Reason #190
Some times I just don't get it when it comes to prayer because it seems too easy to just ask. Some times I feel like I just have to approcah God with special words. I think that I can only pray about the "important" things, the things that seem to be pretty heavy. I'm also guilty of thinking I can only ask for what I feel I deserve, which, truthfully isn't much most days. Some times I feel like He may not be so concerned with my "insignificant" requests. The simple ones. you know. The requests that your heart really desires but maybe you feel a little embarrassed to ask because it seems kind of petty, selfish or just plain silly. And so I refrain from asking some times. I just get it in my head that He's got better and more important things to deal with than my silly pleas. I'm wrong most of the time...
I remember talking with my mom about this months ago. Feeling as if I couldn't ask, as if I shouldn't ask, she reminded me that I might as well ask because He already knows. But some times asking is a little scary because you don't know when or how He'll answer. But asking shows faith that He will answer. And doesn't He make it pretty clear that He desires for us to come to Him for any and every thing? Doesn't He want to be the one to meet every need, no matter how small or silly it might seem?
Well, this little desire has been laying on my heart for a while but I just felt like I couldn't ask for it. Maybe it was too soon, maybe I was being too presumptious in asking. Maybe I should just hold off for a while. But I finally did it. I finally asked a few nights ago. And it was a really simple request, however, it was one I couldn't meet on my own. In fact, I couldn't make it happen if I tried and frankly, I really didn't expect an answer anytime soon.
As I sat in the theatre watching Batman last night, I felt my phone vibrate inside of my purse. I know you're not supposed to be on the phone while watching a movie, as the movie ads reminded me at least 3 times before the show started, but I'm too impatient to wait and read a pending text. So, trying to be considerate of everyone else's eyes in the dark theatre, I shielded my phone to read the message. As soon as I read the message, I began to laugh to myself. I just couldn't believe it. This was what I had asked for, and it came in a completely unexpected form. And it came so soon on top of that.
Should I be surprised? Absolutley not! Should it amaze me that God, once again, answered my prayers. Nope! Don't get me wrong, I realize God doesn't always give us everything we want right away. In fact, some times He doesn't give us what we want because He knows what best for us, even if we don't understand. And trust me, I've done my fair share of waiting for answers and I've got lots of requests I'm still waiting on. But here's what I'm learning, if you feel like you should ask, do it. Because He loves to meet our needs. He loves when we come to Him and present our requests. After all, He tells us to ask Him. And I see that He really does care. Our requests aren't insignificant and silly to Him. Our heart's desires are important to Him. But here's the key, when you ask, when you make the request, you have to be looking for the answer. And here's the thing, the answer rarely comes in the form we expect. But He answers, He gives us opportunities, and so you have to be brave to, once again trust Him and take those opportunities that are so often the answers to our prayers. Because God, well, He not only knows how to meet our needs, He also knows the best way to meet them. It's usually different that what you imagined, usually different than what you thought, but it's also usually better than anything you could have done on your own.
So we'll see. I have a feeling that the answer isn't complete or final. I have a feeling that there is probably more to the answer because it's somewhat of a simply complex request. But it's a beginning and I'm just so grateful to serve a God who is so generous, so kind, so faithful and sweet to answer my little "silly" prayer requests in really cool, unimaginable ways.
#190 - Because He answers the "little silly" requests too!
"And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." - 1 John 5:14-15
I remember talking with my mom about this months ago. Feeling as if I couldn't ask, as if I shouldn't ask, she reminded me that I might as well ask because He already knows. But some times asking is a little scary because you don't know when or how He'll answer. But asking shows faith that He will answer. And doesn't He make it pretty clear that He desires for us to come to Him for any and every thing? Doesn't He want to be the one to meet every need, no matter how small or silly it might seem?
Well, this little desire has been laying on my heart for a while but I just felt like I couldn't ask for it. Maybe it was too soon, maybe I was being too presumptious in asking. Maybe I should just hold off for a while. But I finally did it. I finally asked a few nights ago. And it was a really simple request, however, it was one I couldn't meet on my own. In fact, I couldn't make it happen if I tried and frankly, I really didn't expect an answer anytime soon.
As I sat in the theatre watching Batman last night, I felt my phone vibrate inside of my purse. I know you're not supposed to be on the phone while watching a movie, as the movie ads reminded me at least 3 times before the show started, but I'm too impatient to wait and read a pending text. So, trying to be considerate of everyone else's eyes in the dark theatre, I shielded my phone to read the message. As soon as I read the message, I began to laugh to myself. I just couldn't believe it. This was what I had asked for, and it came in a completely unexpected form. And it came so soon on top of that.
Should I be surprised? Absolutley not! Should it amaze me that God, once again, answered my prayers. Nope! Don't get me wrong, I realize God doesn't always give us everything we want right away. In fact, some times He doesn't give us what we want because He knows what best for us, even if we don't understand. And trust me, I've done my fair share of waiting for answers and I've got lots of requests I'm still waiting on. But here's what I'm learning, if you feel like you should ask, do it. Because He loves to meet our needs. He loves when we come to Him and present our requests. After all, He tells us to ask Him. And I see that He really does care. Our requests aren't insignificant and silly to Him. Our heart's desires are important to Him. But here's the key, when you ask, when you make the request, you have to be looking for the answer. And here's the thing, the answer rarely comes in the form we expect. But He answers, He gives us opportunities, and so you have to be brave to, once again trust Him and take those opportunities that are so often the answers to our prayers. Because God, well, He not only knows how to meet our needs, He also knows the best way to meet them. It's usually different that what you imagined, usually different than what you thought, but it's also usually better than anything you could have done on your own.
So we'll see. I have a feeling that the answer isn't complete or final. I have a feeling that there is probably more to the answer because it's somewhat of a simply complex request. But it's a beginning and I'm just so grateful to serve a God who is so generous, so kind, so faithful and sweet to answer my little "silly" prayer requests in really cool, unimaginable ways.
#190 - Because He answers the "little silly" requests too!
"And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." - 1 John 5:14-15