There’s something gloomy and melancholic about a beach scene at sunset. Maybe it has to do with the never ending roll and crash of waves or the lonely sandpiper running back and forth from the water. Add to scene the dreadful sound seagulls make and it will all squeeze your heart.
Fall weather tends to have the same kind of effect on a soul. Cooler wind blowing and leaves falling can leave us a little misty.
Life is not easy. And when it doesn’t turn out the way you hoped for, YIKES! Throw into the mix praying and not getting the answers you hope for and you’ll be sinking into a muck of despair. No bueno!
I saw something one time that has helped me when prayers seem unanswered.
We were going through some serious turbulence. The plane shook. Then we hit some sort of atmospheric vacuum that made us passengers feel like we were dropping straight down a roller coaster ride.
But then all of a sudden there was calm. The pilot had climbed above the clouds. As I looked out the window I saw beautiful deep blue skies! I wish I would have taken a picture of it but cell phones had not yet been invented.
It looked like the storm had become a fluffy rug under us with with the sun shining above us.
When you go through tough times remember that the sun is always shining beyond your storm clouds.
(Photo Credit: Lukasz Lada, StockSnap.io)
A Bible verse comes to mind: “You changed my sorrow into dancing. You took away my clothes of sadness, and clothed me in happiness.” Psalm 30:11 (NCV)
If at the moment you’re reading this you can’t see the sun because of the clouds ask the Lord for a quick burst of Sonshine to brighten your day… ok, I agree, that sounds a little cheesy. However, Jesus Christ has a way of helping us discover a greater good coming out of the bad.
A guy I knew confessed to the jury he faced, “I’ve prayed more in the last few days than I have in the last few years.” Being caught in his wrongdoing had led him back to God.
My dad battled a brain tumor that sent him to heaven in 3 quick months. Before the cancer took over his mind he led more people to saving faith in Christ than at any other time in his life. It was powerful to see. Of course that didn’t take away the pain of seeing my dad’s body deteriorate but it reminded me of God’s greater good.
And God be blessed for His promises, my sadness has turned to happiness as I look forward to seeing him again alive and well up in heaven where we will spend some great times together forever.
I had a church member years ago who went through a quadruple bypass. Before surgery this man was negative and critical, nitpicking everything we did at church. He even wrote his complaints in a little black book he carried around in his shirt pocket. Then, during deacon meetings, he would open the dreaded book and spew out its poison. If you’re a pastor you’re grinning as you read this because you’ve been there as well.
After surgery everything changed! The man’s frown became a smile. He became my encourager. He even told me he loved going for walks around his neighborhood admiring the flowers. WHAAATTT? I say the more bypasses the better. Just kidding.
Maybe you’re going through rough times and your prayers are not being answered as you wish. Hang in there. Look for the Son to shine in your heart once again. It will happen. He promised!
Thanks, Jorge. What a great reminder!
If I may, I’d like to quote some of Mark Batterson’s thoughts from his book: DRAW THE CIRCLE. “….the purpose of prayer is not to get what you want; the goal of prayer is to discern what God wants, what God wills. But if your prayer is in the will of God, then it is backed by the full authority of the King and His kingdom.” (pg. 205) “Our biggest problem is our small view of God. God is so much bigger than our biggest problems. God is so much better than our best thoughts. He is infinitely wiser and more gracious and powerful than anything we can imagine.” (pg. 206)
God answers ALL prayers. Sometimes His answer is “yes”, sometimes it is “no”, and sometimes it is “wait”. When we pray for His will to be done, the most important thing for us to do is to have the faith, the trust, and the confidence in God to accept the answer He gives us.
Mark Batterson makes it so clear. I love his writing.