I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that prayer can change hearts, bring peace, and physically heal. I also know that God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we expect Him to, and that sometimes unanswered prayer tests the limits of our faith and pushes us dangerously close to giving up...sometimes we do give up. There are times though that prayer is answered and miracles happen; answered prayer renews our faith and can be an amazing tool for us to give God glory, displaying His power to those who don't know Him.
I read something this morning that gave me pause in my thoughts of prayer.
Matthew 21: 18-22 says, "Early in the morning, as he (Jesus) was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, 'May you never bear fruit again!' Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. 'How did the fig tree wither so quickly?' they asked. Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
My question is: Did Jesus mean that literally? Could I literally say to one of the mountains along the PCH, "throw yourself into the sea" and it would just move and suddenly sink beneath the waves? No...it wouldn't. It's lack of movement wouldn't be because something like that is impossible for God; it would be because I have next to no faith that it would even move an inch just because I told it to. Mountain moving and tree killing are not usually things that we long for and believe will happen, so what was Jesus talking about?
For me personally, Jesus was saying, "Amanda, if you believe completely that your marriage can be saved, it will be." He said, "Amanda, if you trust that I know what is best for you and chose to follow me through everything that comes your way, I will grant you peace that surpasses any one's understanding." It means something different for each of us. For you it might mean that someday your spouse will come to know Him; it might mean that your son will someday turn to Jesus and chose to live for him. It might mean a healed sickness or safety for someone you love; it could mean that God will provide money, or food, or shelter when you have none. God is in the business of making the impossible possible. It's not through voodoo or magic, it's through faith in Him. When we ask for something in accordance with His will (that's a really a huge point there), when we "have faith and do not doubt", He will provide.
As I said, sometimes prayers aren't answered. Sometimes God just says 'no', but usually it's because He has something better in store for you. Faith doesn't mean that life will be easy, that things will just automatically fall into place because you ask Him to do that for you; faith is a journey, and God's time is drastically different from ours. Your mountain might not move instantaneously, but if you truly believe that someday it will, and if you have faith that God knows what He's doing, eventually it will throwh itself into the sea. In that moment remember to give to glory to God, and in the meantime remember that God sees the bigger picture...other things might have to happen before the mountain moves...wait on Him, believe in Him, keep praying, and do not doubt that He will provide a way.
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