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Be Careful What you Pray For
1 Timothy 6:11
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:11
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
In order to be a good Christian, there are certain qualities that we aim to possess. We pray for knowledge, patience, love, faith, etc… Have you ever really studied how God answers our prayers as we ask to be better Christians? Sometimes, we may ask for something and He grants us that something as simple as that. Other times, it’s not so easy.
Ecclesiastes 1:18
For in much wisdom is much grief; And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Solomon tells us how we must grieve to become wise and have sorrow to gain knowledge. God normally does not just snap and make us smart. He shows us how to make good decisions. He teaches us often through trials.
Ecclesiastes 1:18
For in much wisdom is much grief; And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Solomon tells us how we must grieve to become wise and have sorrow to gain knowledge. God normally does not just snap and make us smart. He shows us how to make good decisions. He teaches us often through trials.
Hebrews 12:11
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
I’ve been looking back on some of the recent events in my life and remembering what I had been praying for. I’m learning that God really has been answering my prayers even if it wasn’t perfectly clear to me while it was taking place.
The Lord blessed me with a child which was an answer to prayer. I had prayed that God would give me the patience, knowledge, love, and biblical knowhow to raise my child for God’s glory. I prayed God would strengthen me as a warrior to fight His battles on earth and bring him glory in spiritual warfare. (Be prepared on that one.) The more I learned, the more I felt I wanted to put on the armor of God and bring Him as many victories as I could.
Here’s what God did…
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
I’ve been looking back on some of the recent events in my life and remembering what I had been praying for. I’m learning that God really has been answering my prayers even if it wasn’t perfectly clear to me while it was taking place.
The Lord blessed me with a child which was an answer to prayer. I had prayed that God would give me the patience, knowledge, love, and biblical knowhow to raise my child for God’s glory. I prayed God would strengthen me as a warrior to fight His battles on earth and bring him glory in spiritual warfare. (Be prepared on that one.) The more I learned, the more I felt I wanted to put on the armor of God and bring Him as many victories as I could.
Here’s what God did…
He placed it on my heart to work inside of my home. He led me through scripture showing me that working outside of my home was following the ways of the world and my place was serving Him in my home. He even gave me a revelation. He told me to follow in faith and leave my job telling me He would provide for my family. He gave me a deep love for my child, I never imagined having. Sounds great so far, right? Let me continue; He gave me a husband with a hardened heart toward me quitting work and following in faith. Instead, my husband is doing all he can to please me and get me working in my home. He is not ready to receive God’s guidance to follow in faith. He is much too practical. God has kept it on my heart to follow in faith and I’m still working at my job waiting “patiently” for my husband’s heart to change. Every day is a spiritual battle staying faithful to God and submitting to my husband.
Don’t be discouraged from praying. I would go through all of this over again to obtain the closeness I’ve been receiving with God. God is amazing and I love seeing Him so active in my life. I’m in the middle of a spiritual battle keeping strong in faith, learning patience as I wait for God to soften my husband’s heart, receiving knowledge as I drown myself in scripture and increasing my love each day for my child making all of this more difficult to endure. Yet, I still say BRING IT ON! I welcome trials from my Father and I’m finding joy in His teachings that will continue to build and grow throughout my life on earth.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Psalm 24:4-5 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths, Lead me in your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Revelations 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
Psalm 24:4-5 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths, Lead me in your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Revelations 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
Has God answered your prayers in a way you wouldn't have expected?
5 comments:
Today on my Monday, I continue to endure. God give me mercy, grace and strength. I'm feeling week and worn. My joy is little and my pain is great. My child will be abandoned by his parents yet another day. If it is possible, let this cup pass from me, Nevertheless, not my will Lord but Your own.
What you have written above is very intresting. I don't know if I pray, but I do hold conversations with God. They are mostly one way((me walking around my living room talking to the ceiling))and usually out of frustration and anger, but occassionally just because. I do think my "prayers" are answered, but on HIS terms, HIS time, and HIS way that sometimes I don't understand but I am trying very hard to accept.
I know very little scriptures from the Bible; in fact I couln't tell you any of them in exact terms or location. But given a Bible, it would take me awhile, but I would find what I was looking for and sometimes other things I wasn't along the way. Make sense? Maybe not..What are prayers? Requests? Praises? Both? Neither? Inner strength give to outward emotions? I don't know. Does GOD actually answer my "prayers" or do I answer my own prayers and he gives me the guidance and knowledge to do so.
GOD IS trying to reach me. I am actually begininng to belive this deep down inside of me. I have a long road in front of me filled with many conversations((prayer?)), yet to come, with HIM. Intresting this road I am starting to walk on....
~Gypsy~
You have encouraged me to write a guide on accepting Jesus. There are many who have tons of questions and are too unsure of what to do and what qualifies as being saved. I want all of these people to have the opportunity to find their answers and receive salvation. Know that God can do this without me but He uses all of us as tools to help one another and I spend a lot of time in prayer asking the Lord to use me to help advance His kingdom. Make sure to check out the latest post. It is inspired by you.
I accepted Jesus as my savior at a very young age, but then as i got a little older started doubting the Cristian religion, and any religion. I started thinking how could it really happen all like that. Recently in my life there has been serious changes, big ones. Things i never would have wanted to happen. I have a wonderful girlfriend who has always been faithful to Christianity and I started going to church with her. I really love going, it is something i really look forward to every week. Now I start to think back to when i was being skeptic about religion and wondering how it could possibly happen that way. Now i see it as more of just believing everything happened the way the Bible says it did, not how is that physically happen because religion is believing, and people always say God works in mysterious ways. You were saying how he is putting you through trials, i think that's exactly what he is doing to me. I wasn't believing in him. I wasn't being strong enough. I found a girl who is so spiritually strong who has helped me get through so much in the past few years and now i see it as i found her at this time in my life for a reason. While God is putting me to the test by throwing my first real big life problem at me he is blessing me with the most wonderful girl ever. While dealing with the hardest time in my life, i am having the best time of my life and i am finding myself...
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for sharing. I think it can be tough when we accept Jesus at a young age. If this happens without the proper guidance, it makes it really easy for Satan to attack our feeble and vulnerable minds and spirits. It sounds like God has put some circumstances in your life though to regain the closeness with you that He desires.
I went through a point in my life where I decided pieces of the Bible couldn’t be true. I was trying to mold it to fit my lifestyle. God taught me some great lessons in that time and thankfully he is a merciful and graceful God who forgives us for our weaknesses. The Bible is God’s Word. Every bit of it is to stand the test of time. When we decide something doesn’t apply, we need to do some self evaluating. God’s Word always applies and if we are defying God, we need to do some correcting. If we don’t see our errors and repent, God has a way of getting our attention.
I am happy that God placed a friend in your life to help you on your walk. We need encouragement and fellowship from other Christians to help us grow. I am sorry you are going through such a hard time right now. I lift you up in prayer. I pray God will keep you strong in faith and continue to place people in your life that can help you cope in a way that brings glory to God. I pray that the Holy Spirit leads you through the Bible helping you to find the answers you need and the strength and encouragement that keeps you mighty as a warrior for Christ. Amen
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