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Some of you probably saw the post I published last Saturday entitled “What Car Shopping, a Choking Horse, and a Bible Skit Have in Common.” In that post I gave testimony to some of the ways God has answered my prayers lately. Today’s post is kind of a continuation of last week’s post – what should I do when my prayers get answered?
Remember
In last week’s Sunday school lesson, we studied a passage out of John 6 in which the people whom Jesus had just miraculously fed with loaves and fish were asking Him for a sign to prove to them that He was Who He said He was. They even went so far as to mention the manna that God had given them long ago as a sign of His providence in the wilderness. Come on people! Like, how short could their memories possibly be?? Jesus had just miraculously fed them with “bread from Heaven”, yet they were asking for a sign of His power.
Later Jesus says to them, “Ye also have seen me, and believe not.” As I was contemplating that verse, suddenly I was reminded of all the answers to prayer I had received lately…and all the moments in the same week when I forgot to trust God.
I am just the same as they were. I forget so quickly. Remember what God has done for you! Thank Him often!
Keep praying (and asking)
Once you’ve experienced a miraculous answer to prayer, it’s easy to “rest on your laurels” and take things spiritually easy for awhile as you bask in the glow of answered prayer. Don’t do that! Use your blessings to catapult you higher into a closer, more vibrant walk with God. Keep praying, and keep asking God for things (within His will and for His glory). Scripture says that “[we] have not because [we] ask not” or because we ask for the wrong reason (James 4:2-3).
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:23-26 (KJV)
Don’t forget to ask – God wants to hear the desires of your heart! But also remember to thank God for the blessings He has already given you and just carry on general conversation with Him. Listen to what He has to say back to you. It’s no fun to talk to someone who’s always just asking for things, is it? Makes you feel kind of used…
This reminds me of the words to the song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (Joseph Scriven). The first stanza goes like this:
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Share
Tell people about what God has done for you! Not to bring glory to yourself but to a) give God the honor He deserves, and b) encourage others in their own walks with God.
Tell me below – how has God answered prayer for you this week?
Tammy Page says
Great reminder to share our answered prayers with others and give God the glory!
Rachel Lohman - Woodhaven MI says
Brianna, your blogs have been a blessing to my family. Your knowledge of ingredients and combining them is wonderful. Not sure if that is all you, your Mother’s help and assistance, or others, but I am thankful for all of you. What I am really thankful for is the baking mix. This is the first time I have been able to eat coconut flour in anything.
You are right about eating non-gluten, my daughter and I both feel better with the non-gluten.
May God continue to use you to evangelize on your blog – such a wonderful way to reach so many. Stay simple and bless you in your studies.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Rachel! Great to hear from you! I’m glad you enjoy the blog posts and recipes. Pretty much everything you see here on this blog is my work, but I do gather inspiration from a lot of people. 🙂 In the end, God gets all the glory! As far as gluten goes, I’m definitely not against eating gluten (and it’s a natural part of some of the great ingredients God gave us), but since some of my readers are gluten intolerant, I like to help them out by labeling my gluten free recipes as such. Thank you for the encouragement!