I recently prayed for a situation and believed that a miracle would happen. That’s just who I am. I’m crazy enough to believe in a God who can answer prayers and perform miracles. I won’t apologize for that, but I will also be totally honest and say that my faith takes a hit when the prayer isn’t answered, and the miracle doesn’t happen.
So, this is where I am right now. Of course, I still trust God, I just don’t always have much faith in me when it doesn't go the way I pray. I’m not always strong. I often doubt myself and the effectiveness of my prayers. I honestly don’t understand God at all, but I guess if I did then I would be a god. I am not. God doesn’t have to explain anything to me. He doesn’t have to tell me why He didn’t answer my prayer.
In my younger days when I would go through this, I would stop praying for a while and just zone out in my discouragement. These are the times when it is the hardest to trust and believe. Somehow, I have to power through it and press on.
In this recent prayer I just knew God would answer and bring a miracle. Obviously, God chose not to intervene in the way I had hoped. The answer didn't help to strengthen my faith. It's in these times that I have to remember other times when I thought something was a sure thing of being answered but wasn’t. There have been other times I was devastated but years down the road I understood why, and it turned out to be a good thing. Somehow, we have to absorb the disappointment and trust God but it’s not easy.
It’s not easy spiritually for me right now but I will get through this. I will keep praying and keep believing. It’s not about my will but His purpose. It would be easier if He would sometimes share that purpose with us, but He doesn’t.
Believing in miracles is a risk I will gladly take. We have to understand that miracles are rare, and that God is ultimately in control. So how can we recover when the miracle doesn't happen?
#1 - Don't stress in trying to understand it.
We aren't supposed to understand everything, but we are supposed to pray about everything. By praying, we get a chance to exercise our faith. It isn't based on what we see. We have to believe even when we don't see.
#2 - Don't stop asking.
Even if we don't see the answer to our prayer, we might feel like backing off or that our prayers don't really matter. Our responsibility it to prayer and have faith in God. The outcome is up to God. All we can do is what we can do. Too many times we stress for things that only God can do.
#3 - Stick with it!
Push through your disappointment and keep trusting God. He is for us, not against us. He ultimately knows what is best and we have to trust Him in that. It is so easy for us to be tempted to get angry and stop believing. Do what you know to do and continue to pray with faith and believing. Obviously quitting and giving up isn't going to be any better.
Our relationship with God is more than just miracles He can perform. Faith isn't seeing, it's believing. It never stops hoping or giving up. This is a challenge for humans. We want to have some sort of control, but God is in control. His ways are not our ways, and our thoughts are not always His thoughts. There are also times when God is working in ways we do not see for a better outcome at a future time. Our job is to pray.
“Sometimes the power of your faith, not the answer to your prayer, is the miracle.”
―
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