Don’t Forget to Ask

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

You don’t have what you want because 

you don’t ask God for it.

James 4:2 NLT

I needed a favor but was too timid to ask. I fretted about it for days, trying to figure out how to make something happen, even hoping my friend would see the need, and I wouldn’t have to say anything at all.

When I finally saw no other way around it and presented my dilemma, she said, “Why did you wait so long? All you had to do was ask.”

How often do we do that with the Lord? We have a need but fail to take it to the One who has all the answers and all the solutions. We spend countless, unproductive hours analyzing our problem and trying to figure out how to fix it ourselves. Most of the time we end up frustrated and stressed out.

All the while, God is saying, “Why did you wait so long? All you had to do was ask.”

The Bible clearly tells us that we have not because we ask not (James 4:2). Jesus Himself said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 NLT). And according to 1 John 14-15, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (NIV).

Some say when we get to the end of our rope, we should tie a knot and hang on for dear life. But why wait until we get desperate? How much better off would we be if we would learn to take everything to the Lord in prayer immediately. To seek His face, His wisdom, and His guidance. To pray and keep on praying, knowing that He hears us and is working on our behalf—even when we can’t see or feel it.

Child of God, Your Father already knows what you need, but the Bible says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV).

God is ready to answer your prayers. Just don’t forget to ask.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagery majestic.

Delayed Answers to Prayer

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

I prayed and prayed … and prayed.

No answer ... at least none that I could see.

Was God not listening? Was He upset with me? Had He abandoned me?

I felt complete and utter rejection.

Yet deep in my heart I knew I had prayed according to God’s Word. I believed. I had faith that He would do what He said He would do. I looked back on so many answered prayers and knew God had not changed. He was, is, and always will be a man of His Word.

Yet in the natural, nothing changed.

Someone said to me, “Don’t forget; one day is the same as a thousand years to the Lord.” Not exactly what I wanted to hear. I didn’t want to wait a thousand years to get my prayer answered.

Then Holy Spirit went to work in my heart, reminding me that God’s timetable is not only different from mine but perfect. His ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine. He is constantly working behind the scenes even when I can’t see or feel it. His promises are true. They are yes and amen.

If you’ve prayed and prayed about something without seeing results, don’t give up. Your prayer might seem delayed, but know that God is concerned with everything that concerns you. He knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. And He’s always working on your behalf.

My answer came. Your answer might be on the horizon and turn out far better than you ever imagined. Mine did.

Photo courtesy of Molnar Belint on Unsplash.

 

 

Coping Skills

By Andrea Merrell

 

Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV

 

My friend brushed away her tears. “I can’t go on like this. I can’t cope with everything that’s going wrong in my life. There’s no peace.”

 

I could relate as I’m sure many of you can. We’ve all felt that way at one time or another. The cares of this life press in until we feel we can’t possibly make it, and our stress meter reaches a critical level. Then the Enemy convinces us that it’s all our fault, God has abandoned us, and we might as well throw in the proverbial towel.

 

The apostle Paul faced more cares than most—including many life-threatening situations—yet he gives us three little coping skills that we tend to forget or overlook:

• Rejoice always.
• Pray without ceasing.
• In everything give thanks.

Why are these three admonitions so important? Because “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” His perfect plan. He didn’t promise it would be easy, but He does promise good results.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. How can we rejoice when life goes haywire? When the finances are depleted. When the medical report is negative. When relationships are strained. When the world comes crashing in around us and there seems to be no hope. 

We can always rejoice because our joy is not dependent on what is going on around us. Our joy—true joy—comes from the Lord and gives us the strength to endure whatever comes our way.

 

How can we pray without ceasing? By keeping our heart and mind focused on the Lord and His goodness. By allowing Him to be part of every moment of every day. The Passion translation says, “make your life a prayer.”

 

And how do we give thanks in every situation? By remembering God’s goodness and faithfulness. By realizing we have been given another opportunity to use our faith—without which it is impossible to please Him. And by developing a grateful heart and placing our hope and trust in the One who loves us and holds our life in His hands. That’s how we walk in peace.

 

When you're stressed out and can no longer cope, it’s time to rejoice, to pray, and to give thanks.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

 

Your Answer Is On the Way

 By Andrea Merrell

 

And since we know he hears us when we make our requests,

we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

1 John 5:15 NLT

 

 

My friend was frustrated. Disheartened. She had prayed for a situation that only seemed to get worse with time. Her faith was shaken. She wondered if God was even listening. 

When we pray and don't see immediate results, we often wonder if our prayers are in vain, yet we are instructed in the Scriptures to pray always, placing our faith, hope, and trust in the Lord.

Sometimes we find ourselves praying about the same situation for years. That was my experience when my son and daughter went down the road of the prodigal. But God taught me many lessons during that time. One is that He hears every single cry of our heart and sees every tear. And He is always working on our behalf, even when we can’t see, feel, or understand.

God wants us—His children—to pour out our petitions before Him, then thank Him in advance for the answer. In Jesus Calling, Sarah Young writes:

When you bring me your prayer requests, lay out your concerns before me. Speak to me candidly; pour out your heart. Then thank me for the answer that I have set into motion long before you can discern results. When your requests come to mind again, continue to thank me for the answers that are on the way. If you keep on stating your concerns to me, you will live in a state of tension. ~ Jesus

Never stop believing, and never stop praying. But most importantly, never stop thanking God. 

Your answer is on the way.

 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

 

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Never stop believing, and never stop praying. But most importantly, never stop thanking God. Your answer is on the way. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

 

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Do the Right Thing

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace.

Romans 14:19 KJV

 

I’m so frustrated and confused,” the woman said. “I don’t know what to do.

 

“Do the right thing,” her friend said.

 

“How am I supposed to know what that is?”

 

Doing the right thing can surely be frustrating, especially when we’re listening to the wrong people and bad advice. The Bible, on the other hand, tells us to follow peace. My rule of thumb has always been: when in doubt, don’t. If there’s no peace, I don’t move forward.

 

My good friend went through a horrific marriage for ten years. Faced with many decisions—both during and after—she developed her own rule: pray, then do the next right thing. This has served her well. She even has a sign on her wall with these words as a continual reminder.

 

Sometimes we make decisions harder than they should be. We try to see a mile down the path before us when we should be taking one baby step at a time, seeking the Lord’s guidance at every twist and turn.

 

God has an answer for every question and a solution for every problem. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it.

 

If you’re stumbling along the path and can’t get your bearings, go ahead—pray. Then do the next right thing. God will show you the rest.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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Are You Praying Positive or Negative Prayers?

By Andrea Merrell

God … gives life to the dead 

and calls into being things that were not.

Romans 4:17 NIV

 

“Oh, God, he drinks too much. Please make him stop. And change his nasty, critical attitude.” 

The husband’s problems were serious and the woman’s plea desperate. She prayed the only way she knew how. The only thing she could see was the situation—not the solution.

Imagine what could happen if she prayed with a different vision. Instead of focusing on her husband’s problems, what if she focused instead on the outcome—on how things should be according to God’s plan. What if she prayed positive instead of negative prayers?

Chris Tiegreen writes:

Which of those prayers is more likely to stir up your faith? One approach makes the situation look too big for God to handle. It cultivates anxiety, discouragement, and even despair. The other approach honors God’s power to transform any situation into something beautiful, joyful, and true. It cultivates expectancy and faith. It’s filled with hope.
 

Which vision you hold in your mind when you pray is significant. It matters a lot. When you pray for someone ruining his life, don’t focus on his mistakes. Develop a picture of what he will look like when restored, and then pray that picture. If you’re praying for someone who’s depressed, envision her shining with God’s radiance and pray that vision. If you’re praying for a broken system—family, government, work—imagine its glory when fully repaired. Positive praying is far more powerful than negative praying because God honors faith. A hopeful vision cultivates it. 

Next time you pray, instead of looking at the problem, focus on the solution. See the situation as it should be. As it can be. As God sees it. It probably won’t happen overnight, but don’t ever give up. God hears and responds to every faith-filled word.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagerymajestic.)

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When you pray, focus on the solution. See the situation as it should be. As it can be. As God sees it. It probably won’t happen overnight, but don’t ever give up. God hears and responds to every faith-filled word. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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Don't Stop Praying for Them

By Andrea Merrell

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save;

nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

Isaiah 59:1 NKJV

 

A certain family member has been out of my life for years. I have no contact with him, but it breaks my heart to know that he does not believe in the God I love and serve. Many previous conversations with him about the Lord have only gotten me this: “That’s so good for you. I’m very proud of you, it’s just not for me. I’m doing fine.”

But I keep praying.

Some have said, “Let it go. He’s too hardhearted, too far gone …”

But I keep praying.

When my son and daughter were caught up in a scary lifestyle of drugs and alcohol, they appeared to be “too far gone” as well. But I kept praying and believing, and God answered. He delivered and restored them.

There’s always hope. No one is ever too far gone. I once had a poster with a picture of a large rock with a single flower growing through a small crack. It read, No heart is so hard that God’s love can’t break through.

The psalmist wrote about himself, “So many are saying, ‘God will never rescue him’” (Psalm 3:2 NLT). But David wasn’t discouraged, and he didn’t listen to popular opinion. Instead, he cried, “But you, O Lord are a shield around me. You are my glory, the one who holds my head high” (vs. 3).

Maybe you’ve been praying for someone for years. The skeptics and naysayers might try to discourage you, telling you that you’re wasting your time. It’s too late. There’s no point. But our God is a God of miracles. He is faithful, and His Word is true.

Whatever you do, don’t stop praying.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagerymajestic.)

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Small-Minded Prayers

By Andrea Merrell

 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel,

“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!

Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm

so that I will be free from pain.” 

And God granted his request.

1 Chronicles 4:10

“You don’t think big enough,” my friend said. “God’s not put off or intimidated when you dream big and ask for what you want.”

She was right. My small-minded prayers only showed my hesitation—and possible lack of faith—to, as she said, “pray outside the box.”

The Bible says it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Jabez is a good example for us to follow. We’re told that he was “more honorable than his brothers.” Why? Because he dared to ask God for great things. There was nothing extraordinary or special about Jabez. The Bible doesn’t tell us much about him except that he was a common man with uncommon faith.

God said to Jeremiah, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

The apostle Paul said God is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

In Psalm 37:4 were told that God will give us the desires of our heart when we trust in Him. That means when our desires line up with His, we can have what we ask.

If God has placed a dream in your heart, present it to Him. Then believe He'll bring it to pass. Turn your small-minded thinking into big-minded, audacious prayers.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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Pray About Everything

By Andrea Merrell

Casting all your cares [all your anxieties,

all your worries, and all your concerns,

once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you

[with deepest affection, and watches over you 

very carefully].

1 Peter 5:7 AMP

“That’s stupid. I would never bother God with something so trivial.”

As my friend said the words, she looked at me in a way that clearly told me she thought I had lost my mind.

The conversation took place a long time ago but has stayed with me all these years. Did it change my perspective on prayer or stop me from going to God with my needs? Absolutely not. If anything, it caused me to take a closer look at Scripture to get God’s perspective on the subject.

What I’ve learned is that God is concerned about everything that concerns me—big or small—and He invites me to cast all my care on Him. Philippians 4:6 instructs me not to worry about anything, but to pray about everything. God also promises in Psalm 138:8 to perfect everything that concerns me. To me, that means He wants to be involved in the fine print of my life as well as the headlines.

Because I know He loves me and wants to lead, guide, and direct my steps, I will continue to pray about all the major events in my life, but I will also pray about parking spaces, bad hair days, and the weather. I will seek His guidance on things like moving furniture, buying gifts, and what color to paint the walls.

God is sovereign. He is eternal. He is the mighty One, Creator of heaven and earth. He is the great I AM. But he is also intimately acquainted with us as His children and wants to be our best and closest friend. When we invite Him in, He promises to be with us always, so why shouldn’t we talk to Him about all things, great and small?

And when you pray ... don't forget to be thankful.

Wishing you and your family a blessed and happy Thanksgiving holiday!

(Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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Getting the Real Inside Track

By Andrea Merrell

Who doesn’t like a good tip—especially those who bet on the horses and dabble in the stock market? We want the skinny on the best places to live, the most fuel-efficient cars, and the most fabulous restaurants. We seek the opinion of others about schools, churches, and the best and most reasonable places to shop.

Life is full of choices. Decisions must be made on a daily basis from “What do I cook for dinner?” to “Is it time for a career change?”

Seeking the opinions and advice of others—especially those who have been there/done that—is fine as long as we don’t only look for external direction. When we fail to look inside for internal guidance from the Holy Spirit, we can miss the wisdom of the ages and God’s perfect will for our lives.

Here are some promises we can hold fast to:

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.

Psalm 37:23 NLT

Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:6 NLT

Your own ears will hear him.
    Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
    whether to the right or to the left.

Isaiah 30:21 NLT

Want to get the real inside track? Ask God for wisdom and direction. Then listen closely. It’s that simple. 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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