Those are the words on the little statue on my bookshelf. And they couldn't be more true. Prayer is an incredibly powerful and beautiful gift that allows us to speak to God on the most intimate and wholehearted terms.
Sometimes I pray as I'm laying in bed, unable to sleep. Sometimes I get down on my knees with my eyes closed and my hands raised. Sometimes I pray as I'm walking to class or doing homework or when I see something that is beautiful or painful or upsetting or exciting.
I love to talk to God, and for me prayer is an amazing comfort and delight. Such peace can be found through prayer.
We often pray to God asking him to help us or comfort us or to bless his will for us or to protect us. But sometimes, we can get carried away and start asking God to bless our will instead of his. And this is where that 'un' barges in and pushes in front of the 'answered' we so desire.
For a long time I had prayed for God to bless my actions, my decisions, my will. And then I became frustrated and wondered why God wasn't listening. Finally, after a trip through Psalms, it hit me. Well, duh. God was listening (he always is), but he was probably not too happy because I was praying the wrong way. So I started praying for his will to be done through me. And no, I didn't get an answer right away. But I waited (in patient hope) and trusted in God's perfect timing. And when my life started to converge with his plan, my life was no longer my own but his, the answers started to show themselves in a myriad of ways.
I had prayed for comfort in a time of distress and God blessed me with a friend who already knew and understood what I was going though and gave me the support and love I needed.
I had prayed for just a semi-normal roommate and God gave me a wonderful friend with a beautiful heart and a love for the Lord.
I had prayed to fit in and make new friends in college and God brought me to an amazing group of Christians whom I have come to love deeply and to rely on and connect with in ways I could never have imagined.
I had prayed for health in a time of sickness and fear and God healed and blessed me with a brightened heart and a fire in my soul.
Most recently, I prayed for guidance on my journey through life and for understanding and support from the people I care for in my life. The Lord answered with a call for me, (YES!!!!) and it came through the very person I wanted to hear it most from. The Lord spoke and I heard his voice clearly. I knew then exactly why I'd been waiting and hoping. His timing is so incredibly perfect. God is totally amazing and his plans are so much more AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, INCREDIBLE, AND PERFECT than I could have ever possibly imagined!
So wait on his timing and KEEP ON PRAYING! Even if he doesn't answer right away, or if he answers in a way different than you expected, just know that the Lord has the ultimate plan for your life! He wants your life to be full of joy, happiness, beauty, and growth and most of all he wants you to live with a passion and a fire for his glory.
The Lord wil answer with a BANG! if you let him handle your burdens and trust in his will.
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" James 5:16
"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope" Psalm 130:5
"I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth"Psalm 121:1-2
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer" 1 Peter 3:12
"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37:4
'Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"' Matthew 19:14
Beautiful, Alexandra!
ReplyDeletethank you nicoley! <3
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