When Our Prayers Aren’t Answered
July 18, 2017//
Topics to Dig Into
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4 (NLT)
Why do our prayers sometimes go unanswered if, as the psalmist proclaims, God gives us the desires of our heart?
Well, have we followed the steps outlined?
Step 1: Trust God. Believe that He loves you and can work good from any situation. Trust displaces worry, but isn’t permission to sit idly waiting for a solution to drop from the sky.
Step 2: Do good. Focus on others. Don’t wallow in the struggle but reach out to others and serve. I have always found that serving someone else lifts my spirits. I recently guest blogged about the
health benefits of volunteering.
health benefits of volunteering.
Step 3: Settle in where you are. Live in the present. Don’t disengage while waiting for something better. Make friends. Get involved. You may be exactly where God wants to use you.
Step 4: Delight in the Lord. Praise God in every circumstance. Establish a habit of gratitude. Find joy in Him alone.
Then…. God will give you the desires of your heart.
There’s a good chance those desires have changed while you’ve trusted God’s plan and started looking for His purpose in this season. Perhaps you’ve rekindled an old dream or discovered a new passion. You’ve invested yourself in the community and may have forged an unexpected relationship. You’ve experienced blessing in the waiting and learned a few lessons.
And in God’s perfect timing, He will fulfill the desires He placed in your heart.
Do you have an unfulfilled dream? What have you learned while waiting?
#SeedsofScripture #trustGod #dogood
Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.
