1. "To someone who prays in faith. . ." Although I can't say for sure, I assume (since I once did) that many people treat prayer like a grocery list - listing their requests. It sounds pretty pious, and I'm sure that they have the best intentions. For goodness sake, if one taking the time to pray, it's highly doubtful that s/he would have anything other than good intentions!
Sometimes, though, we go into prayer with that the attitude that it would be super-cool if this would happen, and it would be nice, Lord, if you would allow this to happen, but we don't necessarily believe that it's going to happen.
Faith is an all-in endeavor: You either have it or you don't. God honors righteous prayers -prayer that put Him, His Will, and His Kingdom first. Period. And because He never lies, and because His Will is perfect, there is no reason to doubt. Ever. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says, ". . . Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
2. "Unanswered prayers are simply the evidence. . ." I think we have to be careful with this phrase. God answers prayers all the time. He doesn't necessary answer them in the way we think they should be answered, though, and thank goodness for that. When I think about the way in which God has addressed and answered, some of my prayer requests over the years, I am reminded of and so thankful for the fact that His Will is perfect, and He knows much better than I how to address the situation. In 100% of the circumstances, His solution or answer far surpassed what I requested in terms of blessing and impact.
Sometimes, though, God is silent for a time. Sometimes, it takes a while for God's perfect plan to unfold. If we are people of true faith (see #1), as impatient as we may be, we rest in the knowledge that God's got this. He's got this. He hears you. He knows your heart. He knows your intentions - why you made the request. Trust Him to wow you as He pulls it all together for His Kingdom glory.
"When God gives a vision and darkness follows, wait." Oswald Chambers
3. ". . .the answer is much closer." Often it's so close that we can't see it, largely because we are focusing on the wrong thing. Often, as impatience increases, our dependence on God decreases.
For good or ill, as I see it, while in the physical realm, our spiritual lives are a continuum - on one side is selfishness and on the other is God. Life on earth is a constant struggle - an interminable shifting between selfishness and God.
The great lesson in life is learning to discipline ourselves to recognize selfishness and run to the shelter He provides on his side of the continuum. Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." The more time we spent there, the more peace and joy we experience. Above all, God's love for us is affirmed in the shelter of those wings.
If our prayers are a mirror to that love, we can be assured that they will be answered. . .are answered. Perfectly. At the right time. In exactly the right way.
Praise be to God the Father, the Almighty. Beginning and End.
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