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Prayer
Sometimes I ponder prayer and actually visualize God listening to my prayer. It is an awesome thought that as I speak, God is actually hearing me at that very moment. Daniel, the prophet, says many times:
...but there is a God in heaven... (2:28) (also in Daniel 2:18, 2,37, 2:44, 5:23)
God is real and He actually hears us as we speak to Him. When He hears us, He begins His work immediately. While you are praying, visualize God, the Creator, who stretched out the heavens. Think about God who is all powerful and can hear every person's prayer, who knows your each thought before you think it and your each word before you say it, who knows your heart better than you know it yourself. It is beyond our comprehension how someone could hear and know everything. But, He is working in all of our lives now. We may not see what He is doing, but you can be assured that He has begun to work in your life at that moment that you cry for help.
Here are two examples from the Bible that are most fascinating.
While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill---while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice (Daniel 10:20)
Did you catch the speed of this answer? Daniel must have noticed the speed, for he felt a need to emphasize "while I was still in prayer." Gabriel came to him in "swift flight." God didn't waste any time--he heard the prayer and took action immediately.
In the ninth chapter of Acts, we learn of Saul's conversion where he is blinded by a "light from heaven" which flashed around him. Jesus spoke to Saul and asked him why he was persecuting Him and ordered him to go to the city. Then we read:
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." (Acts 9:10-12)
Saul was "still praying" and God was working on his behalf. This God who heard prayers in Biblical times hears our prayers as well. He has not changed. He is still the "God in Heaven" that heard Daniel's prayers and Saul's prayers.
Whatever it is you want for your life, ask God for it. If you want your marriage to be better, tell Him what your desire is. If you want him to mold you into the person He wants you to be, ask him to do it. If you want Him to use you to minister to others, ask Him to give you the opportunity and to speak through you. If you want to love Him with all your heart and soul, ask to enable you.
You do not have, because you do not ask God. (James 4:3)
I did not realize how God has answered my prayers until I began to keep a prayer journal. One reason to keep a journal is to praise God and remember all of the things that He has revealed to you. I have found that if I do not write something I've learned down, the devil snatches it away from me. It is forgotten. But when I record what God has done for me and what He has revealed to me, I have it forever.
Also, I write down what is bothering me, what I am anxious about.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
I write it down out of obedience. God promises to guard my heard and my mind in Jesus if I just tell him about my worries instead of keeping them to myself, or even telling someone else. He is the one who can handle all my problems. He is sufficient and He cares for me the most. Why would I not do as He says.
We may not see God working right away. As in the case of Daniel and Saul, God begins His work when we ask Him. Sometimes our problem is fixed quickly, but usually it takes time, and we are stronger through the process. He builds character and perseverance in us during these times. (See Romans 5:3-5)
In our journals, we may tell God about a person who we are worried about, give Him thanks, and present our requests to Him. Most assuredly, we will receive peace in our hearts and minds. And over time, we will see God's hand because we will be able to look back over our journals and remember whom we prayed for and what our concerns were.
So many times He uses people and events to answer our prayers and we can't make the connection. Just recently I was writing in my journal my memories since childhood when I saw God's hand in my life. During this process, God revealed so many things to me. I remembered praying for my marriage that God would protect it and make it strong. I had no idea that the chain of events that occurred would strengthen my marriage.
While writing this account, I realized that even my changing jobs was all related to my marriage. I was in a situation where there was a lot of negatively toward marriage and husbands. I was learning to feel this way about my husband and getting ideas in my head about what he was "supposed" to do and "supposed" to be like. I didn't realize that this wrong. For totally other reasons, my job became unbearable for me and had to leave. My new job was with two women who had strong marriages and I was not being influenced this way any longer.
In addition, it seems clear to me that God changed my whole perspective about marriage and the role of the wife. He revealed to me the truth through His holy Word because I asked Him. It is important to note that I didn't see these answers right away. Not until years later do I see the steps He took and the paths that he led me to take me where I am now. It has given me a great sensitivity that "there is a God in heaven" who hears my prayers and who answers them.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if you son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:9-13)
Do not forget to pray and then:
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him (Psalm 37:7a)
God hears prayers.
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. (Psalm 55:17)
Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. (Psalm 55:1)
Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. (Psalm 54:2)
And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time. (Nehemiah 9:28b)
And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (2 Chronicles 30:20)