Answered Prayers - Expectations versus Reality
BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) has started up again. This year we are studying the book of Romans, which was written by Paul. Before his conversion, Paul hated and persecuted Christians. His conversion story can be found in Acts 9. God used Paul in mighty ways both in the early church and through his inspired writings.
One of the questions from the first lesson of the year asked what Paul prayed for and how this prayer was answered by God. In Romans 1:10, Paul writes, "I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you." Paul clearly longed to visit Rome and encourage the members of the Roman church in person. His prayer was answered, but likely not how Paul had expected it.
Paul came to Rome under arrest.
Did God answer Paul's prayer? Yes. God did open a way for Paul to go to Rome. Did Paul expect God would answer it by allowing Paul to be arrested and sent to Rome for trial? Probably not.
The question was such an encouragement to me. We tend to expect our prayers to be answered in certain ways. When I prayed that Isabella would come to know the Lord at an early age, I never, ever expected God would answer it in the way he did. She came to know the Lord at less than 30 hours of life and now lives in his presence. God answered this prayer, but not at all how I expected.
Years before, I had prayed that God would open the door for me to go to graduate school in state. That door was closed. But, God used the shut door to open opportunities for research that has impacted me for years. He also opened the door for me to go to a top tier graduate school in a different state. Of course I wanted to go to the graduate school here, but his plans were different. And they were better. Graduate school was such a clear example of God's answer being greater than I could have dreamed.
My view is limited to time and earth. I cannot see all the ways God will use my daughter's unexpected death for his glory, but I trust that he is and will continue to. We live in a fallen, broken world, where babies die. Yet God is aware of our pain. He does and will bring beauty from ashes.
Psalm 56:8 reads, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." He knows my pain and holds me through it. One day I will see the bigger picture and understand the myriad of ways he will use this horrible tragedy. Right now I can see glimpses.
God changes our hearts through prayer. There are so many other examples of how God has answered our prayers, just not how we had expected. When Paul was under house arrest while in Rome, God used it to for eternal purposes. He is and will continue to use Isabella's life and death for his glory. Although, in my humanity, I just want her with me.
One of the questions from the first lesson of the year asked what Paul prayed for and how this prayer was answered by God. In Romans 1:10, Paul writes, "I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you." Paul clearly longed to visit Rome and encourage the members of the Roman church in person. His prayer was answered, but likely not how Paul had expected it.
Paul came to Rome under arrest.
Did God answer Paul's prayer? Yes. God did open a way for Paul to go to Rome. Did Paul expect God would answer it by allowing Paul to be arrested and sent to Rome for trial? Probably not.
The question was such an encouragement to me. We tend to expect our prayers to be answered in certain ways. When I prayed that Isabella would come to know the Lord at an early age, I never, ever expected God would answer it in the way he did. She came to know the Lord at less than 30 hours of life and now lives in his presence. God answered this prayer, but not at all how I expected.
Years before, I had prayed that God would open the door for me to go to graduate school in state. That door was closed. But, God used the shut door to open opportunities for research that has impacted me for years. He also opened the door for me to go to a top tier graduate school in a different state. Of course I wanted to go to the graduate school here, but his plans were different. And they were better. Graduate school was such a clear example of God's answer being greater than I could have dreamed.
My view is limited to time and earth. I cannot see all the ways God will use my daughter's unexpected death for his glory, but I trust that he is and will continue to. We live in a fallen, broken world, where babies die. Yet God is aware of our pain. He does and will bring beauty from ashes.
Psalm 56:8 reads, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." He knows my pain and holds me through it. One day I will see the bigger picture and understand the myriad of ways he will use this horrible tragedy. Right now I can see glimpses.
God changes our hearts through prayer. There are so many other examples of how God has answered our prayers, just not how we had expected. When Paul was under house arrest while in Rome, God used it to for eternal purposes. He is and will continue to use Isabella's life and death for his glory. Although, in my humanity, I just want her with me.
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