"God is more eager to answer than we are to ask."
-- Smith Wigglesworth
Do you ever wonder if God can really hear you when you pray? I mean, God has so many people to take care of. At times it seems hard to imagine Him hearing and taking care of all of us. But I had an experience several years ago that assured me that He does hear. And I thought I would share it.
My oldest was just a toddler, and I was still working. I loved my job and did not have immediate plans to quit. We were a young family. We had recently bought a house and then had a baby. We just weren't ready financially to have one income. But one day I felt a tug in my heart to stay home with my daughter. I didn't say anything right away. I kept it to myself and prayed about it. About two weeks later my husband said to me, "I think you should stay home." We didn't know how we would have money to pay for everything but we both heard from God. So that was it. I put in my two weeks notice. It was difficult. I loved my daughter and was excited to stay home with her, but I was also giving up something else I loved. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make though. And I was excited to trust God. I believed that He would provide for us even if it seemed impossible. But months went by, and the little money we had saved was gone. Things were tight and difficult. One day I went to the grocery store to buy food for the week. My daughter and I parked in front of the store, but I didn't get out of the car. I sat in the parking lot and cried. I prayed and talked to God because I knew I didn't have enough money to buy everything I needed. But I composed myself, trusted God, and went into the store. I wasn't very far into my shopping when I looked up and saw a tall woman with blonde hair walking right towards me. She stopped in front of me, grabbed my hand and put a twenty dollar bill inside. She said, "The Lord told me to give this to you," and then walked away. That was all she said and then she was gone. Well, of course I cried. Not even ten minutes earlier I was praying and asking the Lord how I was going to buy groceries. And the God who created the heavens and the earth, the King of Kings, heard my tiny prayer and sent me an answer! It was just twenty dollars. It wasn't enough to drastically change my grocery order. But it was just enough for me to hear God say, "Trust me. I've got you. I can do anything! " Since that day I have never doubted that God hears my prayers, even if He answers in ways I can't understand. Even if it takes longer than ten minutes to see Him move. Most of the time we have to be patient and wait on the Lord. Sometimes a very long time. But one thing I know for sure -- I'm His precious child and He is mindful of me (and you).
I wanted to share this story to remind us all how special we are to God. We're His family. And if we trust Him, He will take care of us. He wants to. Just like good earthly parents are always glad to help. But sometimes I think He's waiting on us to ask. Just like my parents would have helped me in that moment if I had asked (sometimes they help even when I don't). It's easy to depend on the things in the natural (like parents), but I think God had other plans that day. I think He wanted to use a small act of kindness to reveal His greatness to me. I believe He wants us all to learn to depend on Him. Still, God uses the people in our life (and sometimes even strangers) to bring blessings. Often, we are each other's answers to prayers. And that reminds me of how important our choices are. How important it is to be obedient. I think about that woman in the grocery store often. I don't know her, but I will never forget her. I wasn't her daughter or even her friend. But she heard a voice in her heart. God told her to give me money and she chose to obey. I'm so thankful she did. And now when I get scared to reach out to someone, I think of her. If she could be brave and obedient, then so can I. How encouraging it is to know that God heard my prayer and answered it. But it's also pretty special for that woman -- that God used her to answer my prayer. God loves us enough to listen to our cries, but also enough to use us to bless others. We get to be part of God's plan! The Great I AM chooses to let us be a part of what He does! That's pretty awesome! I think one day in heaven I will know exactly who that woman is. I'll recognize her and give her a hug and finally be able to really thank her. There's nothing better than to be a part of the family of God!
I'll leave you with this excerpt from my Charles Spurgeon devotional. It was from a couple days ago and it's what prompted me to share this story. Be blessed! And be a blessing!
"Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when He is spoken of as stooping from His throne and coming down from heaven to attend to the needs and to behold the sorrows of mankind. Though a long distance lies between us and our Creator, yet there are links uniting us to Him. When you weep, do you not think that God does not see your tears? Your sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; your whisper can incline His ear unto you; your prayer can stay His hand; your faith can move His arm. Do not think that God sits on high paying no attention to you. Remember that however poor and needy you are, the Lord thinks about you. Oh, then, repeat the truth that never tires: no God is like the God my soul desires. He, at whose voice heaven trembles, even He, knows how to stoop to me."
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us."
1 John 5:14
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.”
1 Peter 3:12
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Jeremiah 33:3
"I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer."
Psalms 17:6
"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on Him in truth."
Psalms 145:18
"What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?"
Psalms 8:4
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10
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