Okay so I just want to share something. I've said this before and I'll say it again now. Prayer works. God can definitely handle the biggest things-nothing is TOO big for God. He already knows what you are going through, what weight you are carrying, what seems impossible to you is no surprise to God. He made you, of course, so naturally He knows your innermost struggles and desires. He knows your deepest, darkest secrets and loves you more than you could ever comprehend. I am feeling overwhelmed by His presence and goodness this morning.
If you are a Christ follower, this is something you've experienced. The true feeling of being overwhelmed by His attributes-His Grace (giving you something good you didn't earn), Mercy (sparing you from punishment what you earned), Love, comfort, peace of knowing even when things seem insurmountable that He's got this! If not, I get that you don't get it. The Bible says the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing-and that is what will happen. It's hard to wrap your brain around, but it is one of those things that you just don't get till you get it. LIGHT BULB!!
But I digress... the point is, if you have never experienced Him, just try this out. Why not? What do you have to lose? And perhaps if you know Him you're like me, and you need a million little reminders. Prayer works. While there are plenty of things we don't understand, and there is much we have to chalk up to, God knows something we don't know and has a little more wisdom about that the which we hoped and longed for. Sometimes God doesn't intervene because that person has given themselves over to sin. Sometimes, someone is praying and praying for YOU and your hardened heart is the reason why God hasn't said YES to that person yet. But prayer works. It does. God knows our needs, but He wants to be asked.
He has solutions for the HUGE stuff. He parted the Red Sea, freed His people, saved the faithful from death on the earth, created the world, SAVED the world! He has them. They might not be what we think is the way we would go, or He may come out of nowhere and answer in a way that is something we could have never expected. Sometimes He finally answers the longings of our heart after months or years of praying. I've experienced this myself, years of praying for people, and finally it is so sweet when He answers Sometimes He doesn't give us what we could never have known was not the right way. Sometimes He allows hurt and pain we wish He would just end, and only years later do we see that He was using that to refine us. He has some bigger picture, a grand tapestry that He's weaving. But He is capable of handling it so we don't we come to Him? He can solve it! Do you believe it today? Or will you continue to bang your head on the brick wall until you finally give yourself a bigger headache than you had before.
What about the little stuff? Do you go to God with the little stuff? Do you realize that because He's God and because He cares for you, He always has time for the little stuff? Don't ever think you are too insignificant or your troubles are not worthy of going to Him because they are "too small"! Nothing is too big OR too small!
I've had huge mountains moved by God, but I will tell you it is equally humbling when you can't find your keys and God brings you to the exact spot where they never should have been. It's all about knowing Him more. When we have prayers answered, our faith grows. I'm learning this. I am hard headed, but I'm learning.
I will give you two examples of something small God has answered in the last week for us. Thing 1. Last week, there was a bee in the house. Now, we have red wasp allergies, so we pretty much have stock in FLYING INSECT SPRAY, and perhaps I have an unhealthy fear of flying stinging bugs. (Again, not perfect!) But I saw the bee and thought, that thing needs to leave. Now. Right now. So I hollered outside to Jacob who was outside working on projects to come 'git it'. Then I propped the back door open so he'd have a chance to fly out on his own. Then I stopped. Why do we always try to solve our own problems? Hannah and I stopped right there and prayed, that the stupid bee would just fly outside on his own. Jacob came inside determined to spray the thing until our house smelled like the terrible fumey chemicals. I told him that he didn't need to spray, that we'd prayed and he was going to fly out on his own. And I kid you not, he did. No lie.
Thing 2. I have been looking for this book for about 2 weeks and couldn't find it. Of course I didn't look 'everywhere' but I spent a good bit of time trying to find this $50 book to no available. It's now time for me to use this book for the summer school work and now I really *need* it. I spent another half hour this morning scouring for it, to no avail I might add. Finally it occurred to me to pray, so I brought my kiddos together and prayed among other things, to find the book. After we prayed, I had a thought to clean out behind another bookshelf we don't really use and found not only that book, but two more books I didn't know I even had that I thought I was going to have to buy!! I love when God works like that!
Coincidence, you call it. That's fine. I could tell you have we never had money for Haiti and our trip was fully funded because God convicted others to give. Charity, you say. Fine. Like I said, if you don't acknowledge His part in all this, of course it will seem foolishness to you. And for those who feel that way, YOU are one of those I pray for, sometimes for years, for God to soften your heart to 'get it'. Because otherwise, you just won't. But I pray for you anyways. Probably you specifically if I know you. :D
But I have big mountains in my life right now that I'm praying through. I know to some extent why I believe God isn't answering yes, right away-it's forcing me to rely on Him. It's forcing me to hold out, to have faith, and trust that God will keep His promises, in His time. Jacob and I have some BIG things we want to do, but that can't happen until God acts, in a way that only He can. And I believe He will...because... to quote what someone who has a lot more vision and insight than I do once said, "Brother, God knows."
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