Though Scripture contains many written prayers, like those found in the book of Psalms, and many teachings on how to pray, like the parables and sermons in Jesus’s ministry, this reading plan focuses on the prayers offered to God in the narratives of Scripture. Each day we’ll read a narrative that includes a prayer from an individual or group. Their prayers vary in length, type, posture, purpose, and God’s response. The secondary passages explore how the rest of Scripture speaks to the themes demonstrated in the main reading.
While each account is different, every prayer recorded in Scripture teaches us about the unchanging God who invites us to speak to and hear from Him. These prayers model for us what it can look like to be in conversation with God. As you read, notice the posture and emotions present each day.
Reading Scripture together is the centerpiece of what we do at She Reads Truth. As we spend time as a community reading Prayers in Scripture together, we encourage you to start by reading the daily Scripture on your own. Then join us here to engage and encourage one another as we respond to what we’ve read in the comments.
The prayers this week have pointed us toward the God who listens, is compassionate, guides, remembers, and keeps His promises. Look back at the prayer requests of Shes around the world from Day 1. Let what you’ve learned about God shape your prayers for those who are reading alongside you.
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91 thoughts on "The God Who Works in All Circumstances"
God is the greatest listener. He hears everything whether you say it or not. He understands your heart and hears your thoughts. He knows what you are asking without you having to speak.
He uses all things for good. He has a great plan ahead we must just trust in Him.
Praying scriptures can make praying more accessible and easier
“In all ways, acknowledge him and he will straight your path”- lean on God during uncertainties. He works everything out and surrender to his plan. Pain is redeemed into God’s plan for us.
Father thank you for the assurance that we can lean on you. I pray we will trust you in every circumstances
Reading through Proverbs 3:5-6 in light of the passages of Jesus in the garden, had me noting a huge WAIT. “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” also means that God paved the straight path for Jesus to the cross! Do I trust God even when my prayers feel unanswered and the direction ahead of me is not somewhere I entered into my navigation? Does it draw to mind what God is doing? I think I’ve overlooked too that in the garden while Jesus prayed, even though his prayer was unanswered, God still provided an angel which gave him strength. Notice here that after the angel came, Jesus was in great anguish- just because God equips us with strength doesn’t mean that we have to all of a sudden feel better about the pain we feel. I can reflect now in moments I didn’t “feel” God answered my prayers and I felt left in dark seasons. But I can also see that God equipped me with strength to move through those seasons and the fruits he grew in me along the way.
My Bible has a footnote for Heb. 5:7 that says, “The Father answered not by preventing the cross, but by raising Jesus from the dead.” Not gonna lie, it isn’t super comforting to realize God’s plan involves the cross at some point for His followers. It IS comforting to know there’s resurrection on the other side, though. Hoping to strengthen my faith in God even during cross moments.
In one of the podcasts they discussed how even when Jesus prayed, God didn’t always say yes. He won’t always say yes when we pray either, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t bring our requests to him, as often as they are on our hearts (Jesus prayed for the same thing three times). And when we pray that if it is his will, it doesn’t mean if we suffer that it is his will that we’re suffering. Yes, Jesus suffered and died. But God’s will was that he would glorify Him and conquer sin and death. He has a purpose for what we go through too, even if it’s something we prayed we would never have to go through.
As I was reading this I placed myself as one of the disciples as they watched everything play out. Father God it’s with gratitude that I am able to be here because of your Son Jesus Christ whom you sacrificed for me.
God uses all pain for the glory of his good and our good as well.
Lord Jesus, let us remember your sorrow and agony, let us remember your great love that you did the will of God anyways. When life gets hard for us, let us cling to your arms, for nothing could be harder than what you’ve done for us, and your power, love, sacrifice and resurrection are all we need. You are all we need. You have yourself to us. We could never pay you back nor would we be so prideful as to try. But we want to serve and worship you because you are worthy. May the peace of the gospel of Christ Jesus rule in our hearts, an unshakable foundation, and let the fruit of the Holy Spirit abound as we are the body of Christ in this dark and dreary world. In your name Lord, amen.
That could be part of it, but I also have heard that Jesus was not wanting to experience the looking away of the Father and His wrath. He wasn’t fearful, but full of dread and sorrow. He looked the wrath of God and He did not want to drink the cup. But He did, for the glory of God, for His love for us. He knew He had to die for our sins, but I wonder if the thought of being looked away from by the Father (forsaken) was the moment of dread… Our Lord was in agony, to save us. We deserve eternal agony, but He gives us eternal life ❤️
Thank you God that you work all things out for your glory.
There is something refreshing about knowing God has a greater plan for everything, especially when praying for clearer vision on what that is during times of challenge. Surrendering our desires or dictations of life to allow God in to do his magic! It is only when we surrender to Gods plan that we can experience things greater than our own imagination. Lifting the restraints we place on our very own lives
Thank you for sharing. I did think that by Jesus asking God that ‘if it be his will let this cup pass him by’ he was admitting his weakness in the flesh. Lord help us tune our hearts to your will in obedience to your word.
Lord, I so often desire my own control and outcome over what you have for me. As a result, I lack patience. Your son spoke His heart in honesty, but still trusted in Your will and want. Thank you, Abba, for being a safe space I can admit my weakness and neediness and anger. Holy spirit, help me tune my ear to your will, your heart, your slowness… your love; Not my own. Would your will and heart be done. In your compassionate name, I need you. Amen!
Lord always speaks in threes with me and reading this after reading my book earlier called the essential of praying amen has changed my approach and posture towards praying lord I know this is the holy sprite guidance on wisdom and understanding thank you I’m truly grateful in Jesus name amen
My flesh is so weak and easy swayed, but I do have a willing heart and spirit and I need to lean more on my spirit then my flesh that is my prayer that I go into today with a renewed spirit and God given purpose, taking my daily bread with God and resting in him, manna by manna
Lord I long for a companion. But I’m also content in my singleness. Is this what it means “yet not my will, but yours”? The closer I draw to God, the more I long for Him, and the more time I want to spend with Him. I’m so grateful You hear our prayers, Lord.
Amen
I ask for strength and to remember God in all things, big or small. That his voice may guide me. Amen.
Amen
My flesh is weak, I long for a willing spirit. I pray that I might abide in Christ, and not sin. I’ll continually pray as He has taught me that I won’t be led into temptation but delivered from evil… His will be done.
Thank you for sharing this!
Prayed for Alissa and the nephews and healing for the family!
It occurred to me that God didn’t answer Jesusa’ prayer here – to take away the pain. A reminder that sometimes it seems God doesn’t hear because he is going to do something more beautiful with our pain
Amen. I really needed this prayer. Thank you.
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@Susan, thank you so much for sharing. I can’t get enough of the golden nuggets you came across. God is so amazing in the details.✨❤️ Bless your heart.
Such a powerful reminder to pray in all circumstances
I’ve read before about Jesus praying in the garden but this time it struck me how he knew exactly what he was going to go through the torture the cross and that this was the will of his father for him to do. Jesus tells his disciples that he is deeply grieved to the point of death. And that he was sad and troubled and in anguish. In the old testament the word cup is a powerful picture of God‘s wrath and judgment. I can’t imagine what Jesus was going through but it must’ve been pretty bad that God the father sent an angel from heaven to him to strengthen him. There’s one other time in the New Testament that angels were sent to Jesus to minister to him and that was when he was tempted by Satan. I wonder if Jesus felt like we do sometimes, not understanding why we have to go through suffering. Yes he was God but he was also human, what a mystery that I can’t wrap my head around sometimes. But Jesus prayer and his going on in obedience helps me to go on. God also gave Jesus a vision of the joy that was set before him to help him go on.
Thankful
“Trust in the lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight” – So much peace found here. Amen Lord
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I always wish the Bible included sheet music and lyrics to the hymns mentioned. Can you imagine singing a hymn with Jesus? One day.
Sarah D good to hear that you are feeling better. I don’t always remember names but I remember you and your prayer requests Praying for other requests presented. Continue to be blessed sisters♥️
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Thank you Kelly(NEO) for posting the correct information about the prayer prompt. The situation that I recall about how God worked in my circumstances was regarding a time in the 1990s when I had 3 daughters and my husband in college at the same time for a few years. It seems that I was only working to pay college tuition. I paid each person’s tuition based on when they were scheduled to graduate. So my youngest daughter always had hers paid last. My advice to her was that we would pray that the classes would still be available when I had the money to pay the tuition. Several times the classes were closed. We then prayed that when she went to the professor he would allow her to be in the class. There was only 1 time that she didn’t get into a class and it wasn’t crucial. I think that this helped build my daughter’s faith as well as my own as we agreed in prayer about our finances.
@Rachel
Thank you for sharing your story and for your encouragement. As someone who is 45 and still single, I appreciate someone who has a similar experience offering words of wisdom and encouragement. What a blessing to hear how God has worked in you. Praying you and your husband will continue to know God’s blessing in your lives.
Reading this just reminds me of the song Defender. You have saved me so much better your way.
Praying for everyone in Day 1 who needs hope, faith, and healing. Hoping that we all receive protection and clarity no matter how hard things are. Praying that the paths that the Lord has provided us bring us closer and that we see the path he is asking us to walk need not be as difficult the closer that we get to him and his desired outcome for our lives.
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Praying for your sweet girls @Charity Scott
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God has been challenging me to write a prayer everyday, messages to Him. I never imagined this as a way to communicate with God but I write messages and emails even reviews but I never write to God it just seemed weird. Now I understand why David would write psalms. He’s removing me from the idea that prayer is just speaking, prayer can be a written note to God, a thought, a deep breath, singing songs to Him, an action. Prayer is connection. God desires to connect with me in every way from my breaths to my imagination. Today my only prayer is yes Jesus. Yes and Amen
Happy Monday she’s. I came across a devotional by Oswald Chambers on Peter’s denying the Lord Jesus. It is a pretty interesting angle that Oswald Chambers came from. I will share it here:
When it is a question of providential will of God, wait for God to move. Peter did not wait on God; he forecast in his mind where the test would come, and test came where he did not expect it. “I will lay down my life for Thy sake.” Peter’s declaration was honest but ignorant. “Jesus answered him…the cock shall now crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice”. This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself, of what he was capable of. Natural devotion may be all very well to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His fascination, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will always deny Jesus somewhere or other. (from “my utmost for His highest” book).
After I read this, I realized I denied the Lord several times when it got hard, when crisis pressed in, I fell back onto my natural efforts by default. And it fell short. Lean on grace to follow Jesus. We can only follow Him (a very difficult commitment) by His grace. And His grace is so mighty compared to our natural best.
@Michelle Patire: so fearless of you. Hope you can get some good rest.
@Molly R: praying for more strength for you and speedy healing & recovery for your little ones. We are in the same boat. I just rebuked the cough to get out of my kids this morning. It got me mad. The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matt 11:12). I got violent with my rebuking.
@Sue Hollar: praying for Alissa to return to Jesus, and patience/peace/calmness for you as you wait. There is an appointed time for everything.
@Jenelle Gaynor: for your brother to be set free from all mental illness & demonic oppression/depression. May he have a sound mind filled with wisdom & joy (2 Timothy 1:7)
Be blessed dear sisters. God can work through all circumstances.
This study has been so good for my heart. I’m praying to God like I haven’t in a while. Take heart, fellow shes. We pray to the God who wants us to be like Him.
And if you need a song, check out Your Will Be Done by Cityalight.
I thank God for my apostle for his vision thank God He gave us a savior, who forgives and saves
Since I have already shared the Ez 37 prayer for my son, I’ll share another Andy prayer. While he was at teens life Challenge (which is voluntary), he left. He called me crying and said he thought he really messed up by leaving. The rules were if you left, you couldn’t come back. We talked a bit, both crying. When we got off the phone, I fell on my face praying for God’s mercy. I prayed the Lord would make a way for him to go back when there seemed to be no way. For the Lord’s favor to be on Andy. He called me later that day to say that one of the leaders came and found him and took him back. He didn’t leave again until completing the program! When he did leave, it was drug free and a radically changed heat and life. Remembering these things gives me joy in the midst of the deepest sorrow I have ever known. Lifting other prayer requests….He is faithful!
@Kristen thank you so much for your sweet message. This isn’t a season I thought I would be in but God is a good God and I am so grateful to have a strong faith to get me through it.
@Taylor and @Elle loved your posts today. I have been praying hard for you Taylor during this season because I too know that feeling of discouragement when somebody comes along who isn’t the one. It is nice to know we are not the only ones feeling this and that God knows what’s best for all of us. His gifts are good gifts.
@Rachel I love your testimony today. As somebody who has wanted to be married and have children since I was a little girl I fear I won’t get to do that. While I have loved my single years as I just turned 31 I feel like I am ready for that next step but am afraid it will never happen for me. I pray to be content and happy with the way my life is now but I struggle to trust Gods timing and that his wants for my life might not line up with my own. Knowing God has good gifts for my life and all of our lives is so comforting.
@Mercy !!! Thank you for your comment yesterday. I just saw it. Yesterday was crazy and I’m still recovering from the event. I gave it my all! Literally. But Jesus showed up!! In visible ways and ways I will never, ever kbow— perhaps, til glory. I threw a birthday party for myself but really, it was for the Lord. It was a wedding banquet masked as my birthday. It was beyond stressful to orchestrate I my own, but God said I could do it. I was able to share the gospel in such a tangible way. My prayer was for people to encounter Jesus. I really believe they all did. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!!!
I haven’t had time to do my devotional today but will come back to this tonight and read :)
I so needed to hear this devotional today. God is faithful and he is with us in every circumstance. My 7 week old babies are fighting RSV in the hospital right now. I’m so encouraged to know that I can lean on God and he is with us and he has got my girls in his hands.
I don’t post in the comments, but I always love reading through them. Today I felt lead to comment.
@Karen Coats I have a very similar story to yours about how God has worked through prayer in the life of a child with a scary diagnosis. My son (who turned nine last month), was born a month early weighing two pounds and twelve ounces. Today was his original due date. I was sent to a hospital unexpectedly due to him being behind in growth. After arriving at the hospital, my mother, mother-in-law and I learned from ultrasounds that they believed my son had Downs Syndrome or some type of chromosomal abnormality. I was offered an abortion on September 3rd, with his due date being November 14th. After declining the abortion I was told I would be placed on bed rest in the hospital until his birth. I stayed on bed rest in the hospital from September 3rd until he arrived on October 8th. During this time I had a ultrasounds and fetal heart monitoring every other day. We did blood tests to determine if our son had Downs Syndrome, even though it would not change our minds about having him. After several tests we got the news that he in fact did not have Downs, after they suspected he did and was offered an abortion a month earlier. He was born with no issues whatsoever weighing a whopping two pounds and twelve ounces. He was able to breath on his own and was a natural at breastfeeding. He is our little miracle baby! He is a testament to God’s faithfulness. Many prayers were spoken over him. God has had a plan for him all along, and I cannot wait to see what He does through Riley.
In about 2007, I had a heartbreaking disappointment with a guy I really liked. At that time, I really felt like I heard God say “I DO have someone for you. You will be married. Just not to this man.” Fast forward to 2020, I was 45 and still single and was becoming more and more convinced that I had contrived/misheard that word from God. But I had grown so much in those intervening years, and was confident that while God does not promise us marriage, He does promise us His presence and that He only gives *good* gifts to His children, so for TODAY (on any given day) it followed that my singleness was His gift to me. While my heart still longed for marriage and to be *chosen,* my life was joyful and (mostly) content. In November of 2020, there was a singles conference at my sister’s church. She was running sound. It came out during the panel discussion that one of the speakers was single. In March she connected us (I lived in a different state) and in July we got married! It has been SUCH a sweet gift, made SO MUCH more sweet by the waiting and the years I was able to invest in my walk with God and growing in my understanding of the Gospel. God wasted NOTHNG of those years of waiting and wondering and I am amazed every day by how they have prepared me to be THIS man’s wife.
Be encouraged, single ladies! I cannot promise that God has marriage for you, but I CAN promise that He is GOOD and that He sees you and loves you and has GOOD gifts for you. xoxo
Praying for my sisters requests today, and filled with joy to read all the testimonies of how God has heard and answered prayers or drawn people closer to Him. That in and of itself is answered prayer.
One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that passes understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Let it be so! Prayers for all!
Friends, I am weary after a couple weeks of nursing sick kiddos, with no end in sight! The long nights and sleep deprivation are wearing my attitude and responses thin. I am praying for healing in their little bodies, yet here we are, still struggling. Even though I know God is good and sovereign, and could heal them instantly, my sleep deprived humanity is still discouraged and disappointed at my let-down expectations of relief and restoration. But this morning, in the midst of snotty noses and the never-ending coughing I sat and confessed my bad attitude and invited Him to fill in where my weak flesh was failing: to respond in grace, patience, and kindness despite the yuck all around us, both physically and emotionally. And I know that He is faithful to do more than I ask or expect. May He be seen in my responses and care of my home and children in opposition to my weak state of mind and physical strength.
Amen
I am blessed and thankful for my five daughters. When I was pregnant with my third child, he died and through horrendous medical treatment and years of suffering I could not conceive another baby. I was told it would be impossible to get pregnant. BUT GOD! Four years later I had a baby girl and another daughter after that! We then heard from God that He wanted us to adopt a daughter from Mongolia and that is how we became blessed with five daughters. The waiting was hard, but I can see God’s perfect timing.
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Oh how I pray that my daughter would return to Him! Her mind has been poisoned against us and God ! By her own nephews who hate us for our faith. They have put a wedge in our family! I honestly feel that Satan has gained a temporary foothold ! Pray for Alissa that she will return to Jesus.
I am enjoying this study so much! Praying for you all as we start this new week!
Please pray with me for my brother Justin, he needs to sleep. He has a mental illness and is having a relapse after 6 years of being generally okay. Pray for my family as we try to navigate this difficult time.
It’s challenging to be dependent on God because of our self-will and wants, especially in the waiting. Am I hearing God? Is this the right decision? This is even harder when there is outside pressure to make that decision. But I love how God is working in us when we take the backseat, and let Jesus take the wheel. Trust. Obey. The old hymnal “Trust and Obey” for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. There are many other times that it is our only choice, when circumstances are so overwhelming, that there is nothing to do but to hang our heads and wait. But then too, we lift our eyes, turn our palms over and release our worry and grief. Then palms back open to him, the one that can and will make our ashes turn to beauty, the grief to joy, the darkness to light. God answers our prayers always.
I have so many answered prayers which I have shared many! One of the most recent is my dream house here in Fort Myers Florida. It was back in 2014 that we had one on Fort Myers Beach under contract. It fell through, and my husband was so frustrated, but I kept telling him God has a better plan for us. We found our current loved house in 2019, despite many crazy obstacles. We love our neighborhood with tons of friends, our church, and how it stood firm through Ian. I have been so thankful for his provision knowing the best plan for us when we didn’t.
@Taylor, Your prayer this morning for your fellow single ladies out there struck my heart as I read it today. I have been following your story loosely for the past few years. I think that we are around the same age and very much share a longing to meet our husbands! The big difference is that I have never been in any relationship, nor has anyone ever expressed interest to be in one with me. It is disheartening at times and I have been trying hard to use this time to feel God’s presence instead, but sometimes I struggle to feel it. I feel that God has put a strong calling for marriage and motherhood in my heart, but has placed me in law school, so I am struggling to understand why I am where I am since the lawyer’s calling is not in my heart! I want to be married to better understand and experience just a small reflection of how much love Christ has for His Bride, and to serve God and others through the marriage. I am so sorry that this relationship was not the one – I was really praying for you that it was – but will continue to pray strength, hope, and patience for you. Much love, dear sister, and thank you for always posting such encouragement!
It is so hard to release my will and to allow God’s will. My selfish desires are hard to let go off. I know I would be happier if I surrendered, yet I don’t. I don’t get it. God, forgive me. Help me. Guide me closer to You. Amen!
I have definitely been learning that God does not always answer our prayers with a “yes”, he can also answer with a “no”, or a “wait”. He hears our prayers, and he has a plan, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. He has always been faithful and he never changes. Praying I would remember that. Thankful for a great weekend and that I am feeling a bit better this morning!
I just learned that a friend of mine has stage 4 cancer. She has 2 young sons they gave her 6 to 12 months to live with treatment.
Another friend starts chemo this week for a second round of cancer. I ask you to pray healing for them both! And strength for each day. My own daughter finished chemo a year ago for an eye tumor. I praise the Lord her treatment was successful. She gain back all her color vision and peripheral vision. 
I just learned that a friend of mine has stage 4 cancer. She has 2 young sons they gave her 6 to 12 months to live with treatment.
@Charlie I love your story about how the occupational therapist helped change your mother’s perspective about where she is living. I am an occupational therapist working in people’s homes and I have a lot of patients with dementia who are not happy living with their children. Even though they have memory issues, maybe my encouraging words will stick with them and help ease the tension between my patients and their children.
Thank you Kelly (NEO) for sharing today’s prompt! “This Monday, start the week off by testifying to how God has worked in and through prayer in different circumstances in your life.”
The more recent example of God working through my prayers was calling me to walk away from my relationship. I was desperately praying that the next man God brought into my life would be my husband. When I met my now ex-boyfriend through a mutual friend and we connected so quickly, it felt too good to be true. So when I started getting those gut feelings that I needed to walk away from the relationship I was angry with God and argued/questioned Him with all the “whys”. I still don’t know why and maybe I never will, but God has put on my heart to be obedient to His will and trust that He will provide. Now being back in a season of waiting and praying, I am reminded of Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.” Even when I’m single, I lack nothing. I lack nothing because I have everything I need in Jesus. While I still pray I would find my person sooner rather than later, I am praying to be content and even rejoice in the waiting because God is working on my heart and in my life and He DOES love me and have my best interest in mind. Thinking of all my other single ladies this morning <3 You are not alone :)
God has done big things for me! I will continue to praise Him! I was saved in 2017 and not only have I seen God working things in my life now, I can see all He did for me before I was saved. I was just too blinded by the world to see it then. Praise Jesus!
KELLY (NEO) – thank you for providing today’s prompt, and for your testimony and for your willingness to honor your mother. As my mother ages, that commandment comes to mind often.
Thank you to those giving testimonies – LAURA, SHANDRA, BRENDA, KAREN COATS and to all that follow today. I will be sure to read through them tomorrow morning.
In my own life, praying for a child and then facing infertility has been a hard thing to wrap my mind around. For us, IVF was financially not an option 30 years ago and at the time, there were multiple reports in the news of adoptive parents being court-ordered to give their children back to the birth mothers after raising them for 2-3 years and we (especially my husband) could not get comfortable with trying to adopt. Dwelling on never being a biological parent or grandparent is still painful even after all these years. Instead I look back at what has happened – my husband and I have stepped into those roles with other children (especially in the family) and have been able to have a positive impact on their lives. Several have lost a parent or needed a place to stay and we have been available to step in and provide assistance in many forms. For others, we have been an option to connect with when they are at odds with their parents or needed a sounding board for various reasons. I don’t understand the “why” of how things have played out in my life but trust that God loves me and has placed me where I’m supposed to be. An answered prayer that was answered in a way I didn’t ask for and has been very fulfilling in ways I never imagined.
TINA – love you too, sister!
KARRIE – missing you around here! praying for you.
ELAINE MORGAN – praying for Mary Ann & Henry
Like many of you, I could write for pages about how God has answered prayers throughout my life. The one that stands out most recently: my 95-year-old mother had just moved in with us, against her wishes, after being in the hospital for a heart attack. She—a usually optimistic and sunny person — was extremely grumpy, complaining all the time. “I want to go back to my house! Why am I here? I don’t want to be here!” This went on for three weeks — enough time that I was seeing a bleak future with a miserable, complaining mother. I wept and prayed: “Lord, let Mom be content and happy to be here!” On the occupational therapist’s last visit, he kindly and gently encouraged my mother, telling her that she was in an ideal situation—the kind that he wanted all his elderly patients to be in. His words were so kind but firm (also, he was very good looking and that helped!), that my mom had an almost instant turn-around. That was six months ago, and she has been delightful since then. I’m so thankful that God placed this OT here on that day, gave him the right words to say, and changed my mother’s perspective. To live out her last years in joy — that is my prayer!
@Nitz and Kimberly Z, you both are on my mind. I’m so sorry for what you are going through. I too understand the feeling of being broken hearted. I was listening to a message by Paul Washer yesterday. He was at CIU Chapel and preaching to young pastors. He was preaching on comprehending God’s love. He was saying that many used by God or that seem like their doing wonderful things for Him are the ones that have been broken the most. They understand their only Hope is Him, and they cling to Him. I have been thinking how true this is! I pray that you both and all of us know His love and feel comfort. I pray that we remember we have hope because of Him. (I don’t comprehend His love, but I pray that I may grasp even some of this understanding.)I don’t know your exact situations ladies, but I’m praying. I don’t think I can put a link, but I heard this on YouTube. Thinking of you both!
I’ve seen God answer so many prayers in ways I never saw coming. It is hard to wait for a prayer to be answered but I know His timing is perfect.
I will never forget being 15, the night before a cross country move, lying in bed, speaking into the dark. I was sad, hurt, and scared. I did not want to move. It felt so unfair. I told God how I felt, not expecting to “feel” or “hear” anything. At that point in my life prayer felt like speaking into a big, empty space. I didn’t know God as my Father. But in the darkness, my Father met me. He reassured me that He would be with me. It was the beginning of a new, real relationship with Him. One where I knew I could come to Him and He would listen. I knew I could trust Him. I still had to move, but that move taught me to trust and seek the Lord. What a gift.
Thank you!
While my prayers for the end of this pandemic have not come to pass and at this point I feel like I am one of the few praying for this, I praise God that he made a way to make it all more bearable in a beautiful place with a very good friend. I’m only seeing glimpses because in a lot of ways I still don’t completely know what he’s doing with it. The whole pandemic has created a tension with my own family, our disagreements on preventative measures cause a resistance and I’ve had some hurtful things said to me in the process. The only thing I can say is that it constantly brings me on my knees back to Jesus where I can only feel truly secure.
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I have heard people say that they would like to know what hymns were sung during the Passover meal. The NET says this in the footnotes for Matthew 26. “After singing a hymn. The Hallel Psalms (Pss 113–118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the second cup and 115–118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel cup.”
To answer the reflection prompt – THANK YOU, KELLY NEO, for posting it! – God has given me strength – physically, mentally, and spiritually through my prayers and helps me to accept His will. We don’t change God’s will with our prayers, rather our prayers help us to accept God’s will through His strength which He gives us when we humbly seek His will – just as we see happening with Jesus in the garden.
About 4.5 years ago, my son and daughter-in-law were given the news that the baby girl she was carrying had a rare condition, Schizencephaly. Part of her brain was missing. They gave devastating, grim reports ranging from fetus death, death following birth, not able to breathe and swallow at the same time, permanent feeding tube….and many other scary possibilities….then gave them the option of terminating the pregnancy.
Aborting was not an option for them and we were all soooo focused on praying to God for a healing miracle in our baby’s tiny body. Our country church gathered around and layed hands on my daughter in law one Sunday they were visiting. Our pastor anointed her then prayed the mightiest of prayers. ( To this day Ashley will tell you what an impact that had on her)
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Outside the delivery room, both sets of grandparents were praying. Waiting…..trying to prepare ourselves for what may be the hardest news to hear.
When the baby was born, instead of being whisked away to be put on machines, they laid her on her mama’s chest because she was alive, able to breathe, swallow, and no visible signs of physical problems. She was born in Children’s Hospital, which is only done in worse-case scenarios…..but instead of having to stay for possibly weeks or longer, she went home when her mommy did. She has a limp as she walks and runs, has been in PT and OT since the beginning, but no wheelchair. She can talk and sing and has the biggest box of determination you have ever seen!!
I begged and pleaded for God to change our circumstances. He did! But it also changed ME!! My son and daughter-in-law were able to witness to countless numbers of people (in the medical field and her writing on social media) through their difficult walk and the way they kept their eyes on Jesus.
I have NEVER been more sure my God is real and he not only hears my prayers, he answers!!
I just celebrated 20 years cancer free, 7 years for my husband. 2 boys the doctors said my body would never conceive. There is so much unknown in other ways but I pray and wait on the Lord, my God who hears me!
There have been so many “yes” answers to my prayers over the years. There have also been many “wait” and “no” answers. The most important thing for me to remember is that God allows those things in my life which is for my good and His glory. I can go through any circumstance I face trusting that He is continuing His work of Christlikeness and sanctification in my life. I need to keep my eyes fixed on Christ, not my circumstances. My circumstances change, Christ never does.
About 7 years ago, I had been praying every day for healing for my marriage. I knew that it was breaking, that it was off-track, and I so desperately wanted it to be restored. A year later, my husband confessed to me that he was having an affair. He broke it off and wanted us to go to counseling to save our marriage. I was completely devastated. After praying for a miracle in my marriage for a year or more, this is what I got? I had wanted to leave my husband before I knew about the affair, I was so unhappy and felt so unloved by him, and I just thought things would be better if I could get away from him. But as a Christian, I didn’t think I could justify divorcing. Now that the affair was confessed, I could walk away and Biblically justify my action. But I felt compelled to stay. God met me in such a real and personal way, that I stayed. I went to counseling. I fought through the sorrow and sadness and our marriage slowly began to heal. Slowly. It took a long time. During that time I leaned into the Lord even more. I never felt closer to my Lord than that hard, dark, hurtful season. My husband and I are still together. Our marriage is better than it was. I wish that my prayer had been answered in a different way, and that I would not have walked through that painful time. But experiencing the love and closeness of the Lord was a gift that I don’t think I would have ever experienced if “poof,” things just suddenly got better in my marriage. So although I don’t believe that God brought that affair to our marriage (that was my husband’s choice and Satan trying to mess with a Christian couple), I do praise Him for using this terrible circumstance to bring the healing I so desperately wanted and that my husband never realized we needed.
Prayer is so powerful. I have seen God move mountains from prayer. I am asking for prayer. A dear friend is burying her grandson tomorrow. It was sudden and unexpected. Please be in prayer for Mary Ann & Henry (grandparents) and the entire family as they say good bye.
Thank you Kelly. It would take me all day to go through the list over my life, but I will go through the most recent major ones. January 2019 God said officially start your business and I did. December 2019 He said to find an office to rent for your business to expand. Had a conversation with one of my doctors and she said I am looking for a new tenant for an office. She offered me one for a fourth of what I had budgeted. Later that same month He said to walk out of the church and go trade in your car for an SUV. Did it. January 2020 He said don’t renew your lease as you will buy a house. With the pandemic, decrease in pay for a time, and having to live in an Air BnB because our lease was up, we moved into a house 3 days before Thanksgiving. August 2021 He said to put in your notice at the company I was working for to be full-time in my business. In October 2021 became self-employed full-time. January 2022 He said you will have a child by the end of the year. In July 2022 I received a call about adopting my son. As I look back over this short list what I realize is that in this phase of my life it was in times of prayer where I wasn’t asking for anything in particular where I was in a state of being open to His will for my life He spoke all of these things and I blindly obeyed. There have been many trials and tribulations that occurred in between these events where I felt like giving up but I chose to trust Him through them. This reflection is challenging me to go back through and fill in the gaps. I am so grateful at this moment and will continue to stand in prayer daily.
As a somewhat new Christian (and the only one in my family), I was faced with “honoring” my mother by staying at home and attending a local college (that did not offer a major I was interested in) or returning to the school I had been attending on the other side of the state against her wishes.
It was a rough summer of working 2 jobs, taking a class, and trying to obtain a loan to pay for the next school year. I wrestled with God in prayer about being a witness to my family. I made duel plans all summer. When it came to the point of needing to decide, my pastor and the trusted mature Christians in my life encouraged me to submit to my mother’s wishes.
So I let her know that I had obtained a loan on my own (payments begain right away-it was not a federal student loan) but I was not going to finalize it and would stay home. At first there was a lot of yelling but she finally asked how I thought I would be able to afford the school year. So I showed her my budget and my schedule and by the end of the conversation she released me to return to the school I wanted to go to.
That was the first of many times that the Lord has met me in a difficult circumstance as I struggled in prayer for wisdom and direction.
I thank God for all the prayers that he has answered yes. But, I am also learning to thank God for all the prayers answered with “wait” or “not yet” or just a flat-out “no”. I have discovered that it is through those prayers that I am learning to trust Him completely. “No’s” and “waits” and “not yets” are hard, but I love that they make me lean into Him more. The focus of my prayers is changing. I am learning to want the relationship with Him more than I want Him to just answer my requests.
Thanks Kelly (NEO) that makes more sense. God has worked in my prayers not the way I’ve expected. A number of years ago I was praying for a new job. My work environment was toxic and I was really having a hard time. I thought a new job would be the answer. Instead God answered my prayers by having a few of my co-workers find new jobs. The environment completely changed and I am still there happily. So while it wasn’t the answer I was praying for, God obviously had a greater plan.
Reflection prompt for today should read “This Monday, start the week off by testifying to how God has worked in and through prayer in different circumstances in your life.”