prayers

At church, the adult Sunday School class was studying Adam Hamilton's book about doubts.  One of the chapters was entitled, "What happens when your prayers go unanswered?"  I did not go to the class and I have not read the chapter, but the question is interesting and I would like to comment on it.

Let me also explain that I usually don't go to Sunday School because I talk too much when I am there.  In seminary that told us that preachers were "death to small groups." [because they talk too much!!!]

So what happens when your prayers go unanswered?  Well, I guess that you don't get what you wanted.  I guess if your prayers are not answered in the way that you want them to, you have to learn to see the good even in circumstances that are not your favorite.

Yes there are scriptures that encourage us to pray and that indicate that God will answer as we wish.  But there are also scriptures that make it clear that prayer is not about getting what we want.  Personally, I think that the general church has done us a disservice by teaching us that prayer changes God.

Just get enough facebook likes on your prayer and God will be forced to change circumstance to your will.  If things don't go your way, according to this line of thinking, you didn't pray hard enough.  Somehow it is your fault.

Rubbish!!!

I would say to you, that prayer is a beautiful thing, and it is primarily about changing us and bringing us closer to the heart of God.  And the closer we get to the heart of God, the less we want to control things and the more we can trust in him.

Pray to be sweeter.  Pray to be kind.  Pray to see the Good.  God loves granting those requests.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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