Mystery of Prayer

"For My ways are not your ways... My ways are higher... My word... shall accomplish that which I purpose." Isaiah 55:8-11

Have you ever had a prayer answered differently that you wanted? Accepting the unknowns and uncertainties are the hardest places to be. Trying to understand the mysteries of God is beyond our understanding. In Isaiah we read that God's ways are not our ways; He exceeds our ability to know or explain circumstances or outcomes. It's not fair! Why is this happening? This isn't what I asked for! And on goes our disappointment when God's answers do not come as we would choose.

"In prayer we persistently, faithfully, trustingly come before God, submitting ourselves to His sovereignty, confident that He is acting right now, on our behalf." Eugene Peterson/Tell It Slant, pg. 144

Scripture gives many examples of faith and prayer. It provides examples of God's people praying for one thing but having to accept a different outcome. David prayed that his baby "would not die", but the baby died. In the garden on the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus prayed for God, if possible, to "let this cup pass from me", but the cross was God's reply. Paul prayed on several occasions pleading for God to remove the "thorn in his flesh", but this never happened. Sometimes, God does not give us the answers we desire; sometimes there is no explanation or reason or logic, sometimes circumstances are unfair and unfriendly. In these times, we can only accept the Sovereignty of God and trust that His plan will accomplish His purpose, especially when we cannot understand. ~dho