by David Brenneman
I completed a devotional reading plan this morning on this subject of 'Waiting on God' by Dr. Charles Stanley. It impressed me so that felt directed to talk about it. If you have the Bible App it's available through that if you search for devotionals under Dr. Charles Stanley.
To be honest I think this particular one I will be on my list of those to repeat and often.
We often get into the world's idea of a microwave mentality. We pray, don't see results in 5 minutes or less and give up on praying. We perceive our thoughts on what progress ought to resemble, what it should look like and we give up concluding that God must have said no.
My Dear Reader...we, and I am most certainly include myself, give up way too early in the praying process.
Remember well the words of Jesus when it came to a certain kind of demon to cast out normally requires fasting and prayer. Since He was on the scene it didn't take that.
Prayer isn't just our conveying our list of wants and needs. Prayer is also our point of learning more about He to whom we make the requests to. It's about sharing our appreciation for what He's already given us. It's about our communing with Jesus because He eagerly awaits to hear from each of us no matter what the reason is.
While we give way too much credit to Satan's interfering with our lives than we ought to, our own sin nature is to blame probably 90 percent or more of the time, we don't give prayer enough emphasis in our lives as well.
Right over my study area is a single one-word plaque. "Pray".
I've quoted in the past "Pray on, Pray Over, Pray Through" life. It's on another plaque that I have here.
I believe I found both at Hobby Lobby if they're still available, it was a number of years ago that I got them.
Praying with forgiveness in your heart also must be a part of your praying time.
Jesus said that we MUST forgive others who've done things to us or we will have our prayers hindered if not blocked for a time. Remember all unforgiveness does is start putting up bricks to build a wall between us and Jesus. As one put it...not forgiving as we have been forgiven...is US drinking the poison that we want someone else to feel. Same description is there about bitterness as well.
Bitterness and and unforgiving heart will do very very much damage to our prayer life.
We trusted Jesus to save us...to forgive us...then we Have to take Him at His word about justice.
Something to remember about Matthew 18 as well. If we are aware of our brother having something against US...WE are to seek them out to reconcile. We are NOT to devolop a stubborn stance and go on with life. This too hinders prayers.
We do our own damage to our prayer lives and we are the chief reason why we jump to "oh God must have said no, so now it's up to me...".
Dr. Stanley addresses that as well.
Our impatience pretty much always gets us into trouble for whatever it is God is GOING to do.
Scriptures is clear...God's ways are not our ways. His timing is not our timing. My Dear Reader...find one single soliltary time in the Bible where God was EVER late.
Even the timing of John the Baptist being born...when Jesus was born was EXACTLY at the right time. Scripture says so. There's many many factors to explain WHY this was at the right time not just spiritually. Physically the Romans had established actual roads and a multi-city roadway system. Getting the Gospel message to more cities at the time the Disciples turned Apostles were sent out...made it much easier to do. God's timing.
When it comes to praying...don't hold back what you're feeling either. You and I quickly forget that He already knows the angst, the anger, the bitter feelings threatening to devlop, the justice we crave, the sorrow we can't even find words for, the sadness that's beyond our comprehension, the utter loss we can't figure out how to fill again.
Dear Reader...consider it well that ALL OF THOSE THINGS...Jesus experienced here on Earth when He was here. We read that He was a man of sorrows well aquainted with grief. He knows our roller coaster of emotions we go through very well...yet in it He did not sin.
I said earlier that Satan's not to blame for 90 percent or more of what befalls us. While potentially all 8 plus billion people on this planet have potentially immediate access to Jesus Christ...Satan has not that ability to accuse each independently. He has to pick who it is he's wanting to do something to. Most of our issues are our own sin natures either causing ourselves issues or our interactions with other's sin natures showing themselves.
We will on day give an account of our lives before Christ...and in this here and this now we have the opportunity to have Godly people to be accountable to in order to help us achieve a better life if only more in the professing church would stand up and do this.
Just because our perception is God saying no...strive on and keep on praying. Jesus answers 1 of 4 ways...yes...no...not right now...and wait...I have something better in mind.
It takes time to learn what the answer really is. What's also on us is when a TRUE answer is given...we're to be thankful, grateful, and to continue on in our walk with Jesus. We read of no time that the 11 Disciples started sulking when they were told no.
Pray on, Pray over, Pray through what you are going through. Jesus taught a parable or two on this on persistance in prayer.
Persist in prayer and don't give up hope. In Christ hope is eternal.
Trust Jesus that His answer is always the right answer when you DO get one. He knows every minutia of detail on everyone and everything as to why His way was the better way.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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