"You who call on the Lord give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest..."
Isaiah 62:6b-7a
I want, therefore I ask... or whine, or scream, or cry, or pout, or just give up.
We all have wants... sometimes it’s those fleeting, purely fleshly wants that aren’t designed for any real happiness; but at other times it’s those deep desires of the Heart-- the things who's absence leaves us feeling empty, unsettled, and unfulfilled. For some of us, that's the desire to be a mother, for some it may be healing, for others, salvation for a loved one. These are the desires that should, and usually do, drive us to seek out the answer from God-- at least, for a while.
When I want to see something happen in my life, something that I acknowledge is beyond my physical control, I'm quick to take it God. (Ideally, I should take everything to Him first, but that's a topic for a whole different discussion!) I usually start out good, but endurance is the real problem. I pray about it for a week, maybe two, maybe even a month, but, eventually, I'm bound to give up.I'll admit, sometimes my attitude has been to wonder why I should continually pray for the same thing, when I'm praying to an all-knowing God. Doesn't the Bible say He already knows what I need before I ask it? Should I really have to ask the same thing of Him day after day after day? Sometimes it just seems so redundant.
There's truth in those thoughts. God does know us so intimately that He knows every need we have before we even know we have it. God is aware of, and sometimes even meets our needs without us asking Him to. Despite these truths, the Bible tells us to be faithful in prayer and we have to wonder why.
I think the real reason is in the nature of prayer itself. Prayer isn't for God's benefit, but for ours. When we pray, we are acknowledging God's sovereignty in our life. We are confessing to Him and to ourselves that we need Him; that we are incomplete without Him. Prayer is meant to strengthen our faith and our trust in God by deepening our relationship with Him.Of course, then we ask how we are supposed to trust God when our prayers seem to always return unanswered. I, myself, am so guilty of asking this very question. Prayer is meant to be a conversation, not a monologue. Have you ever tried to talk to someone who wants to ask you lots of questions or present you with plenty of problems, but is never willing to stop and Listen to your answers? Both of you walk away feeling frustrated-- they are frustrated because they feel you gave them no help, and you because the help you tried to give fell on deaf ears. That is so often how our prayer life plays out.
Prayer should be about speaking and listening. In speaking to God-- in telling Him about our troubles and asking for His help-- we are putting down that rebellious part of us that wants to take on the world alone, that wants to make it through life unassisted and therefore, unaccountable. When we pray, we are giving our spirit the opportunity to commune with our Father, to be strengthened and renewed by His presence, and to feel the wonder of His love and concern for even the most mundane of our troubles; but, then, we must also be willing to listen for His reply.
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3
God has the answers we're looking for, but how willing are we to be still for a few moments and listen? How willing are we to put aside our grasping and clawing and clamoring to just listen to what He has to say?For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord..."
Jeremiah 29:11-14
God has a master plan for each of our lives, and we cannot know it from beginning to end. Sometimes the things we want fit into that plan right away; sometimes they don't fit in for many years to come; sometimes, they don't fit in at all. No matter what the answer is, God hears our prayers, even when we want to believe He isn't listening. He's always ready to take our hands and speak peace and comfort to us as He tells us of the plans he lovingly crafted for our life. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
How do we respond to the answers we receive to our prayers? The verse above is the key to how we should respond. When God answers our requests with a 'yes', and we have what we ask for, we rejoice. When the answer seems to be 'not yet', we keep praying--we give ourselves no rest-- until it's answered. When the answer is 'no', we praise Him anyway, knowing that His plan for our life is greater than anything we can ask or think, and that, despite the disappointment and heartache we feel, He has promised that He will work everything out in our life for our good.
To many of us, the thought of a 'no' to that request so close to our heart seems like more than we can handle. In my own life, I've received some joyous 'yes’s', some frustrating 'wait’s' and some heartrending 'no’s'. It isn't ever easy to accept God's plan when it doesn't coincide with our own, and God doesn't fault us for being disappointed. He wants us to take those disappointments to Him, too, and let Him speak to our hearts about His love and care for us. If we are willing to listen... even when we don't want to hear what He has to say... we can find a peace that will give us patience and hope in every situation.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
