I sat with wrap attention listening to the amazing testimonies that blew my mind from the man that was sitting next to me in the plane. He told me how on different occasions, he prayed to God and received instantaneous results. The testimonies were so fascinating that we got carried away and could not notice the distance between Israel and Nigeria. Shortly, we heard the announcement that our plane would soon land; and in some minutes it landed. We departed and bided each other farewell.
As I journeyed from Abuja airport to my town that night, I was meditating over the testimonies of that man; hoping that I might tell mine soon. While in Israel, I had prayed for specific things I wanted God to do for me.
When God seems silent
But days, weeks, months, and years passed by, and nothing happened. I asked myself questions but could not ascertain why the silence. At last, I comforted myself that maybe it was not God’s Will for me to have what I prayed for. But in my mind, there was a lot of struggle going on.
Have you prayed to God for something without result? Maybe like me someone tells you how God has done this or that to her; but as for you, nothing is happening. How do you feel about that? Perhaps you are discouraged, wondering why your own case is different; as I did.
The Big question
What could be the reason behind other Christians praying and getting results and others are not? Why are others thriving in the joy of God, while others are frustrated and discouraged in life? Aren’t we serving the same God who the Bible says shows no favoritism? The Bible certainly tells us of the love and care of God for his children, and how Jesus triumphed over evil for our freedom. But it’s like that remains a theory than a reality to other believers.
God is faithful
Imagine what these scriptures are saying about God’s promises toward us:
“For I know the thoughts that I think about you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”.Jer.29:11
“When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him”. Prov.16:7
“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favour is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”. PS.30:5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom.5:1
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Joh.14:27
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me. Says the Lord” Isa.54:17
Yet it’s like those promises seem out of reach for some of us. Jesus himself said that whatever we ask in his name, he will do; by that, the Father is glorified (Joh.14:13), yet some of us have asked many times without results. Does that make God a liar? Absolutely not, God is not man that hw should lie.
We are responsible for our progress
Now, the reason why some of us are not accessing God’s promises is because we don’t trust him. And we find it difficult to trust him because we don’t know him intimately . We are busy with the pursuits of life, and hardly have any quality time with him.
In my own case, one day I told myself if I can spend hours reading my notes to pass an exam, why shouldn’t I spend more time in studying God’s word. I wanted to understand why my prayers were unproductive. As I spent more time on God’s word, I began to get revelations of God from his word, and that strengthened my faith in him. I realized that there is nothing God cannot do for us unless we do not ask according to his will.
It appears some of us relate with God on proxy. If we relate with him that way we won’t get to know him well, and it is not possible to trust someone you don’t know. For us to enjoy God’s promises, we must establish a personal relationship with him. And the only way to develop that relationship is through a committed and diligent study of his word and prayer. It is in his word that we get to know him and hear him. The Lord Jesus said,
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life”.
John 6:63.
We live by faith not by sight
The only way to get our prayers answered is by putting our faith in God. For it is impossible to please him without faith.(Heb.11:6) Depending on our emotions when relating with God would not produce any results for us. Our emotions would always remind us how big the problem is, and how impossible the situation appears. But the person that has faith would not set his mind on the problem or the situation, but on God. The scripture says,
“The just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him” Heb.10:38
If we know that he loves us, we will trust him even when we don’t have any feelings. When you trust someone you don’t doubt him when he promises to do something for you. It is the same thing with the way we relate with our spouses. If you trust your spouse, and he says he would buy a gift for you, you will believe him without waiting to be convinced by your feelings. It takes faith to hold God by his word.
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