photo © 2010 Paul David | more info (via: Wylio)
It’s been awhile since my last blog post on here. The past four months have been quite full. I’ve seen a lot of loss, challenge, gratefulness, despair, acceptance, confusion, and peace over these past weeks since I’ve last written. I’ve personally experienced many of the feelings described above, and I’ve also walked with family, friends, and clients in my practice who have been through many of these things.
My heart aches as I think of two dear moms I know who have had to say goodbye to their young daughters after illnesses weren’t healed from our prayers; and I’ve also closely known people who have lost their jobs and homes as a result of this economic recession. These are just a few of the stories of very difficult situations I’ve seen, and it brings me to reflect upon the question I have been asked in my clinical practice and personal life more times than I can remember: “Why do we pray if God doesn’t always answer our prayers? I mean, what’s the point to it? I never know when He’s going to help me or bring me what I’m praying for, so why do we bother to do it?” And, “Why is He allowing me to go through this pain and suffering when it could have so easily been avoided if He had only answered my prayer?”
These questions lead me to think back upon one of my own greatest challenges with loss that I experienced when my mother died after my freshman year in college. We were told she was terminally-ill just before Christmas in my senior year of high school. After hearing that news, life was never the same again. We prayed and prayed for her to get better, but she just got worse and worse. I remember how I stopped praying for her to recover after awhile. I think I stopped praying because I was afraid of feeling disappointed with God if He let her die without answering my prayer of healing her. I didn’t stop praying all together, but I began praying that the Lord would bring me peace and strength if He chose to take her to heaven. And I can promise you: God really did. He brought me a peace of knowing she was safe and at rest with Him. He also brought me strength to continue on with my life while working and going to school, despite the deep, deep loss I felt in my heart.
God promises to bring us peace and strength, no matter what we’re going through. He may not promise to answer each of our prayers the way in which we want them answered, but He promises through the prophet Isaiah:
“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You.
Because He trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:3-4)
God promises to bring us everything we need, even when we may think we need something else. We are so blessed that He will always bring us the strength and peace we need to make it through whatever challenges may come our way. Knowing this truth, we can approach our prayer time as precious time of communing with God. We don’t need to overwhelm ourselves with the pressure of wondering, “Will He answer this prayer, or that prayer; or will He rescue me from this situation?” We can approach Him with whatever feelings, questions, thoughts, or praises may be on our hearts. Instead of praying as a means of seeking answers, why don’t we aim to pray with the intention of spending time with God, pouring our heart out before Him, growing closer to Him, and renewing our faith in Him during those quiet times we spend alone with Him in His presence. God desires to have a personal relationship with us, and prayer is one of the ways in which we can truly grow to know Him and the love He has for each one of us.
Sometimes, when we walk through times of loss and despair, we have to make the choice of whether to go it alone, or to choose to trust in Him. Even when things seem very quiet and we may even wonder if He is there, we still must say,
“Therefore I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)
Have you recently experienced any pain or loss that has led you to question your understanding of prayer? Is it ever difficult for you to remain consistent in your faith when struggles or loss come your way?
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