THE THING YOU NEVER WANT TO PRAY FOR
Frustration, hopelessness, aggravation, lack of faith and trust are just a few of the emotions that I go through when I’m wanting and waiting for an answer to my prayers. How many of you have been there with me? There are times when I want to be like a 3rd grader in school and slip a note to the Lord that says, “do you hear me, circle YES or NO.”
Waiting for an answer, or even an acknowledgment can be excruciating. Even as a 3rd grader, I hated waiting for the note I had passed over to a classmate to come back with an answer. I remember telling a friend once that I wished I had more patience, and she quickly responded with, “don’t ever pray for patience. The Lord will make you wait forever for an answer.”
Romans 8:25
25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In Romans, it is pretty clear that we still have to have hope for what we have asked for, and then we also have to WAIT, and we are supposed to do that patiently. So, what does patiently waiting look like? Does it look like pacing the floor, or looking in the mailbox several times a day? If my friend is correct in her analogy, the less patient you are in waiting, the longer the Lord might make you wait. He is working on something that needs correcting, and for me, patience is an issue.
Galatians 6:9
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Growing weary, or frustrated in waiting for an answer is a real danger for me. When I haven’t gotten an answer, or I don’t see the Lord’s hand even moving, then I start to give up. I throw up my hands and figure that the Lord didn’t hear me even though I have repeated my prayers over and over. Even worse, maybe He heard me, but my request wasn’t worthy of an answer.
The Lord promises I will reap a harvest, but at HIS proper time, not mine. Sometimes I need to modify my request. As that 3rd grader, I might have prayed to marry Donnie Osmond or Davy Cassidy. The Lord might have given me an eye roll with that request, but I was too young to know that my prayer should have been modified. Instead of praying for Donnie or Davy, I should have been praying for the Lord to lead me to a good man who would love and care for me.
Psalms 37:7
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Don’t you love how the Lord has an answer for everything? He says to BE STILL, and there is a reason that He says that. He knows that waiting is hard, and He encourages us to simply wait. What ends up happening is I try to take matters into my own hands, and that is never a good idea. Because of my meddling, I usually mess things up worse until I finally have no choice but to wait.
Exodus 14:14
14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
I never was much of a fighter, so letting the Lord fight for me sounds good. I’m not going to pray for patience, but learning to be still doesn’t sound like a bad idea. If I can’t fix the problem, then I’m giving it to the Lord and I’ll just sit here and relax while the Lord handles everything.
To God Goes The Glory!
Have A Blessed Day!
Thank you for your Sunday posts! And for your Bible verses each day!
I have prayed for patience many times. He always delivers. Love your Sunday posts, Tania!
This is very timely for me. Thank you for the reminder.
I absolutely love your Sunday posts. It is the Lords day and you honor that. Thank you.
Tania, I pray for things everyday but they haven’t been answered and everyday I keep saying Lord I know I am not very patient. Please just add this to the list, give me more patience.
❤️
I always say don’t pray for patience, for if you do you will be taught patience.
I needed to hear this today. Thank you
Love your inspirational Quotes ❤️
I’m right there with you, Tania! Thank you this reminder to BE STILL.
Once again you have provided a timely post so, again, thank you. The war in the Ukraine and the prayers of many for it to end are a true test of our patience and faith. Appreciate your biblical references reminding us that God’s timing is beyond our understanding.
This was very good. I need to remember this daily. I know my impatience has led to poor decisions. Thank you for these Sunday reflections and bible verses.
Thank you, Tania for this very important lesson!
Such a great post! God knows our hearts and He know what we need. I love these verses. Thank you.
Good words this morning. Your openness about the Lord is why I like your website so much.
Goodness! Such a great (& extremely timely!) word today. Many, many blessings to u, Tania! Thank u for ur commitment & faithfulness to this endeavor.
My favorite reminder about patience comes from the movie Evan Almighty. Morgan Freeman portrays God and tells Evan’s wife that God doesn’t give you patience, he gives you opportunities to be patient. Whenever I get impatient I remind myself that this is an opportunity to be patient. I highly recommend the movie because it has a lot of good messages in it.
Thank you for your encouraging words this morning. I really needed to hear them today.
So nice to read your thoughts this morning. My mother always said patience was a virtue and it is so true. She also always told me to Be Still. Ha! Have a blessed day!
Loved the story today….I believe as we grow and learn from our personal journey in life, which is due to the journey taking longer at times because of those unknown ruts/curves in the path but I hope we end up a stronger and better person for that.
Needed this today – Thank you!
Thank you for advice and inspiration! I do not like to shop, but sometimes need to be put together, it’s been very helpful to see your style, and it’s so much better than most the companies that are selling the stuff. It also helps that you and I are about the same size, so what size you are wearing is a real plus!
I know that feeling. Very hard to wait.