On the drive to work one morning, I prayed and asked God to honor my fiancé, Nick, for his hard work. You see, I believe God hears our prayers.
As an electrician, Nick experienced many rough days on the job. His workdays were often physically and mentally exhausting, from crawling through spider-infested crawl spaces to maneuvering through 120-degree attics. I could tell Nick felt discouraged and fatigued over the past several weeks, so I asked God to give him extra encouragement.
Later, while on my lunch break, Nick called. He had exciting news to share. The boss had summoned Nick to his office for an unexpected meeting. He expressed appreciation for Nick’s hard work and dedication and gave him an unexpected raise. I thanked God for blessing Nick and honoring his diligence in such an amazing way.
The vast majority of my prayers aren’t answered with such swiftness, and I certainly recognize God is not a magic genie who grants my every wish and desire.
While God may not answer in the way I want or in the timeframe I desire, He listens and answers my prayers. The psalmist believed that too. So I can rest, believing He knows best for my life. Like the good Father He is, He provides just what we need in His perfect timing.
As we come before God in prayer, we should confess our sins so our hearts will be clean. Then, as we humbly express our needs and desires to God, we can maintain thankful hearts and praise Him for who He is and what He has already provided.
What are some ways you can improve your prayer life?
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Emily Marszalek enjoys the simple pleasures in life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Nick and their two Goldendoodles, Charlie and Lucy. She loves jigsaw puzzles, animals, rock music, and all flavors of birthday cake.