This week in seminary we had a discussion about the statement: "God doesn't answer my prayers the way I hear that other people get answers. He doesn't seem to hear me. I don't think that he loves me because he is not answering my prayers"...or something like that.
We discussed the incorrect assumptions behind that statement:
-If God loved me, He would give me everything I asked for when I asked for it.
-God should answer everyone the same way because that would be fair.
-If He doesn't answer right away, He must not be listening.
-I know what is best for me and God would give it to me if he loved me.
The power of the exercise comes when we flip each of those statements into correct ideas:
-Because God loves me, He will not give me something I ask for if it is not good for me.
-Because we are all unique, God answers us personally and specifically.
-Because God loves me, He will wait for the right time to answer my prayers.
-He knows what is best and will answer me when it will help me the most...because God loves me.
Any parent can see the truthfulness in how God works among the children of men.
As I knelt to pray this morning, I realized that deep down I have believed that we work towards being righteous enough that God answers all our prayers and our lives are one blessing after another. What has happened because of this underlying belief is that when things go wrong or my prayers seem to fall upon deaf heavens, I have interpreted it as something I am doing wrong or imperfection on my part or God's disappointment with me.
A further realization hit me this morning (and partially during our discussion): God will answer me, always. I just may not like the answer. He answers not out of frustration, disappointment or unworthiness on my behalf but more out of readiness of me to get that answer or appropriateness of the answer...because underlying all His work in my behalf is a love that is constant, a goal that I return to live with Him again.
The goal is for my will to align with His, to see His hand, to trust His direction and actions in my life. To accept that this life is a test and He truly knows what is best for us.
One of my kids shared a scripture in Mosiah (23?) the other day about how God trieth the patience of his children. He doesn't just allow Satan to tempt us, but He actually tries our patience...out of love.
We discussed the incorrect assumptions behind that statement:
-If God loved me, He would give me everything I asked for when I asked for it.
-God should answer everyone the same way because that would be fair.
-If He doesn't answer right away, He must not be listening.
-I know what is best for me and God would give it to me if he loved me.
The power of the exercise comes when we flip each of those statements into correct ideas:
-Because God loves me, He will not give me something I ask for if it is not good for me.
-Because we are all unique, God answers us personally and specifically.
-Because God loves me, He will wait for the right time to answer my prayers.
-He knows what is best and will answer me when it will help me the most...because God loves me.
Any parent can see the truthfulness in how God works among the children of men.
As I knelt to pray this morning, I realized that deep down I have believed that we work towards being righteous enough that God answers all our prayers and our lives are one blessing after another. What has happened because of this underlying belief is that when things go wrong or my prayers seem to fall upon deaf heavens, I have interpreted it as something I am doing wrong or imperfection on my part or God's disappointment with me.
A further realization hit me this morning (and partially during our discussion): God will answer me, always. I just may not like the answer. He answers not out of frustration, disappointment or unworthiness on my behalf but more out of readiness of me to get that answer or appropriateness of the answer...because underlying all His work in my behalf is a love that is constant, a goal that I return to live with Him again.
The goal is for my will to align with His, to see His hand, to trust His direction and actions in my life. To accept that this life is a test and He truly knows what is best for us.
One of my kids shared a scripture in Mosiah (23?) the other day about how God trieth the patience of his children. He doesn't just allow Satan to tempt us, but He actually tries our patience...out of love.
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