Back To Basics - Prayer Answers

-Devotional thoughts: About The Wait-

James 1:5-8 - If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

In prayer, God gives 3 responses: 1) Yes. 2) No. 3) Wait. I love the "yes" answers that God gives because I know it has been answered. The "no" answers sometimes makes me feel a little sad, but I'll know He has a better plan for me. It's the "wait" answers that I sometimes find hard to embrace.

Take for instance in my case, the subject on healing and miracles. I never once doubted in healing because it happened in my own life and I have seen instant healings and miracles happened right before my eyes. Getting a "wait" answer or an unresponsive answer in what I see on the surface honestly brings me down a little (but it still won't stop me from believing that God can still heal and do miracles today).

Slowly, I've come to realised, not just in the subject of healing, but even little things that I prayed about, that God's cultivating my character and teaching me some valuable lessons along the way.

1) Ultimately, every prayer answer is from God.

If I thank God that a prayer is answered when, in effect, there shouldn't be any reason for me to put the blame on myself or feel down about this when the prayer is not answered in the affirmative.

2) In the wait, the seeding has an effect in the answer received.

It's like a seed planted in the ground before it grows into a plant and bears fruit. The seed is buried underground, in darkness. Regular watering and a suitable environment will enable the seed to grow into a plant.

It's in the unknown (darkness) that constant faith (watering) and the family of God, or anything in your life that builds up your faith, like God's Word (a suitable environment) will enable the seed to grow into the plant and bear fruits.

Whatever you sow is whatever you will reap. Reap faith then, and keep seeding faith.

3) Character is built and developed through the wait.

One of the fruits of the Spirit that God wants us to grow in: patience. If I lived in an environment where I can get everything I want when I ask, I don't think I'll be able to appreciate the waits - waiting isn't that bad after all.

Though I may not be able to see anything on the surface in the wait, and sometimes I may not even understand why, I'll still choose to trust His heart, knowing that He is always good and He loves me. :)