Thursday, March 21, 2024
I’ve witnessed God answer my prayer requests in amazing ways. When I was four, he gave me a rainbow. When I was nine, he gave me a baby sister. When I was thirteen, God brought me out of middle school friend drama during the COVID-19 quarantine.
However, there have been many prayer requests answered with a “no.” We have all been faced with situations like loneliness, diseases, being fired,or being scared. We ask God to take the hardship away, to make everything better, but nothing changes.
Mark 11:22-23
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”
Faith is powerful! We hear stories of people like David, Ruth, and Paul, and are awed by their courage, loyalty, and determination. So why don’t we see miracles like this? Are we doubting God’s power?
When we read these verses, we feel like it is our responsibility to have more faith, to pray better, and to believe harder in God’s power. However, only God can perform miracles. Apart from him, we can’t do anything. God uses our prayers to bring us into his story, to help us take part in the adventure he is writing.
If I hadn’t prayed for a rainbow or a baby sister or less friend drama, would things have ended differently? I don’t know. But I am reminded that God is the one working. We can only ask and wait open-handedly, knowing he has our best interests at heart.
Mark 11:24
“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”
God is at work in all of our lives. He hears our prayers and answers them in the best possible way. The things we want most—forgiveness, love, peace—he is already providing abundantly, even if the outcome we desire isn’t what he has in mind. God has a perfect plan for our lives, and he will provide for us every step of the way.
Questions:
What prayer requests has God answered with a “yes”? What prayer requests has God answered with a “no”? What prayer requests are still waiting for an answer? How can you remind yourself of God’s miracles even when faced with “no” or “wait”?
Next Steps:
Think about the ways God has shown up for you in the past. Share those experiences with others—that is a part of your testimony! Next time you pray, trust that God is already giving you exactly what you need.
Prayer:
Father, there are so many things I ask you for. Thank you for being open to my requests and listening every time I come to you. I can’t always understand when you don’t answer me the way I hope, but I know you have an amazing story planned out for me. I love you. Amen.
This post was written by Lydia Snyder, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.