Hmm ...isn't that true? I love it when I pray and get an immediate answer. Or the times when it's so obvious God is working in the midst of a situation I've been praying about. But what about those times when nothing seems to be happening? It's easy to wonder if God is listening and what He is doing.It's times like these when I take out my journals. I can look back to a period of seeming darkness when I thought my prayers were hitting the ceiling and realize that all along ...God heard my prayers.
He was working in the situation but in His perfect timing and His perfect way.
It also helps me to remember some of the names of the Lord:
- El Roi: The God Who Sees
- El Shaddai: The All-Sufficient One
- Jehovah-jireh: The Lord Will Provide
- Jehovah-rapha: The Lord Who Heals
- Jehovah-nissi: The Lord My Banner
- Jehovah-raah: The Lord My Shepherd
- Jehovah-shammah: The Lord Is There
So, instead of going by my feelings ...I learn to trust by faith. Even when I can't see, feel, hear or sense that He is at work. I've learned to trust that His Word is true. And yes, ...I can trust Him.
And in the midst of it all, I will praise, worship and thank Him even when I don't seem to have an answer.
How about you? Do you get frustrated when you don't seem to have answers to your prayers? Or have you learned some faith lessons that you care to share? I always enjoy hearing what others have learned.
"instead of going on feeling..." Faith not feeling, that is the key. Bless you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteIt's always such a blessings to stop by your blog!
You have such a wonderful way with words.
Great post. I love when you said,
And in the midst of it all, I will praise, worship and thank Him even when I don't seem to have an answer.
What a beautiful proclamation!
Blessings♥
I'm not known for being patient so waiting for answers to prayer is one of the hardest things for me. It's also hard because I know what God can do but don't always understand why He won't. But, I've also walked with the Lord long enough to know that His answers are always best and His timing is always perfect even if it doesn't seem so from my human perspective.
ReplyDeleteWhen I go through hard times I have to remind myself of the past ways God has worked and answered prayers. This encourages me not to give up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip about the Phoenix weather. Last night my hubby said I need to check the weather there, I said Debbie said it's hot! He said who's Debbie, i told him one of my blogging friends!
Have a blessed Tuesday!
Great post! "So, instead of going by my feelings ...I learn to trust by faith." Amen! Trusting by faith is the only way. I used to wonder why God wouldn't grant my request for healing and now I hope He doesn't, for when I have a flare up I have more time to spend with Him, reading my Bible or books by authors who are men or women of faith that have important lessons for me to learn. I trust His grace and His reasoning, even though I don't understand them. I truly enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! I love to reflect on the names of God-gives us a better outlook. My own prayer life was developed by waiting on the Lord to save one of those dearest to me..I'm still waiting but He is Faithful to provide.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day!
Well said. We definitely need to stop trying to live by how we feel and stick with trusting by our faith.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, I find it amazing how God brings the same idea through these posts. When I read Loni's post my first thought was the names of God and how they apply to our faith. What a blessing to click on your post link and see that God led you to the same point! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've found that the key to praying is asking for righteous things - if you are honest with yourself your conscience will tell you if the things you are asking for are good or not
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I've learnt is that when you ask with a true heart you are also willing to accept God's will whatever that may be. It closely relates to your 'surrender' post. We need to surrender ourselves to allow God to make best possible outcome happen from our prayers.
Thanks.
I was catching up on your posts and enjoyed them (o: My daughter and a friend tried out for The Amazing Race when they had a try out in Denver.
ReplyDeleteI prayed for my Mom from the time I was a very young Christian all her life. At the very end, God gave me a way to feel like it had worked...long story (o: I was so glad god said NO when I prayed for 2 years to have the young man I was dating in college. Later I learned how his marriage turned out and was very glad it was not me that went through that.
Your post (which was very good, esp the names for God) made me think of the song, "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayer." Yes, sometimes I think he is not answering, I get frustrated, but then something good happens anyway. I take comfort in knowing that God is working through all things. wb
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie for your post! I too like to look back through my journals to remember how He answered prayers.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to your week!
Beautiful sharing dear sister. I have learned through great trial and a working of the fruit of patience to really WAIT on GOD and to wait with expectation and praise until the manifestation of my prayers. I know He has our care as forefront in His mind and so I rest in that but I wasn't always that way. It was a journey!
ReplyDeleteLove you.
Of course! Our trust grows when we remember what we've already seen God do! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post Debbie. I definitely had to stand on God's Word when I was bound by fear. I had every scripture about my authority written on note cards. I stood on the scriptures until my thoughts and heart were full of TRUTH versus THE LIES of the enemy.
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate!
I like the picture you used to illustrate the quote this week. If only I had that kind of faith all the time.
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes I do get frustrated, but then I remember, God is God,and I am not. His ways are above mine. It is about trust, it is about faith. But sometimes this human, whose flesh is wanting it on a "here and now" basis, needs to be reminded of Who He is, how His timing is perfect, and that sometimes, He just might need to teach me a bigger lesson than my simple request mandates.
ReplyDelete