Praising Him When He Answers

Monday morning found me praying with a group of friends for something that to me seemed absolutely impossible. I asked for something that God alone could accomplish.  At the time, it seemed completely beyond reach except by the supernatural power of God.

And He answered.

He is so good and so faithful.  He poured out abundant mercy upon me, although I did not deserve the answer and the ones I interceded for did not deserve the answer, yet it came.

And then, I found myself thinking.  Oh, this wasn't really that important, I began to think.  It wasn't like I was explicitly saying that God hadn't done it, but I began to question how miraculous His answer actually was. My heart wandered to all the reasons why this answer was propelled by human means. I also looked back and wondered if the answer was that significant after all. Maybe it wasn't that important...

I began to doubt.

Not to doubt that the answer had come, but to doubt the character of my King in giving it to me.  

I began to dismiss God's answer as commonplace.

Instead of recognizing it as the miracle it was (and still is), I discounted 1) its significance, and 2) its former impossibility.

God answered my prayer in such a marvelous way. And it should have built my faith in Him. But it didn't.  I cast it aside as "normal" and "worthless" instead of praising Him for the wonderful way He should His mercy to me in answering it.

Have you ever done that before? I myself have been guilty of falling into this trap all too often.  But this week, the Lord stopped me. He reminded me of what I had prayed for and what He had done.  And when I really stopped and forced myself to think about it, I was amazed!

This day, let us remember to give thanks to the Lord for the ways He answers prayers.

We pray so hard for an answer, and then, when it comes, we seem to simply shrug it off.  Let us resolve to thank our merciful Savior for the many ways He has answered our prayers. Let us acknowledge His answers for what they are--complete miracles!  Undeserved grace and mercy.  Bountiful blessings.

I did not deserve the answer I received Monday.  But the Lord, in His great love and His abundant grace, answered the cry of my heart! He heard my supplications!  Pause for a moment and consider the wonder of this.  And let your heart turn to praise.