When He Can, He Will

Almost three weeks ago, I shared about my awesome answer to prayer regarding a certain dress... The very next day I had ANOTHER incredible answered prayer (which I will most definitely be sharing within the next couple of days).

But for today's post, I want to focus on my answered prayer from yesterday, because, it was soo precious....

First, we need to go back a few years....

Growing up, I probably heard every verse, phrase, quote about prayer that there was. I heard that we should "pray without ceasing". I heard that we should have "George Mueller faith" when we prayed. I heard people wax eloquently about how their prayers were answered.

I didn't always understand it, but I knew, deep down, that I wanted to understand what prayer was all about. I wanted to know how people reached this level of prayer perfection where everything they seemingly spoke to God the Father was answered with a deep and resounding "YES!!!"

How did they do it? What was the secret formula? What were they doing that I wasn't?

Now, don't get too excited, because there isn't a secret formula to prayer, at least not one that I have found. I still don't understand why some prayers are answered in the affirmative while others are a definite "no". All I know, is that answered prayer is precious, and sometimes, just sometimes, it is more precious to us after we have received a lot of no's.

Fast-forward to yesterday....

Yesterday, I was driving back from Anacortes, listening to the radio and having some sweet, quiet time with the Lord. As I was listening to the radio, an ad came on stating that one of my all time, favorite Christian bands (Tenth Avenue North ) was going to be playing at the Puyallup Fair THAT VERY NIGHT! When I heard that, I thought, "Lord, I love that band. It sure would be great if I could go to that."

The day got away from me, and I forgot about my "on a whim" prayer. But see, HE had not forgotten... Later that afternoon, a co-worker (who knew nothing of my prayer), approached me and asked if I would like a free ticket to the Puyallup Fair to hear..... Tenth Avenue North!!! Needless to say, I freaked out a little ALOT!!! And yes, I snatched them up right away. And yes, I drove all that way. And went by myself. And sat in the rain. AND hugged a toothless guy playing Jesus songs on his saxophone......let's not talk about that one....

Here is what was soo incredibly humbling and amazing to me about those tickets.... IT MATTERED TO JESUS. It mattered to Him that I really wanted to go. That my heart would be full of Him either way, yet still He answered the smallest of prayers.

You see, I have had a lot of no's....

No to my Dad staying alive.
No to my MS being healed immediately.
No to changes of heart in the people that I love...

And amidst all of those no's, Jesus still found time to give me a yes or two along the way. Because, the yes's are so much sweeter after the no's.

Why you ask? Well, for starters, we shouldn't get everything that we ask for. We don't need it. Don't truly want it. And would become spoiled if everything we wanted was at our fingertips. Jesus had to say no to me on a great many things. He said no because it was His will and because it was best for me.

The precious, sweet aspect of the unexpected answered prayers, are that they are HIS way of reminding me that when He can say 'yes', He will.

He loves me, and when He can, He will.

 

"You may pray for an hour and still not pray.
You may meet God for a moment and then
be in touch with Him all day."

- Fredrik Wisloff