I journal a lot—a lot, a lot, like pretty much every day. These blogs are a collection of my reflections and revelations over the week. I’ve always enjoyed journaling, even as a young girl. It was a way to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper where I could see them. When I began to build a relationship with Jesus, journaling became the place where He and I would meet daily. It was where I could ask the hard questions, reflect on my day, share my dreams, and hear His dreams for me. It’s where I memorized verses, took sermon notes, wrote sermons, and experienced His presence. This has been my practice for the past 12 years.
This week, it was time to get a new journal to replace the one I had been writing in for the past two years. As I completed the final pages of my old journal, I reflected on the entries I had made over the years. Without sharing too many details, the first page of that journal contained a very raw prayer. And everything I asked for in that prayer has come to pass.
Exciting, right? Now, I want to be clear—it is by no means perfect. But seeing that my prayers have been answered, that God heard me and moved, has reignited my faith. Our prayers don’t always get answered the way we hope they will be. The process, the route God chooses, is not always the way we would have chosen. Sometimes it’s ugly, messy, painful, with lots of suffering and sacrifices involved, but the prayer gets answered. I’ve always said God is more interested in who you become on the journey than the destination.
Even though the journey was probably the hardest and messiest route possible to get here, and I would have never asked for it to go this way, God did it! He did what I asked. He answered the prayer. And this has encouraged me.
As I start this new journal, I feel God challenging me: “I dare you to pray like you know what you ask will be your reality.”
I’m excited by this challenge because I remember when I didn’t want to ask. I remember when I let the fear of the disappointment of an unanswered prayer or even an answered prayer keep me from praying.
But my perspective has changed. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), which means my faith pleases God. Every time I believe for something, it pleases God, even if it doesn’t come to pass, my faith pleased God.
Reflection Questions:
- What are some prayers you have seen answered in your life?
- How has the journey of your prayers being answered shaped your relationship with God?
- Are there prayers you are hesitant to ask? Why?
- How can you cultivate a faith that believes God hears and answers your prayers, even if the outcome is different than expected?