes, every heartache you will endure, every triumph you will see, every tragedy that will occur, and all your loves,doubts, hurts, betrayals, and every victory you will celebrate. Big and little, He knows them all: past, present and future.
When you stop to think about that, isn't that a great comfort? It sure is for me. He knows what is going to happen to me, even before I do. He knows all my trials and disappointments. He wants to help me through all of them, if I will let him. The Lord doesn't want us to suffer along by ourselves on our journey of life. God came to earth, born of the virgin Mary, to live as a baby, boy and then man, so He could relate to every thought and feeling we ever have. He knows what we go through, sometimes I think it's easy for all of us to forget that he lived here on earth as a man, just like us.
So why does He answer some of our prayers with a resounding NO? We won't know until we meet Him in Heaven, but I think it's because in the trials of life, we reach out to Him and want to be closer. If everything just went along our own way, wouldn't we just go through life thinking we didn't need Him for anything? He wants to be close to us. He wants to comfort us in our time of doubt and trials, His Word says so in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We all suffer during our journey on this earth. There is no way around it. It doesn't matter how much money you have, how "good" you think you have been, how prestigious you might think yourself to be. You can't avoid it because in this world, we will have trouble. You may think that others have it better than you and don't have their problems, but it's just not true. John 16:33 tells us “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Besides, Jesus suffered greatly. Why should we be spared?
1 Peter 4"1-2 says "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
So, if you are going through a time of suffering, which all of us with MS do pretty much each and every day and you feel as if the storm clouds are looming over your life and you're having a time of tears and sleepless nights, just remember that the Lord is near. One of God's many promises is in Hebrew 13:5 where He says "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."
Believe that promise and look for the Lord's great mercies in the midst of your trials, because he's right there with you. There will be a new sunrise tomorrow with plenty of the Lord's goodness. Believe God and His promises. He'll never let you down.
My verses for today are above in Red.
My prayer for today:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to rest in your arms, knowing that you hold the Universe in your Hands. Help me not to fear, not to doubt and live with confidence that you will abide by your promises to never leave me or forsake me. Watch over my Mom as she goes through these health trials. I am believing that you are there with her.Lord, I pray that this blog will touch the hearts of those that are suffering. Help them to know you are there with them and surround them with your peace that surpasses all understanding.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
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