Why God's Answers Aren't the Ones You Ask-For
@mythociate (21437)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
August 16, 2017 1:57pm CST
An old classmate posted on Facebook that he is looking for a tech-job. I don't know where to look for one and don't have any connections (I know-of) to 'tech-employers looking to fill positions,' so I 'Facebook-linked' a little Facebook-page called "Amen-ing God's Answer to Your Need" (when I type '"@"-&-the name of a page' on Facebook, it hyperlinks that page-name to the Facebook-page).
He replies that he's looking for "legitimate" responses, not "spam." I reply that I really am "Amen-ing God's Response to his Prayer;" but I later think about 'why I say that' instead of the popular "praying for you!"
I wrote that page because I am a Christian, but the Bible's picture of prayer doesn't agree with Christians' popular usage of prayer! The Bible has 'all the prayers that God answers' made secretly--some version of "give us this day our daily bread & forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. & lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil"--
but Christians today frequently pray for specific outcomes of specific circumstances ... nothing wrong with that, but it might give some people false hope. And--as one who was given many 'high hopes' that were revealed to be false (whether thru my own fault or others or unpredictable circumstances)--I don't want to give anyone any hopes they can't trust.
So rather than say 'I pray for some certain circumstance,' I tell what I know: "Amen (so it will be) to 'Whatever God Guides You to Let Happen' (God's Answer to Your Need)."
http://newmilleniumgod.blogspot.com/2017/05/never-hope-for-answer-questions-wont.html
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1 response
@peavey (16936)
• United States
16 Aug 17
There's something to that. God's will is always what we should be praying for - as it is in heaven, so be it on earth. If you read John 14, though, you will see that Jesus told us to simply believe that what we wish for will happen and it will. This is further explained in James 4:3 - Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
There is a time when saying 'God's will be done" is a sort of giving up, a lack of fervency or energy in prayer and there is a time when it is an acceptance of God's will. That is humbling and real, not just passing it off, and it must be learned by each of us. Knowing His will is the ultimate power of prayer.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
19 Aug 17
so one's true prayer is more like "knowing that one is in a bad situation & that God's way will get them out of it?"
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@peavey (16936)
• United States
19 Aug 17
@mythociate That's a good question, but it's not that simple. First, we must know God's will and that means knowing God well. Yes, He does answer prayers when we are desperate and other times for reasons we don't understand, but the prayers He will always answer are the ones that are in line with His ways. Understanding "His ways" is the hard part for most. It takes prayer time and time to read His word and just be with Him. Make Him your Lord and He will show you.
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@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
20 Aug 17
@peavey 'be with Him' ... an omnipresent being, that is more-exactly 'Acknowledging God's presence' (I don't like to call God "Him" or "Her" ... it's like talking to your grandfather like he's your dog's puppy).
Making God 'my Lord' would be like taking the President of the United States and making him manager of a local lawn-mower repair-shop.
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